Bickley is a district and a local government electoral ward in South East London, within the

London Borough of Bromley The London Borough of Bromley () is a London Borough, borough in London, England. It is the largest and southeasternmost borough in London, and borders the county of Kent, of which it formed part until 1965. The borough's population in the 2021 ...

. It is located 10.4 miles (16.7 km) south east of

Charing Cross Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Since the early 19th century, Charing Cross has been the notional "centre of London" and became the point from which distances from London are measured. ...

, bordering Elmstead to the north,

Chislehurst Chislehurst () is a suburban district of south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies east of Bromley, south-west of Sidcup and north-west of Orpington, south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater ...

to the north-east and east, Petts Wood to the south-east, Southborough to the south,

Bromley Bromley is a large town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is southeast of Charing Cross, and had an estimated population of 88,000 as of 2023. Originally part of Kent, Bromley became a market town, charte ...

to the south-west and west and Widmore to the north-west. Until 1965, it was in the historic county of

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

History

The area's name is first recorded in 1279, the 'ley' or 'lea' referring to a forest clearing, and 'Bicca' either meaning a pointed ridge, or else a personal name. The area remained rural, save for a small hunting lodge belonging to the Wells family dating to 1759. The Lodge was gradually enlarged to become Bickley Hall, a classical house designed by Robert Mylne, FRS, for John Wells, shipbuilder, in 1780 (demolished 1963). His brother William, shipbuilder and a director of Greenwich Hospital, inherited the estate, and his son John commissioned additions by Robert Smirke in 1810. John Wells began selling part of his lands in 1841 following due to financial difficulties, and by the late 1850s a few large houses had been built in the area, aided by the opening of Bickley railway station (formerly named Southborough Road) in 1858 and Chislehurst station in 1865. Much of the area was purchased and developed by George Wythes, who commissioned numerous large houses for the wealthy classes, most of them designed by Richard Norman Shaw and Ernest Newton. St George's Church was built in 1865, and a cricket ground in 1868. Smaller-scale development continued throughout the early 20th century and several of the older, larger properties were demolished or sub-divided. The area today remains a wealthy one, characterised by large detached housing.

Parks in Bickley

Jubilee Country Park

With entrances in Thornet Wood Road and Blackbrook lane, there are 62 acres (25 hectares) of wildflower meadows, hedgerows and semi-natural ancient woodland. There is a cycle route through this park to Petts Wood. The London LOOP footpath also goes through Jubilee Park and it is linked to National Trust countryside at Petts Wood and beyond that to Scadbury Park Nature Reserve.

Whitehall Recreation Ground

A large play area on Southlands Road with a children's playground.

Widmore Recreation Ground

A small local park with a children's playground which has entrances in Pembroke Road, Lewes Road and Tylney Road.

Education

Schools in Bickley * Bickley Park (Independent) * Bickley Primary School * Breaside Preparatory School (Independent) * Bromley High School (Independent) * Bullers Wood School for Boys * Scotts Park Primary * St. George's Bickley Primary

Transport

Bickley station serves the area with services to

London Victoria Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a London station group, central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Victoria, London, Victoria, in the City of Westminster, managed by Network Rail. Named afte ...

Kentish Town Kentish Town is an area of northwest London, England, in the London Borough of Camden, immediately north of Camden Town, close to Hampstead Heath. Kentish Town likely derives its name from Ken-ditch or Caen-ditch, meaning the "bed of a waterw ...

Orpington Orpington is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is 13.4 miles (21.6 km) south east of Charing Cross. On the south-eastern edge of the Greater London Built-up Area, it is south of St Mary Cray, sou ...

and

Sevenoaks Sevenoaks is a town in Kent with a population of 29,506, situated south-east of London, England. Also classified as a civil parishes in England, civil parish, Sevenoaks is served by a commuter South Eastern Main Line, main line railway into Lo ...

via

Swanley Swanley is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England, southeast of central London, adjacent to the Greater London boundary and within the M25 motorway periphery. The population at the 2021 ce ...

. Bickley is also served by several

Transport for London Transport for London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London, United Kingdom. TfL is the successor organization of the London Passenger Transport Board, which was established in 1933, and His ...

buses, connecting it with areas including

Beckenham Beckenham () is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. Prior to 1965, it was part of Kent. It is situated north of Elmers End and Eden Park, east of Penge, south of Lower Sydenham and Bellingham, and west ...

, Bexleyheath,

Catford Catford is a district in south east London, England, and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Lewisham. It is southwest of Lewisham itself, mostly in the Rushey Green (ward), Rushey Green and Catford South Ward (electoral subdivi ...

Eltham Eltham ( ) is a district of South London, southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is east-southeast of Charing Cross, and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. The three ...

, Locksbottom,

, Petts Wood and

Sidcup Sidcup is an area of south-east London, England, primarily in the London Borough of Bexley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, bordering the London Boroughs of London Borough of Bromley, Bromley and Royal Borough of Greenwich, Greenwich. It was ...

Places of worship

* St George's Church * St. Augustine's Church * Southborough Lane Baptist Church

Notable residents

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

(1947-2016), musician, lived at 106 Canon Road from 1953 to 1954. * Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge (1932–2000) Cricket player, lived on Hawthorne Road until about 1965. * Florence Farr (1860–1917), religious writer and playwright, was born in Bickley. * Norman Fulton (1909–1980), composer, lived in Bickley. * Evelyn Hellicar (1862–1929), architect. * Gertrude Hermes (1901–1983) wood engraver, print maker and sculptor, born in Bickley. * Ethel Hurlbatt, principal of

Bedford College, London Bedford College was founded in London in 1849 as the first higher education college for women in the United Kingdom. In 1900, it became a constituent of the University of London. Having played a leading role in the advancement of women in highe ...

, born in Bickley. *

Pixie Lott Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott (born 12 January 1991) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her debut studio album, ''Turn It Up (Pixie Lott album), Turn It Up'' (2009), reached number six on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 1.5 millio ...

(born 1991), singer-songwriter, spent part of her childhood in Bickley. * Ernest Newton (1856–1921), architect who designed many houses in the area. * Charles Henry Bourne Quennell (1872–1935), architect of the Bickley development and writer, lived at 9 The Avenue. * Marjorie Quennell ''née'' Courtnay (1884–1972), artist, writer and museum curator, wife of CHB Quennell. * Peter Quennell (1905–1993), biographer, literary historian, editor, essayist, poet, and critic, son of CHB Quennell. * John Wells (1761–1846), of Bickley Hall, High Sheriff of Kent. MP for Maidstone.

Gallery

File:Bickley_sign.jpg, Bickley sign on Bickley Park Road File:Woodlands_Road,_Bickley.jpg, Woodlands Road, lined by substantial detached properties File:The_Elms,Bickley.jpg, The Elms, Bickley File:St_George's,_Bickley.jpg, The grade II listed St George's Church, built 1863-65 (with the spire rebuilt in 1905-06) File:'One Chimney', Bickley, Kent - geograph.org.uk - 137095.jpg, A typical house in the area File:Bickley station building.JPG, Bickley rail station

References

External links

Chislehurst, Petts Wood & Bickley Village NewsBickley Park Cricket ClubBromley Councillors
{{LB Bromley Areas of London Districts of the London Borough of Bromley