Misplaced Pages

#501498

49-407: Foots Cray Meadows is an area of parkland and woodland 100 hectares (240 acres) in size, and the largest open space in the borough. It borders the suburbs of Albany Park , Sidcup , Foots Cray , North Cray and Ruxley . The River Cray runs through it in a north-easterly direction. The London Loop , a public recreational walking path around London, also known as the "M25 for walkers", runs through

98-603: A loop service. There are also services to Gravesend . Albany Park is served by three Transport for London bus services, 229 , 269 and B14 . that connect the area with Bexleyheath , Sidcup , Bromley , Orpington and Thamesmead . Albany Park is served by two churches; the Baptist church in Stansted Crescent and the Anglican church of St Andrews which is situated on the corner of Maylands Drive and St Andrews Road and which

147-718: A number of shops and the Mock Tudor Albany Hotel. Just prior to the Second World War , NIH began expanding the settlement in a south-eastward direction by beginning to build the Royal Park Estate; it was finished after the war by Bexley Borough Council. NIH had advertised their estate with a sales brochure in which they stated that "the charming countryside shall permanently retain the rural character of its vistas and shall not suffer disfigurement in any way". The Hidden London website later commented that this claim

196-521: A paper mill) and through Foots Cray, where it enters the parkland Foots Cray Meadows, flowing under by Five Arches bridge (built in 1781 as part of their designs by Capability Brown). It then flows by restored Loring Hall (c.1760), home of the Lord Castlereagh who killed himself there in 1822. It continues through North Cray and Bexley. It neighbours a restored Gothic (architecture) cold plunge bath house, built around 1766 as part of Vale Mascal Estate. It

245-451: A secondhand dryer was purchased from Joynson's mill to replace one that had proved unsuitable. By 1954 the site was a factory complex. It had been demolished by 1986. Foot's Cray mill was a paper mill. By the 1870s it was used as a fabric printing works. In 1900 the mill was being used as a factory making photographic film. Its final function was the processing of silk . The paper mill had two cast iron overshot waterwheels in parallel. Each

294-412: A special dispensation given that the area contained far fewer than the 10,000 residents normally required for such status to be granted. In 1955, the local Baptists erected a church hall in Stansted Crescent; they had intended to construct a larger church, although this never materialised. In 2001, a number of trees were planted along the railway line adjacent to the south side of Canterbury Avenue, with

343-462: A vicar was appointed to the town, and the Anglican community subsequently secured a plot of land in the centre of the estate on which to build a church; construction began in 1964 and was completed the following year. The historian of architecture Nikolaus Pevsner later described it as "ingenious, fashionable and slightly absurd". In 1969, Albany Park was granted parochial status by the Church of England,

392-523: A warehouse complex. In 1787 this mill was being run by Henry Brightly. John Hall was the owner in 1816. Charles Cowan was working at the mill in 1819, when the mill had two vats and was producing an estimated 1,500 pounds (680 kg) of paper a week. William Joynson took over in 1834. He had previously been at a paper mill in Snodland . Paper produced here bore the watermarks " Joynson Superfine " or " WJ&S " over " St Mary Cray Kent ". In 1839, Joynson

441-654: Is a 57-hectare (140-acre) park in Lamorbey , which was added to the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in 1988. Originally the estate consisted of 119 hectares belonging to William Steele, a director of the East India Company , but over time sections of the estate have been separated for other uses, including two secondary schools ( Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School and Hurstmere School ), Rose Bruford College , and Sidcup Golf Club. The area of

490-585: Is the largest tributary of the River Darent . It is the prime river of outer, south-east Greater London, rising in Priory Gardens, Orpington, where rainwater percolates through the chalk bedrock of the Downs to form a pond where the eroded ground elevation gives way to impermeable clay. Initially it flows true to form northwards, past industrial and residential St Mary Cray, through St Paul's Cray (where it once powered

539-508: Is the second largest public park in the borough and the most used by the community. Opened in 1925, it is often considered the finest green open space in the borough, and is Grade II listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens . The Hall Place estate is 65 hectares of landscaped gardens and grounds set around a 16th Century Grade I Listed stately home, including a topiary lawn, herb garden, tropical garden and long herbaceous cottage garden-styled borders. The gardens were first opened to

SECTION 10

#1732880390502

588-642: Is then joined by the River Shuttle (a small brook) and then continues through the parkland of Hall Place, which was built for John Champneys in 1540. The Cray turns eastward through Crayford and Barnes Cray to join the Darent in Dartford Creek. The Creek is a well-watered partly tidal inlet (of the Tideway ) between Crayford Marshes and Dartford Marshes by a slight projection of land, Crayford Ness. The villages through which

637-517: The Abbey Wood geological Site of Special Scientific Interest , an important site for early Tertiary fossils. There are four designated Local Nature Reserves in Bexley, Crossness Nature Reserve , Danson Park Bog Garden, Foots Cray Meadows and Lesnes Abbey Woods. Other small parks in the borough include: Albany Park, Bexley Albany Park is an area in south east London, England, within

686-594: The London Borough of Bexley . It is located 12.0 miles (19 km) south east of Charing Cross . Located midway between Sidcup and Bexley , Albany Park is situated on high ground overlooking the valleys of the River Cray and the River Shuttle . Originally a rural area used as farmland, the settlement was established by a commercial housing developer, New Ideal Homesteads, during the 1930s. They built two estates at

735-595: The Cray flows are collectively known as "The Crays". Clean-ups on the (non-tidal) river and campaigns for responsible angling are organised by the Cray Anglers Conservation Group. The tidal section is effectively monitored and maintained by The Dartford and Crayford Restoration Trust, who also organise Lengthsman duties for the banks. There is a signposted public footpath called the Cray Riverway alongside

784-688: The Hurst Place mansion was also taken over as a community centre. Local Anglicans living on the estates found that they were two miles from the nearest Anglican church, and urged the Church of England to aid them. In 1944 the vicar of All Saints Church in Footscray began holding Anglican communion services in a room over the shops in Lewis Road, but by 1946 they were using a hall in Wren Road for this purpose. In 1954

833-472: The Mill House to a new house called Crayfield House. It is recorded that the axle of the waterwheel protruded into the kitchen of the Mill House. William Nash died on 11 September 1879 and the mill was in the hands of trustees again. In 1898 a 250 horsepower (about 190 kW) double-expansion condensing steam engine by Pollitt & Wigzell was installed, along with a second paper machine. Shortly after this

882-455: The Old Mill PH, a pub with a mill theme. In 2007, the pub/restaurant was converted into residential accommodation in the form of flats. Archaeological work carried out by Wessex Archaeology that took place prior to the redevelopment found that " Aside from the levelling deposits no archaeological deposits or remains were observed " and that "No traces of the medieval / post-medieval mill or of

931-518: The Temple URC Church marked the site of a Domesday mill. The mill was demolished in 1872 and the area landscaped as part of the grounds of a public park. William Joynson bought the mill for £8,000 to enable the creation of the park. The 13 ft 4 in (4.06 m) by 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) cast iron waterwheel survived. It was used to drive a beam pump which supplied water to fountains and conservatories at "The Rookery". The wheel

980-538: The area named the Millennium Woodland. The shops on Norman Parade were later demolished and replaced by an apartment block with a convenience store; this was named Cedarwood Place and was constructed by the Belgravia Homes company. Nearest places are: Albany Park station serves the area with services to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street via both Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal as part of

1029-503: The area, the latter of which has attracted attention for its architectural innovation. During the 1930s, New Ideal Homesteads were the largest commercial developer active in north west Kent, known for keeping costs at a minimum by using prefabricated materials. They built the Albany Park estate in the middle of that decade, on land that had formerly been the Tanyard and Hurst Farms, part of

SECTION 20

#1732880390502

1078-400: The construction of a mansion. The low breast shot waterwheel was 14 feet (4.27 m) by 9 feet (2.74 m) and powered at least two pairs of millstones. TQ 517 748 A print works was established by Charles Swaisland in 1812. Two waterwheel symbols were marked on Greenwood's 1821 map. A cast iron and wood low breast shot waterwheel of about 10 feet (3.05 m) by 6 feet (1.83 m)

1127-455: The estate of the Vansittart family who lived at nearby Foots Cray . Most of the area had consisted of fields and spinneys, although nearby there was both an eighteenth-century mansion known as Hurst or Hurst Place, and Sidcup cemetery, which had been established in 1912. The company invented the name "Albany Park" for the housing estate that they were constructing. They built at almost double

1176-511: The housing density that had been recommended to them by the local Bexley council, and sold their houses at low prices, enabling them to be purchased by working-class families leaving Inner London . The estate was adjacent to the Dartford Loop Line , which had existed 1866, although NIH ensured that Albany Park railway station was opened on this line in July 1935. Next to this station were built

1225-498: The meadows parallel to the river from Sidcup Place, just south of the meadows. The meadows contain two bridges across the River Cray: Five Arches bridge and the smaller Penny Farthing Bridge. The Meadows are a Local Nature Reserve , and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation . They have also received a Green Flag Award . Danson Park is situated between Welling and Bexleyheath . At 75 hectares, it

1274-457: The mill was producing an estimated 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of paper a week in 1878. Some 700 people were employed at the mill in 1881 and E. H. Joynson took over the mill in September 1882, expanding it the following year with a new steam engine and machinery. An engraving of the mill in 1891 can be seen here. Joynson produced only high quality writing papers. In the late 1890s, a dryer

1323-595: The mills in order to rebuild them. 350 people were made redundant, and only 200 were employed in the reopened factory. The paper factory made greaseproof and vegetable parchment paper. The mill reopened in April 1933 as the Vegetable Parchment Mills (Delcroix) Ltd. The production of "vulcanised fibre" began around 1943. In 1963 the mill was the home of the National Paper Museum The mill closed in 1967 and

1372-564: The paper museum collection was transferred to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester . TQ 474 694 In 1718 this mill had two waterwheels driving machinery for dressing leather in oil, and a third for corn milling. The mill was replaced by a paper mill, powered by a turbine. TQ 474 694 This paper mill replaced the earlier corn mill. Papermaking had been established by 1742. A steam engine had been installed by around 1820. It

1421-555: The park still in public ownership includes The Glade , a 7.4-hectare (18-acre) area of historic landscape laid in the 1920s with a large lake that houses the Lamorbey Angling Society. Lesnes Abbey Woods is an 88 hectare area of ancient woodland to the south-east of Abbey Wood , named after the Lesnes Abbey ruins that lie within its area. It is adjacent to Bostall Woods . The area is a Local Nature Reserve , and includes

1470-521: The public in 1952 by Katharine, Duchess of Kent . Topiary replicas of the Queen’s Beasts were planted in 1953 to mark the coronation of Elizabeth II . Hall Place is a Grade I listed Historic Park , and has received a Green Flag Award for excellence in a public park or garden for 20 consecutive years from 1996 to 2016. The site is maintained by the Bexley Heritage Trust. Lamorbey Park

1519-551: The purchase of the one that had previously been situated in Longmead Drive by another local practice. After a short while, this was closed down and no alternative provision made. The building was subsequently sold and became a Vet's practice. The area's younger children are served by the Royal Park Primary School . Albany Park provides access directly to Foots Cray Meadows River Cray The River Cray

Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Bexley - Misplaced Pages Continue

1568-550: The river, beginning at Foots Cray Meadows and continuing for 10 miles (about 16 km) northwards to the Thames. It is part of the London LOOP . The river is a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation . From south to north, settlements and features along the river include: The River Cray powered fourteen watermills . From source to mouth they were: TQ 467 669 A Domesday site, Orpington Mill stood almost at

1617-482: The site dated from 1779, when the low breast shot waterwheel of 14 feet (4.27 m) by 10 feet (3.05 m) powered four pairs of millstones . It was owned by the Cannon family from 1839 to 1907. Stephen Cannon was the first of the Cannon family, also running mills on the River Darent . The miller in 1872 was Stephen Cannon (son), who concentrated the business at Bexley, the mills on the Darent being sold. A steam engine

1666-411: The site, Albany Park Estate and Royal Park Estate, which were sold at cheap prices to working-class families emigrating from Inner London. The company also brought about the foundation of Albany Park railway station in 1935, providing transport links to the estates along the Dartford Loop Line . Following decades saw a number of schools and both a Baptist church hall and an Anglican church constructed in

1715-465: The source of the River Cray. The mill building dated from the 18th century and was of traditional construction, with a timber frame clad with weatherboards under a peg tile roof. The mill was powered by an 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m) by 9 feet (2.74 m) cast iron waterwheel carried on a cast iron axle which had replaced an earlier wooden one. Much of the machinery was of cast iron, including

1764-430: The wallower, great spur wheel and crown wheel. The upright shaft was of wood. The mill drove three pairs of millstones . Miller John Colgate had introduced steam power by the 1870s, and the tall chimney for the steam engine was known locally as "Colgate's Folly", as it did not function as well as intended. The mill was used as a store in its final years before its demolition in 1934 or 1935. TQ 472 677 A weir near

1813-461: The wing shown on the 1873 Ordnance Survey maps of the area were observed " either. TQ 502 743 A Domesday site, this mill stood behind the mansion of Hall Place. The mill was run by the Cannon family at one time. It was a corn mill until 1882, and was then converted to a silk printing and flagmaking factory. It was demolished by a traction engine in 1925, with some of the main beams being sold to an American millionaire, Mr Brady. He used them in

1862-442: Was "implausible", characterising Albany Park as "a lacklustre pair of estates". In 1935, Hurst Council Infant School was opened on Dorchester Avenue, with an adjacent junior school being added the following year. The two were later merged as Hurst Primary School. In 1951, Kent County Council then opened Footscray Place County Primary School on Riverside Road in 1951; it was renamed and enlarged as Royal Park School in 1954. In 1954,

1911-412: Was 15 feet (4.57 m) diameter. One was 10 feet 6 inches (3.20 m) wide and the other was 5 feet (1.52 m) wide. The mill was demolished in 1929. TQ 496 735 A Domesday site, one of three in Bexley. This was a corn mill. In 1255, the miller, Auxellus, was censured for allowing the escape of a suspected murderer. A millstone was bought for 55s.6d. in 1300. The last building on

1960-481: Was completed in 1965. There are a range of local shops which adjoin the main station entrance in Steynton Avenue. These include a number of restaurants and take-aways as well as two mini-markets, a dry cleaner, a hardware store, a pet supplies shop, a party and card shop and a hairdresser. The local pub, The Albany is also situated here as is a petrol station. Albany Park no longer has a GP surgery following

2009-543: Was granted a patent for watermarking paper produced by machine. The waterwheel was of cast iron construction and may have been overshot, as the head was some 8 feet (2.4 m) to 9 feet (2.7 m). The mill was expanded in 1853, when a second machine was installed, enabling the steam driven mills to produce 25 to 30 tons of paper a week. William Joynson died in 1874 and the mills were left in trust to his two grandsons. One of them, William, drowned in 1875 leaving Edmund Hamborough Joynson as sole heir. Cowan mentions that

Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Bexley - Misplaced Pages Continue

2058-411: Was installed in 1884, the tall chimney was built by a Mr Hart from Lancashire , who fell from the top whilst doing repairs and lived to tell the tale as his fall was broken by the roof of the engine house. The Cannon family sold Bexley mill in 1907. The mill was used in its latter days for making sacks. A picture of the mill can be seen here . The mill was burnt down on 12 May 1966 and was replaced by

2107-572: Was intact until 1962, when the shed it was in was stripped of ivy and exposed. The wheel was then vandalised and had been cleared away by March 1964. TQ 472 682 This mill stood opposite the Black Boy public house; it had an undershot waterwheel . Nicholas Townsend was mentioned in insurance records in 1757, and William Sims in 1771. In 1784 William Townsend was first mentioned as a paper maker in St Mary Cray. In 1786 Samuel Lay of Sittingbourne

2156-464: Was produced here. The saw mill stood alongside Crayford flour Mill; it was standing in 1854. TQ 528 755 Crayford Flour Mills were built in 1817. They were powered by a cast iron low breast shot waterwheel 28 feet (8.53 m) by 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m) and drove five pairs of French Burr millstones. The upright shaft was wooden, with a cast iron wallower. The waterwheel and machinery were scrapped in 1914, when roller milling plant

2205-407: Was removed around 1948. It drove wooden drums for fabric washing. A second waterwheel was in existence in 1893. TQ 524 749 This mill stood where Watling Street crossed the Cray. In the 18th century it processed calico . It was marked on Greenwood's 1821 map as Calico Mills . TQ 528 755 This was the site of a plating mill built in the 16th century. It was in existence by 1570. It

2254-457: Was sold to Nash's and installed in their mill at St Pauls Cray. Edmund Joynson took his son into partnership shortly before World War One. The firm became William Joynson & Son. In 1914, Joynson's paper was used in the first £1 and 10/- banknotes issued by the Bank of England . Edmund H Joynson retired in 1930 and the mills were taken over by Messrs Wiggins Teape & Co. who promptly closed

2303-398: Was still used as a flatting mill in the early 18th century, when it was owned by Lady Shovell . It was known as Crayford Iron Mill in 1800. It had a breastshot waterwheel. In 1817, it was replaced by Crayford Flour Mills. TQ 528 755 This was a saw mill powered by a breast shot waterwheel. It partnered Crayford Iron Mill from 1765. The timber for the floor of Buckingham Palace

2352-409: Was the paper maker ; he was described as a master papermaker in 1801. Martha Lay ordered two moulds in 1806. Martha Lay was running the mill in 1816; paper from this mill bore the watermark Martha Lay 1804 . The mill ceased working in 1834. TQ 471 684 This was a corn mill which stood near St Mary Cray church. It was replaced by a paper mill, then a paper factory and in recent years by

2401-456: Was used in the 1830s as a meeting place for Baptists. In 1845, Mary Ann Nash inherited the profits and rents of the mill until her sons came of age under the terms of her husband's will. Mary Ann Nash died on 7 June 1852. Thomas Nash enlarged the mill in 1853. After his death at the age of 21, his brother William was manager under the trustees until he came of age in 1857. William Nash was married twice, and had five children. In 1870 they moved from

#501498