Thames Tributary Ravensbourne - Beckenham

Thames Tributary Ravensbourne
The Ravensbourne continues to flow north and slightly west
TQ 38482 69374

Solidly middle class area along the main road between Bromley and Beckenham, including one large private school.

Post to the west Beckenham
Post to the north Beckenham Place Park

Albemarle Road
The Sloane Hospital, private hospital.

The Avenue
Large houses from the mid 19th. It was originally called Moat Road because of the Moat in Foxgrove Farm to the north,
Sewer vent pipe. converted to electricity lamp standard
West Oak. By Eric Lyons 1960. A Smart Span estate on a sloping and leafy site in short two-storeyed terraces.
Morley Court. Fitzroy Robinson & Partners, 1965-6.
Flats low-rise of 1968-9, in buff brick with far-projecting concrete staircase ramps’ By Derek Sharp Associates.

Bromley Road
124-128 built as a single house 1884, Ernest Newton
St.Christopher's School. A co-educational Preparatory school for boys and girls. Georgian building c. 1750 with five bays and three storeys in Brown brick and red brick. It has a spacious staircase, with one turned and two twisted balusters to the tread. It was the home of the Cator family until 1893, when it became The Hall School for Girls which amalgamated with St.Christopher's, which was then in Perth road in 1926. Extensions include classrooms, art room, library and a multi-functional hall. Enid Blyton was Head Girl at St.Christopher's 1913-14, and Sir Edmund Hillary visited after climbing Everest in 1953. Samuel Johnson was reputed to have spent the night here and legend Thomas Campbell composed Ye Mariners of England whilst sitting under the tulip tree, which stands in the lower playground Cromwell's skull supposed to have been there for a long time,.
Bishop Challenor School in Shortlands House, 1702, where George Grote lived. MP for the City. Independent Catholic co-educational school. Father Patrick Byrne, Parish Priest of Beckenham, founded the school on 4 May 1950. The school takes its name from Bishop Richard Challoner (1691–1781), Vicar Apostolic of the London District, who was the leading figure in the Roman Catholic Church in England during the 18th century. Extensions added since the 1950s.

Bromley Deer Park. mapped by Symonson on the east next to the Bishop of Rochester palace, herb garden

Crescent Road
United Reformed Church. The Beckenham Congregational Church was founded in 1878. The church was built 1887 by W F Beaumont in ragstone. In 1903 it was part of the Kent Association and County Missionary Society Metropolitan District. In 1972, when the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches merged, it became Beckenham United Reformed Church.

Downs Bridge Road
Downs Bridge

Oakhill Road
Congregational schoolrooms. United Reform church hall. Congregational lecture hall opened on 30 July 1878.
St.Barnabas. Red brick church and a separate parish since 1877. By A. Stennings & Hall, 1878. Tall proportions, and block capitals to the nave piers. The Chapel of Kelsey Manor and their chaplain decided to establish a mission on Oakhill and a temporary building was set up serving what was then a largely artisan population. A brick chancel was been built and, this was extended to a nave and Lady Chapel. The building was finally completed in 1933. The organ is by Bishop & Son, built in 1861 and transferred to St Barnabas in 1948. It was rebuilt in 1888 by Henry Willis and restored in 1992. Due to war damage, some of the older windows were lost although some pre-war glass remains. The new glass dating from 1952-1972 is all by Leonard Evetts. St Barnabas maintains an Anglo-Catholic tradition of spirituality and worship. You will not find a woman celebrating the Eucharist at St Barnabas'.
Oakwood House. Was also called Clay Hall or The Oakery on a site bounded by Bromley Road/Scott Lane/Oakwood Avenue. Built by the manufacturer of a pill.
Oakwood Court site of Oakery Cottage. Rebuilt

Cowlees - South of Oakwood Avenue was an area called Cowlees which had been given to the parish in 1674. There were two parts of it, Saree Piece & Gordon. At the side of the old workhouse Brentwood & Hazelwood were built and In order to make money for the parish houses were built by the parish;

Oakwood Avenue
Had been Green Lane from Oakery Cottage to Scotts Lane. Top end site of Dower House
2-16 1-7 & 10 Perth Road.
Clare House Primary School. This was a boys' Preparatory School opened in 1896. It closed in 1970 and upon its site; Bromley Borough built the Primary school for boys and girls, which has retained the same name.

Overbury Avenue
Playing Field
Roman Catholic Church (now demolished) was built in 1891

Westgate Road,
Western approach to Cator Mansion
Westgate Lodge. also called Beckenham Place Park Lodge

Sources
Beckenham United Reform. Wen site
Bygone Kent
Christ Church. Web site
Cox. Kent
Goldsmiths. South East London Industrial Archaeology
London Borough of Bromley. Web site
Manors of Beckenham
Pevsner and Cherry. West Kent
Pevsner ad Cherry. South London
St. Barnabas. Web site.
St. Christopher's School. Web site
Wagstaff and  Pullen. Beckenham anthology,
Walk round Beckenham, 

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