Beckenham Walk

Beckenham History Walk

A stroll round Beckenham - Monday 1st June 2015

As a follow-up to our May meeting, a dozen or so Members set off with our guide Ian Bevan for a short tour of central Beckenham. Click on an image below to see a larger version - you can then move forward or back using the arrows on either side.

Our tour started outside Beckenham Junction station, built in 1858, and then proceeded up to Beckeham Green, the space being created by a V1 flying bombs in July 1944 but only in more recent years turned into a public space. The old parish marker was relocated to its present position in 1994 by BBLHS members Mr. & Mrs. Batty.
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Much older, in part at least, is the nearby milestone placed at the junction of the High Street and Bromley Road. Some BBLHS Members can be seen in the background! Incidentally, it was moved here in 1927 from the other side of the road, by the church.
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Our walk then took us past the 19th century primary school, the old (second) fire station and Public Hall and and 17th century alms houses into St. George's churc with its very bright new windows, installed afer the the damge caused by the 1944 bombs.
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The church is particularly noted (according to Ian's Bradshaw) for its brasses and memorials.
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The memorials to various local land-owning families include the Burrells of Park Langley and George Eden, of Eden Park, both in the UK and in New Zealand.
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On view was a cart used to carry coffins in days gone by.
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Our tour continued past the old police station (now Coppers restaurant) to Thornton's Corner, once the site of the village lock-up.
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The present name is after a shop belonging to journalist Tom Thornton above which can be seen a blue plaque.
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After a short detour via Kelsey Park we continued past Christ Church (unfortunately locked) and back to the High Street. We then passed Gordon House on our right and The George on our left before arriving at Beckenham's first fire station, next to the former Three Tuns.
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A quick look at St. Edmund's church with its unusual Jacob Epstein carving, and our stroll concluded opposite the War Memorial and the Odeon (claimed by the first owner to stand for "Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation"), still known to many as the Regal Cinema.
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