Partial History
Lord Simon de Manning, a former Lord of the Manor for Kevington, London and holder of the land which became Berry's Green, was a Grandson of Rudolph de Manning, Count Palatine, (who married Elgida, aunt to King Harold I of England), (Harold Harefoot); he was the royal Standard Bearer to King Richard the Lionheart, and carried the royal Standard to Jerusalem in 1190, during the First Crusade. In England, the forms Earl Palatine and Palatine Earldom are preferred.
On early maps, the area and Berry's Green Farm are each spelt as "Bury's Green".
On the junction of Jail Lane and Berry's Hill is a small wood, with a large World War II bomb crater. This may have been caused by a V-2 rocket as it is almost the same distance from Germany as the last known V-2, which was dropped in Kynaston Rd, Orpington. Many of the V-2s fell short of London towards the end of the war. There are also a number of smaller bomb craters scattered around the surrounding woodlands, due to its proximity to Biggin Hill airfield.
Berry's Green is home to The Old Jail, Biggin Hill, and Cherry Lodge Golf Course, which opened in 1968. The land there is approximately 600 ft. above sea level.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a sub-post office on the corner of Single Street and Jail Lane which sold provisions, such as bread, milk, sweets, and crisps. Mains sewerage was installed around 1973.
Biggin Hill, nearby Cudham and Berry's Green are the only places in Greater London to be part of the Tunbridge Wells postcode area (TN16).
Biggin Hill is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, about 15.2 miles (24.5 km) south-southeast of Charing Cross. It is separated from London's built-up area by the Metropolitan green belt and is located adjacent to the Greater London boundary with Kent and Surrey. Prior to the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was part of Kent. At the 2011 Census, Biggin Hill had a population of 9,951.
Cudham is an area in Greater London, England, located within the London Borough of Bromley and beyond London's urban sprawl. It is located on the Greater London border with Kent, bordering the Sevenoaks District. Cudham lies south of Orpington and north west of Sevenoaks. It is located 15.9 miles (25.6 km) south-southeast of Charing Cross.
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 Common, just beyond the London conurbation to the south of Bromley Common. It includes the small hamlet of Nash to the southwest. The northern, more suburban part of Keston is sometimes referred to as Keston Mark.
The London Borough of Bromley is a borough in London, England. It borders the county of Kent, of which it formed part of until 1965. The borough's population in the 2021 census was 329,991. It is named after Bromley, its principal district. Other districts are Penge, Hayes, West Wickham, Chislehurst, Beckenham and Orpington. The local authority is Bromley London Borough Council.
Downe, formerly Down, is a village in Greater London, England, located within the London Borough of Bromley, which formed part of Kent until 1965, and is beyond London's contiguous urban area. Downe is 3.4 miles (5.5 km) south west of Orpington and 14.2 miles (22.9 km) south east of Charing Cross. Downe lies on a low ridge, and much of the centre of the village is unchanged; the former village school now acts as the village hall. The word Downe originates from the Anglo Saxon word dūn, latterly down, hence the South and North Downs. In April 1965, much of Orpington Urban District, including Downe, was transferred from the historic county of Kent and placed within the newly created London Borough of Bromley.
Westerham is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. It is located 3.4 miles east of Oxted and 6 miles west of Sevenoaks, adjacent to the Kent border with both Greater London and Surrey. It is recorded as early as the 9th century, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book in a Norman form, Oistreham. Hām is Old English for a village or homestead, and so Westerham means a westerly homestead. The River Darent flows through the town, and formerly powered three watermills. The total population in 2021 was 4,498.
Orpington is a constituency created in 1945 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Gareth Bacon, a Conservative. It is the largest constituency in Greater London by area, covering the east and south of the London Borough of Bromley.
Tatsfield is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. It is located 3.3 miles north west of Westerham and 3.9 miles north east of Oxted, and is adjacent to the Surrey border with both Greater London and Kent.
Downe Scout Activity Centre was one of the National Scout Activity Centres under the direct control of The Scout Association in Downe near Orpington, Greater London. It provided camping and indoor accommodations for Scouts and Guides.
Chelsfield is an area in southeast London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley and, prior to 1965, in the historic county of Kent. It lies south of Goddington, west of Well Hill, north of Pratt's Bottom and east of Green Street Green. The area is split into two distinct areas – the historic 'village' section, and the newer development by the railway station.
Aperfield is a hamlet and area in London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley, 16.2 miles (26 km) south-southeast of Charing Cross, and outside London's contiguous built-up area.
Leaves Green is a village in Greater London within the London Borough of Bromley.
Crofton is a suburb of Orpington in southeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Bromley in Greater London. Prior to 1965 it was within the historic county of Kent. It is about 13.6 miles (21.9 km) southeast of Charing Cross. It lies south of Petts Wood, west of Orpington and Broom Hill, north of Green Street Green and Farnborough, north-east of Locksbottom and east of Bromley Common.
Luxted is a hamlet in the London Borough of Bromley, located to the south of Downe, at grid reference TQ434602. The area is rural, noted for its abundance of woods and grasslands. It is a part of the largest ward in Greater London, the Darwin ward, which also includes Downe, Cudham, Leaves Green, Single Street, Berry's Green, and Westerham Hill.
Single Street is a hamlet in the London Borough of Bromley in Greater London, located between Luxted and Berry's Green, and centred around a street of the same name. The first record of a settlement under the name 'Single Street' is from an Ordnance Survey map in 1871, but its name is derived from sengel, an Old English word meaning 'burnt clearing'. It is part of the largest ward in Greater London, Darwin (ward), covering a rural area including Downe, Cudham, Leaves Green, Berry's Green, and Westerham Hill.
The Southern Heights Light Railway (SHLR) was to have been a speculative London area suburban electric railway between Orpington, Kent and Sanderstead, Surrey. It was authorised in 1928 under the Light Railways Act 1896, but ultimately not constructed. The engineer was to have been Colonel Holman Fred Stephens, heavily involved in the promotion of light railways.
The Old Jail was a pub in Jail Lane, Biggin Hill, Westerham, in the London Borough of Bromley. At this time of writing,, it is permanently closed. Its future use is unknown. It is a Grade II listed building, dating back to the 18th century.
Darwin is an electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. The ward has existed since the creation of the borough on 1 April 1965 and was first used in the 1964 elections. It returns one councillor to Bromley London Borough Council. To date, the ward has only been represented by the Conservative Party. The ward covers the most rural part of the borough consisting a number of hamlets. It is the largest electoral ward in Greater London. As originally created in 1965 it included Downe, Cudham, Luxted, Single Street, Berry's Green, Horns Green and Knockholt. Leaves Green, Pratt's Bottom and South Street have also formed part of the ward at certain times. Since 2022 it has covered an area of 32.74 square kilometres (12.64 sq mi). The current elected political party's website for 2022, (Conservative), states that the Ward is the most southerly Ward within the London Borough of Bromley, and that it comprises Downe, Cudham, Leaves Green, Leavesden Estate, Westerham Hill, Beechwood, and Pratts Bottom.
Kevington, sometimes spelt Kevingtown, is a rural hamlet in South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is located north east of Orpington and south west of Swanley and is adjacent to the Greater London border with Kent, in the Metropolitan green belt.
