Chislehurst facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chislehurst |
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.jpg) The medieval Church of Saint Nicholas, the oldest standing building in Chislehurst |
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 Chislehurst
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| Population | 15,600 (2021 census) |
| OS grid reference | TQ445705 |
| • Charing Cross | 10 mi (16 km) NW |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Chislehurst |
| Postcode district | BR7 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
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| London Assembly |
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Chislehurst (pronounced CHIZ-əl-hurst) is a cool suburban area in south-east London, England. It's part of the London Borough of Bromley. Chislehurst is about 10 miles (16 km) south-east of central London. Before 1965, it was part of Kent. In 2021, about 15,600 people lived here.
Contents
History of Chislehurst
What Does the Name Mean?
The name Chislehurst comes from old Saxon words. Cisel meant "gravel", and hyrst meant "wooded hill". So, Chislehurst means "gravelly wooded hill"!
Famous Families and Old Homes
Long ago, important families like the Walsinghams lived here. Sir Thomas Walsingham, who supported the famous writer Christopher Marlowe, and Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth I's spy master, had a home in Scadbury Park. You can still see the ruins of their old house in this nature reserve.
There used to be a tall water tower over the road to Bromley. It was taken down in 1963. Its narrow archway meant that double-decker buses couldn't use that road!
Chislehurst Today
How Chislehurst is Governed
Chislehurst was its own local area in Kent from 1894 to 1934. Then it joined with Sidcup to form a bigger district. In 1965, when Greater London was created, Chislehurst became part of the London Borough of Bromley. Chislehurst has three councillors who represent the area on the Bromley Council.
Who Lives in Chislehurst?
In 2021, about 15,600 people lived in Chislehurst. Most people here are Christian (51.5%), and many also say they have no religion (33.8%). The largest ethnic group is White (81.4%).
Geography and Green Spaces
Chislehurst is mostly a place where people live. Chislehurst West has the biggest ponds and the main High Street.
Green Chain Walk
Chislehurst is one of the starting points for the Green Chain Walk. This is a network of walking paths that connect to many other places in south-east London.
Protecting Nature
Chislehurst Common and nearby St Paul's Cray Common were saved from being built on in 1888. Local people worked hard to protect these areas. They were popular for day trips in the early 1900s. Today, they are important green spaces. Other nearby areas like Petts Wood, Hawkwood, and Scadbury have also been saved as open spaces.
Chislehurst Conservation Area
Since 1971, a large part of Chislehurst has been named a "conservation area." This means it's a special place that needs to be protected. Rules are in place to stop new buildings from spoiling the area's look and feel. This helps keep old buildings and trees safe, especially after many were destroyed during WWII.
Nearby Areas
Chislehurst is surrounded by other towns and areas. These include New Eltham to the north, Sidcup to the east, Petts Wood to the south, and Bromley to the west.
Cool Places to Visit
Chislehurst Caves
A popular local attraction is Chislehurst Caves. These caves were originally dug to mine flint and chalk. During World War II, people used them as a huge air-raid shelter every night. There's even a chapel inside! A baby was born in the caves during the war and was given the middle name 'Cavena'.
The caves have also been a famous place for live music. Bands like Jimi Hendrix, the Who, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin have all played concerts there!
Camden Place
Camden Place is now the Chislehurst Golf Club. It's named after William Camden, a famous historian who lived in an earlier house on this spot around 1609. The current building was built before 1717.
Later, in the 1760s, Charles Pratt bought the house. He was a very important lawyer and judge. He became a lord and took the title Baron Camden, named after the house.
A very famous person lived here from 1871 to 1873: the exiled French Emperor, Napoleon III. After he died, his body and his son's body were first buried in St Mary's Church in Chislehurst. Later, they were moved to a special abbey. The Emperor's wife, Empress Eugénie, stayed at Camden Place until 1885.
You can find a memorial to Napoleon III's son on Chislehurst Common. Also, many road names in the area remind us of the imperial family. Even the local telephone code, 467, used to spell out "IMP" for imperial!
Getting Around Chislehurst
Trains
Chislehurst station has train services to central London stations like Charing Cross and Cannon Street. You can also catch trains to Orpington and Sevenoaks.
Buses
Many London Buses routes serve Chislehurst. These buses connect the area to places like Bromley, Sidcup, Orpington, and Lewisham.
Schools in Chislehurst
Chislehurst has several schools for different ages:
- Bullers Wood School
- Chislehurst School for Girls
- Coopers School
- Saint Nicholas Church of England Primary School
- Babington House School
- Farringtons School
- Chislehurst C of E Primary School
- Edgebury Primary School
- Red Hill Primary School
- Mead Road Infant School
- Marjorie McClure Special School
Places of Worship
Chislehurst has many different places of worship:
- Chislehurst Baptist Church
- St Patrick's Catholic Church
- Christ Church Chislehurst
- Elmstead Baptist Church
- Chislehurst Methodist Church
- The Annuncation
- St. Nicholas
- Darul Uloom Mosque and School
- Ichthus Christian Fellowship
- St Mary's Roman Catholic Church (where Napoleon III was first buried)
Famous People from Chislehurst
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Chislehurst:
- Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte: The former Emperor of France lived here in exile from 1871 to 1873.
- William Camden: A famous historian who lived in Camden Place around 1609.
- Malcolm Campbell: A record-breaker for land and water speed, born in Chislehurst.
- Richmal Crompton: The author of the popular Just William books.
- Craig Fairbrass: An actor.
- Tilly Keeper: An actress who plays Louise Mitchell in EastEnders.
- Eugénie de Montijo: The wife of Emperor Napoleon III.
- Charles Pratt: An important politician and judge who owned Camden Place.
- Brian Sibley: A writer known for books about J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.
- Siouxsie Sioux: A singer, famous for the band Siouxsie and the Banshees.
- Francis Walsingham: Queen Elizabeth I's spy master.
- Alan Watts: A philosopher, born and raised in Chislehurst.
- William Willett: A person who campaigned for daylight saving time.
- Ted Willis: The creator of the TV show Dixon of Dock Green.
- William Hyde Wollaston: A chemist and physicist who discovered new elements.
Images for kids
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The medieval Church of Saint Nicholas, the oldest standing building in Chislehurst.
