Bexleyheath facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bexleyheath
Town
The Clocktower in Bexleyheath
Bexleyheath
Population	15,600 (2021 Census)
OS grid reference	TQ485755
• Charing Cross	12 mi (19 km) WNW
London borough	Bexley
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BEXLEYHEATH
Postcode district	DA6, DA7
Dialling code	020 01322 (eastern parts)
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Bexleyheath and Crayford
London Assembly	Bexley and Bromley
List of places UK England London 51°27′32″N 0°08′17″E / 51.459°N 0.138°E / 51.459; 0.138

Bexleyheath is a town in south-east London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Bexley. In 2021, about 15,600 people lived here. Bexleyheath is about 12 miles (19 km) south-east of Charing Cross, a famous spot in central London.

The London Plan lists Bexleyheath as one of London's 35 main centres. This means it is an important place for shopping and other activities. Nearby areas like Barnehurst and West Heath also use Bexleyheath as their main post town.

A Look Back: Bexleyheath's History

For a long time, Bexleyheath was mostly open land with grass and bushes. The Romans built a road called Watling Street right through it. This road connected London (then called Londinium) to Dover (then called Dubris). Today, this ancient Roman road still forms the main path through the town.

The 1700s and 1800s

In the early 1800s, Bexleyheath was a large, wild area with very few buildings. A windmill stood where some roads meet today. In 1766, a large house called Danson House was built by Sir John Boyd. This house is now part of Danson Park, a big park between Bexleyheath and Welling.

In 1859, a famous architect named Philip Webb designed a special house called Red House. He built it for his friend, the artist William Morris. Red House is on the western edge of what was then open land. The National Trust now owns this house.

Morris wanted Red House to be a "Palace of Art." He hoped he and his friends could create art there. The house is made of red bricks with a steep roof. It looks like it grew over time, with different parts added. Red House is very important for its unique design. It is a top-rated historic building because it was a new style of architecture. William Morris lived there for five years, and his two daughters were born there. He had to sell the house in 1865 and never returned.

The old Orchard House in Bexleyheath, built in the early to mid-1800s.

Bexleyheath's main church, Christ Church, was first built in 1841. The current church building was finished in 1877. Alfred Bean, a railway engineer, helped Bexleyheath grow. He pushed for the Bexleyheath Line railway in the 1880s. This helped more homes and businesses develop around Danson Park.

The 1900s

The clock tower in the middle of Bexleyheath's shopping area was built in 1912. It was built to celebrate the special event when King George V became king. In 2012, for Queen Elizabeth II's special anniversary, a statue of the Queen was added to the clock tower.

Bexleyheath was part of Kent county for many years. But in 1965, Greater London was created. Bexleyheath then became the main office area for the new London Borough of Bexley. The town centre and its roads were updated in the 1980s and 1990s. The main shopping street became a walking-only area, with new roads built around it.

Who Lives Here: Demographics

The 2021 census shows that Bexleyheath has about 15,600 people. Around 21.8% of them are aged 65 or older. The largest group of people are White, making up about 78.2% of the population. The second largest group is Asian or Asian British, at 10.7%. Christianity is the largest religion, followed by people who say they have no religion.

Shopping and Fun: Town Centre

The Clocktower on Broadway, the main shopping street.

The Bexley Civic Offices.

Most of the restaurants and places to eat are on Broadway, the main street. The Broadway Shopping Centre is a covered mall that opened in 1984. A large supermarket was added a few years later. There is also a cinema and another supermarket nearby.

The shopping centre was updated in 2008 to look more modern. Another shopping area called "Bexleyheath Square" was added in the early 2000s. All these shops help Bexleyheath compete with bigger shopping centres like Bluewater Shopping Centre, which is about 5.5 miles (9 km) away.

Outside the Broadway Centre, you can see a statue called "Family Outing." A local artist named John Ravera created it, and it was put there in 1985.

In 2012, the main offices for the local council, called the Civic Offices, moved into a building that used to be a bank. This building had been empty for seven years. Now, new homes are being built on the old council office site. This new development will include Bexleyheath's tallest building, which will be 13 floors high.

Because of all the shops, many people from nearby areas like Erith and Woolwich come to Bexleyheath to shop.

Things to Do: Leisure and Culture

Bexleyheath has many places for fun and entertainment. You can visit the Edward Alderton Theatre to watch plays. There's also a Cineworld cinema to catch the latest movies. The Central Library is a great place to find books.

If you like sports, there's a five-a-side football centre and a ten-pin bowling alley. You can also play bingo.

For music lovers, the Sidcup Symphony Orchestra often performs concerts at Townley Grammar School. The town's theatre, which started in 1976, puts on many shows with local actors.

Learning in Bexleyheath: Education

Bexleyheath has eight primary schools and four secondary schools.

Places to Worship

Trinity Baptist Church, Bexleyheath.

Bexleyheath has 15 churches and places of worship:

• Bethany Hall, Chapel Road
• Bexleyheath Community Church, Lyndhurst Chapel
• Bexleyheath United Reformed Church, Geddes Place
• Christ Church (Church of England), Broadway
• Bexleyheath Methodist Church, Broadway
• Trinity Baptist Church, Broadway
• St John Vianney Roman Catholic Church, Heathfield Road
• St Peters (Church of England), Pickford Lane
• St Thomas More Roman Catholic Church, Long Lane
• The Salvation Army, Lion Road
• Bexley Christian Life Centre (Pentecostal), Rowan Road
• Pantiles Methodist Church, Hurlingham Road
• Grace Baptist Church, Albion Road
• Christ Apostolic Church, Welling (CAC) Dove House
• Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, Upland Road

Getting Around: Transport

Trains

The town has its own train station, Bexleyheath railway station. It is about 0.75 km (0.5 miles) north-west of the town centre. This station is on the Bexleyheath Line, which connects London to Dartford. You can take trains from here to London Victoria, London Charing Cross, London Cannon Street, and Dartford.

Buses

Bexleyheath is a busy place for Transport for London bus services. Buses connect the town to many other areas. These include Bromley, Dartford, Eltham, Lewisham, North Greenwich, Orpington, Sidcup, Thamesmead, Welling, and Woolwich.

Famous Faces: Notable Residents

Many interesting people have lived in Bexleyheath:

• Marjory Allen, Lady Allen of Hurtwood (1897–1976), a landscape architect and children's welfare supporter.
• Harry Baker (1990–), a footballer, was born in Bexleyheath.
• Stephanie Brind (1977–), a professional squash player, was born and lived in Bexleyheath.
• Jimmy Bullard (1978–), a famous football player.
• Hall Caine (1853–1931), an author, lived near Red House from 1884 to 1889.
• David Daniels (1942–), a cricketer, was born in Bexleyheath.
• Bernie Ecclestone (1930–), a well-known person in Formula 1 racing, grew up in Danson Road.
• Frank Farmer (1912–2004), a physicist who helped create medical uses for physics, was born in Bexleyheath.
• Colin Gill (1892–1940), an artist, was born in Bexleyheath.
• Jake Goodman (1993–), a footballer, lives in Bexleyheath.
• Sheila Hancock (1933–), an actress, lived in Latham Road.
• Mary Kingsley (1862–1900), a writer and explorer, lived in Bexleyheath when she was young.
• Neal Lawson (1963–), a politician and writer, grew up and went to school here.
• Lenny McLean (1949–98), an actor and bouncer, lived in Bexleyheath later in his life.
• Jo Malone (1963–), a famous perfumer and businesswoman.
• William Morris (1834–96), the artist and designer, lived in Red House for many years.
• Melita Norwood (1912–2005), a spy during the Cold War.
• Kenneth Noye (1947–), was born in Bexleyheath.
• Tom Raworth (1938–2017), a poet and artist, was born in Bexleyheath.
• Liam Ridgewell (1984–), a footballer for Portland Timbers, was born in Bexleyheath.
• Delia Smith (1941–), a famous television chef, grew up in Bexleyheath.
• Eric Stephenson (1914–44), a footballer for Leeds United, was born in Bexleyheath.
• Andy Townsend (1963–), a professional footballer, grew up in Bexleyheath.
• Charles Tupper (1821–1915), who was Canada's sixth Prime Minister, spent his retirement years in Bexleyheath.