Lamorbey & Blackfen

Originally farmland, Lamorbey and Blackfen is primarily a residential area, Blackfen being more densely developed than Lamorbey and with more commercial development including, of course, the busy Blackfen District Shopping Centre.

In common with the rest of the Borough, the major development took place in the early 1920s and early '30s following the electrification of the railway line making it easier to travel up to London. Semi-detached chalet houses with their deep catslide roofs comprise a large percentage of the housing estates built in that period and are just as popular today as they were then.

Lamorbey boasts more green spaces than Blackfen, the most important being the large area of Metropolitan Open Land known as Lamorbey Park which is also designated a Grade II Historic Park and includes the Sidcup Golf Course, the grounds of Hurstmere boys' school, Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, Chatsworth School and the Rose Bruford drama college as well as The Glade - one of the most attractive parks in the area with its views across the lake to the original manor house, a Grade II nationally listed building now occupied by the Rose Bruford College. Large parts of it are important areas for nature conservation.

The Shuttle River Walk, an attractive wildlife corridor, roughly follows the boundary between Blackfen and Lamorbey and the southern boundary of Blendon and Penhill, continuing as far as Bexley Woods and beyond.

Of special historic interest are the remains of the hamlet known as Halfway Street comprising some of the earliest houses in the Borough, some dating back to Tudor times, also Holy Trinity Church at the beginning of Hurst Road and the church hall opposite. The oldest houses are statutorily listed or feature on the Council's Register of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest. In order to preserve this important part of our heritage, it was designated a Conservation Area in 1985.

Nearby is another Conservation Area - The Hollies, the history of which can be traced back to Jacobean times. At the beginning of the 20th Century it was developed as a children's home and continued in this use until the 1980s when it was acquired by Countryside who refurbished the impressive Edwardian buildings and redeveloped the estate for housing preserving the historic features in a country park setting.

Also noteworthy is the impressive curved parade of shops at The Oval facing across a landscaped park and built in the 'Arts and Crafts' style to service the l930s development of the Marlborough Park Estate. This represents an outstanding example of inter-war townscape and has also been awarded Conservation Area status. Similarly, Willersley and Braundton Avenues featuring some of the larger, better designed inter-war chalet style houses of the borough were also designated a Conservation Area.

Article prepared by Beryl Martin

New Area Representative is Lee Abbott-Clements

Bexley Civic Society