Petts Wood | |
---|---|
Location within Greater London | |
Population | 13,651 (2011 Census. Petts Wood and Knoll Ward) [1] |
OS grid reference | TQ445675 |
London borough | |
Ceremonial county | Greater London |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | ORPINGTON |
Postcode district | BR5 |
Dialling code | 01689 |
Police | Metropolitan |
Fire | London |
Ambulance | London |
UK Parliament | |
London Assembly | |
Petts Wood is a town in south-east London, England, previously located in the historic county of Kent. It lies south of Chislehurst, west of St Paul's Cray and Poverest, north of Orpington and Crofton, and east of Southborough and Bromley Common. The area forms part of the London Borough of Bromley local authority district in the ceremonial county of Greater London.
The name appeared first in 1577 as "the wood of the Pett family", who were shipbuilders and leased the wood as a source of timber. (A pub, The Sovereign of the Seas, is named after a ship built at Woolwich to a design by Phineas Pett.) [2]
The area remained rural right up until the late 19th century; in 1872 just one house ('Ladywood') stood here. [3] Most of the modern suburb of Petts Wood was built in the late 1920s by the Harlow-based developer Basil Scruby together with architect Leonard Culliford who designed the layout of the roads. [3] A number of individual builders developed individual plots, amongst others the master builder, Noel Rees, as well as Walter Reed and George Hoad. [3] Scruby also paid the Southern Railway Company £6,000 to build Petts Wood railway station to serve the new suburb. [3] Shops and a cinema were also built adjacent to the railway. [3] The intention was to create a high quality estate in a rural setting only a short train journey from the city, with the east side being built first. Noel Rees's name is still used as a selling point by estate agents;[ citation needed ] his houses can be found in Great Thrift, The Covert, Prince's Avenue, Wood Ride, Kingsway, Chislehurst Road, The Chenies and many other roads in Petts Wood.
The generally higher quality of large homes built to the east of the railway line, as compared to smaller and more densely packed development to the west, was due to the fact that Scruby's increasing financial difficulties meant he had little control over its developers, Morrell's and New Ideal Homesteads. [3] This gave rise to the local references of "Half Crown" or "Five Bob" sides.[ citation needed ]
The area between Petts Wood and Bickley sustained heavy bombing during Second World War because of its proximity to an important railway junction. Only three bombs landed on the town centre itself, and those by accident as a German aircraft returning from bombing the docklands unloaded them on the end of Fairway, beside the former Embassy Cinema building (closed in 1973 and since re-developed as a supermarket), and on the site now occupied by the Library.[ citation needed ] The sites lay derelict until the early 1960s, hence why these buildings are much more recent. Prior to that, the library was located in a shop on Queensway, near the junction with Lakeswood Road.[ citation needed ]
The Jubilee Country Park is to the northwest of the main shopping area. Before this park was created in 1977 the area was known as 'The Gun Sites', as it had been the location for anti-aircraft guns in Second World War, and was the home of the 1st Petts Wood scout group.
According to Keith Waterhouse in his book "Streets Ahead" Petts Wood was popular with Fleet Street newspaper staff in the 1950s: "… this Kent suburb, recommended in Fleet Street for the all-night train service it afforded sub-editors and reporters coming off late duty, thus giving them a round-the-clock, heaven-sent excuse for one more for the road." [5]
In 2009, the local Woolworths store had the privilege of writing the last word in the history of that chain in the UK, when its manager, realising his was the last one to close, gathered the remains of the Pick 'n' Mix sweet section and auctioned the bagful of sweets, which would normally have retailed for a couple of pounds, for £14,500. [6]
The eponymous wood itself survives and is managed by the National Trust. Originally just 88 acres (36 hectares) were bought by public subscription and donated to the Trust in 1927, after it became clear that the area would be developed for housing. [3] This asset expanded when the neighbouring Hawkwood Estate and Edlmann Wood, comprising a further 250 acres (100 hectares), were donated to the Trust by landowners Robert and Francesca Hall in 1957.[ citation needed ] The woodland features oak, birch, rowan, alder, ash, hornbeam and sweet chestnut.
Petts Wood station provides the area with National Rail services to London Victoria via Bromley South and Herne Hill, Kentish Town via Bromley South and Catford, London Charing Cross via Grove Park, London Cannon Street via Grove Park and Lewisham, Orpington and Sevenoaks.
Petts Wood is served by London Buses routes 208, 273, N199, R3 and R7. These connect it with areas including Bromley, Catford, Chislehurst, Grove Park, Lewisham and Orpington.
Birchwood Road, Kingsway, and other surrounding roads, were used as a location for the 1978 feature film, 'Give Us Tomorrow', with Sylvia Syms.
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, 10 miles (16 km) south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in Kent. According to the 2021 census, Chislehurst has a population of 15,600.
Elmstead is a residential district in south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is located north-east of Bromley.
Orpington is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is 13.4 miles south east of Charing Cross.
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.
Bickley is a district and a local government electoral ward in South East London, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is located 10.4 miles (16.7 km) south east of Charing Cross, bordering Elmstead to the north, Chislehurst to the north-east and east, Petts Wood to the south-east, Southborough to the south, Bromley to the south-west and west and Widmore to the north-west. Until 1965, it was in the historic county of Kent.
Downham is a district of South East London, England, primarily within the London Borough of Lewisham and some parts in the London Borough of Bromley. It is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Petts Wood railway station is on the South Eastern Main Line, serving Petts Wood in the London Borough of Bromley, south-eastern Greater London. It is 12 miles 53 chains (20.4 km) down the line from London Charing Cross and is situated between Chislehurst and Orpington stations. It is in Travelcard zone 5.
Orpington railway station is on the South Eastern Main Line, serving the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, south-east London. It is 13 miles 65 chains (22.2 km) down the line from London Charing Cross and is situated between Petts Wood and Chelsfield stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 6.
Grove Park is a district of South East London, England within the London Borough of Lewisham. It is located north east of Bromley and south east of Lewisham.
Bickley railway station is on the Chatham Main Line in England, serving the town of Bickley in the London Borough of Bromley, south-east London. It is 11 miles 76 chains (19.2 km) down the line from London Victoria and is situated between Bromley South and St Mary Cray on the main line. Southeastern trains branch from the main line south of Bickley and run to Orpington via Petts Wood. Thameslink services run either via Petts Wood or St Mary Cray on the main line.
Chislehurst railway station is on the South Eastern Main Line, serving the neighbourhood of Chislehurst in the London Borough of Bromley. It is 11 miles 19 chains (18.1 km) down the line from London Charing Cross and is situated between Elmstead Woods and Petts Wood stations.
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.
St Mary Cray is an area of South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. Historically it was a market town in the county of Kent. It is located north of Orpington, and 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Charing Cross.
St Paul's Cray is an area of South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley in Greater London. Prior to 1965 it was within the historic county of Kent. It is located south of Sidcup and north of Orpington.
Shortlands is a suburb of South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It has been part of Greater London since 1965, and was previously part of the historic county of Kent. It is located between west of Bromley and east of Beckenham.
Ruxley is a rural settlement of South East London, England that straddles the boundary of the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley. It is located 13 miles southeast of Charing Cross, the traditional centre of London, in the Metropolitan Green Belt between Sidcup and Swanley and is also adjacent to the Greater London border with the county of Kent.
Chelsfield is an area in south-east 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 train station.
Chislehurst Junction is an important railway junction near Chislehurst in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is the point where the South Eastern Main Line and the Chatham Main Line pass over each other, with diversion chords between each line. These are arranged such that a London-bound train on one line can transfer to the other, and likewise for services heading away from the capital.
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.
Broom Hill, sometimes spelt Broomhill, 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 lies south of Poverest, west of Orpington High Street, north-east of Crofton, and south-east of Petts Wood.