---

 

 

 

Beckenham

Did You Know?

Beckenham is a post town and district of London in the London Borough of Bromley. It borders Beckenham Place Park and Bellingham in the London Borough of Lewisham (to the north) and is centred 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross. Historically part of Kent.

The lych gate at St George’s Church Beckenham is reputed to be the oldest in England and dates from the 13th Century? A lych gate with its little pitched roof adds a definite tone to a churchyard, but it was not originally for decoration – lych is from the Saxon word for corpse: bodies for burial would be brought in their shrouds to shelter beneath the gate’s roof, from which point the priest would take control of the rest of the funeral.

Although early written history tells little of the area, archaeological evidence at Holwood Park, where Stone Age and Bronze Age artifacts have been found, reveals some evidence of early settlers. A Roman camp was sited here, and a Roman road, the London to Lewes Way passed through Beckenham

The River Ravensbourne flows northwards at the eastern side of the town, towards its confluence with the River Thames. A small stream, the River Beck, passes through the town before joining the Ravensbourne further north.

One of the interesting landmarks in Beckenham is the Chinese Garage, now a listed building. It is built in an unusual Japanese pagoda style and formerly operated as a car dealership selling Peugeot and Kia cars. Its future is currently being decided.

Beckenham Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club formed originally in 1894. It fields six senior men's teams a successful women's team, and also has one of the largest youth sections in the South East.

Among those who have either been born or lived in Beckenham, Writers include Enid Blyton, Walter de la Mare who lived in Mackenzie Road, and A.L. Barker (1918–2002). Show business people include Bob Monkhouse (1928–2003), Julie Andrews , David Bowie (1947–2016 - who lived at 42 Southend Road from 1969–1973),Peter Frampton and Dutch singer Wende Snijders, pop/rock musician David Sylvian was born in the town, but was raised in nearby Catford. Boxer David Haye, WBA champion, moved to Beckenham in 2010.