Farnborough is a village in Greater

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England. Situated south of

Locksbottom Locksbottom is a suburb of south-east London within the London Borough of Bromley, Greater London. Prior to 1965 it was within the historic county of Kent. It is located south of Bromley Common, west of Crofton, north-west of Farnborough, and ...

, west of

Green Street Green Green Street Green is an area in south-east London, located in the London Borough of Bromley and, prior to 1965, in the historic county of Kent. It is located south of Orpington, west of Chelsfield, north-west of Pratt's Bottom, north of Haz ...

, north of

Downe Downe, formerly Down (), is a village in Greater London, England, located within the London Borough of Bromley, which formed part of the historical county of Kent until 1965, and is beyond London's contiguous urban area. Charles Darwin lived ...

and Hazelwood, and east of

Keston Keston is a village in Greater London, England, located within the London Borough of Bromley, Greater London. Prior to 1965 it was within the historic county of Kent. It is part suburban, part rural in nature and lies on the edge of Hayes Com ...

, it is centred southeast 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. ...

. Suburban development following the Second World War resulted in the area becoming almost contiguous with the Greater London conurbation, but the village is still surrounded by open farmland. The area has formed part of 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 ...

local authority district since the formation of the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London in 1965.

History

The village name derives from ''Fearnbiorginga'', meaning a village among the ferns on the hill. Old records date from 862 when Æthelbert of Wessex, Ethelbert, King of Wessex, gave away 950 acres at Farnborough. The village was not included in the Domesday Book of 1086, but the manor existed in the Middle Ages and was held in the 13th century by Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort. The village evolved on the main road from London to Hastings which originally ran via Church Road and Old Hill (to the south of the village). The George pub existed in the 16th century and was used as a coaching inn. Coaches and horses were accommodated later. In 1639 a severe storm destroyed St Giles' Church –it was later rebuilt. Suburban development occurred in the post-Second World War years, resulting in the village becoming almost contiguous with the London conurbation, however Green Belt legislation prevented any further development southwards. On 30 March 2008, a Cessna Citation carrying 5 people onboard 2008 Biggin Hill Cessna Citation crash, crashed into a house in the village. All 5 people on board died, including former racers Richard Lloyd (racing driver), Richard Lloyd and David Leslie (racing driver), David Leslie.

Local government

Farnborough formed a civil parish in the Ruxley (hundred), Ruxley hundred of Kent. In 1840 the parish was included in the Metropolitan Police District. It was part of the Bromley sanitary district, rural sanitary district and went on to form part of the Bromley Rural District from 1894 to 1934. The parish was abolished in 1934 under a county review order, following the Local Government Act 1929, and its area was split between the Municipal Borough of Bromley (3 acres) and Orpington Urban District (1,426 acres). The entire area has formed part of the London Borough of Bromley in Greater London since 1965.

In film

On 1 May 1933, British Pathé released ''As Befits a Romani people, Romany Queen''. The subject was the funeral of Urania Boswell, wife of Levi Boswell, of Willow Walk, behind Princess Royal University Hospital, on 24 April. She was the last Queen of the Kent (England) Gypsies (Romani People). The film lasts just under two minutes, and follows the cortège into Saint Giles the Abbott Church, where the gravestone may still be found, very near to the war memorial.

Transport

The nearest National Rail station to Farnborough is Orpington station, located away. Farnborough is served by two London Buses routes. *358 to Crystal Palace, London, Crystal Palace via Bromley, Elmers End, Beckenham & Penge or to Orpington. *R4 to

or to Paul’s Cray Hill via Orpington & St Mary Cray.

Population

Notable residents

* Steve Bennett (referee), Steve Bennett (b. 1961) - football referee, born in Farnborough * Urania Boswell, aka 'Gypsy Lee' (d.1933) - local woman known as the Queen of the Kent gypsies * Chris Cowdrey (b. 1957) - cricketer, born in Farnborough * Nigel Farage (b. 1964) - politician, born in Farnborough * James Hanratty (1936-1962) - murderer * Ben Wallace (politician), Ben Wallace (b. 1970) - Conservative politician, born in Farnborough * Patrick Watts (b. 1955) - racing driver, born in Farnborough

References

External links

Farnborough Parish WEB Site
{{Authority control Areas of London Districts of the London Borough of Bromley Former civil parishes in the London Borough of Bromley