Bexley

{{Short description|Area of Greater London, England}} {{Use British English|date=February 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}

{{About|the area|the borough|London Borough of Bexley|other uses}}

{{Infobox UK place | official_name = Bexley | country = England | region = London | static_image_name = Bexley High Street - geograph.org.uk - 1053630.jpg | static_image_caption = Bexley High Street | population = | population_ref = | os_grid_reference = TQ465755 | coordinates = {{coord|51.441|0.149|display=inline,title}} | post_town = BEXLEY | postcode_area = DA | postcode_district = DA5 | dial_code = 020 | dial_code1 = 01322 | constituency_westminster = Old Bexley and Sidcup | charingX_distance_mi = | charingX_direction = | london_borough = Bexley }}

'''Bexley''' is an area of south-eastern Greater London, England and part of the London Borough of Bexley. It is sometimes known as '''Bexley Village''' or '''Old Bexley'''<ref>Bexley Council road signs indicate this: www.bexley.gov.uk</ref> to differentiate the area from the wider borough. It is located {{convert|13|mi|km}} east-southeast of Charing Cross and south of Bexleyheath.

Bexley was an ancient parish in the county of Kent. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century, Bexley increased in population, becoming a municipal borough in 1935 and has formed part of Greater London since 1965.

==History== [[File:Freemantle Hall, Bexley Village.jpg|thumb|The Victorian Freemantle Hall, Bexley]] The name Bexley derives from the Old English ''byxelēah'' meaning 'boxtree wood or clearing'.<ref>http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Kent/Bexley</ref>

Bexley was an ancient parish in Kent, in the Diocese of Rochester, and under the Local Government Act 1894 formed part of Bexley Urban District. The urban district gained further status in 1935 as a municipal borough. Kent County Council formed the second tier of local government during that time. In 1965, London County Council was abolished and replaced by Greater London Council, with an expanded administrative area that took in the metropolitan parts of the Home Counties. Bexley Municipal Borough, Erith Municipal Borough, Crayford Urban District Council and Chislehurst & Sidcup Urban District Council were merged (less areas of Chislehurst and Sidcup that became part of the new London Borough of Bromley) into a new London Borough of Bexley.

==Geography and landmarks== thumb|upright=0.8|St. Mary's Church spire Bexley's main landmark is the Anglican church of St. Mary which lends its name to the London Borough of Bexley electoral ward containing the village. The ancient church's most distinctive exterior feature undoubtedly is its unusual spire which resembles an octagonal cone balancing on top of a truncated pyramid. Originally built in the Middle Ages, its monastic-style interior survived from the Reformation<ref>{{CCEd |type=location |id=29 |name=Parish (church): Bexley |accessed=28 October 2024 }}</ref> until the 18th century, before refurbishment in Victorian times. Among others, the German-born scientist Henry Oldenburg was buried in the churchyard in 1677.

Hall Place, a former stately home beside the River Cray on the Bourne Road out of Bexley towards Crayford, is where the Austen baronets lived. It lies to the north of Bexley at the foot of the road (Gravel Hill) up onto Bexley Heath (now covered in the modern day town of Bexleyheath). The house is unusual in that its two halves are built in highly contrasting architectural styles with little attempt at harmonising them.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3942 |title=Hall Place and Gardens |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717143600/http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3942 |archive-date=17 July 2013 |access-date=19 March 2013}}</ref> The house and grounds are now owned by the London Borough of Bexley, and are open to the public. The gardens include a topiary display of traditional heraldic figures. Three walking routes pass Hall Place, the local council-sponsored Shuttle River Way and Cray River Way and the Mayor of London's "London LOOP" walk, which, shortly after its start at Erith, follows the Cray River Way from Crayford to Foots Cray.

Danson House and the surrounding Danson Park in Welling are two of the main popular attractions in the London Borough of Bexley. The Shaw family, celebrated 19th-century architects came from Bexley: John Shaw (1776–1832) worked on Lamorbey Park and was a well-known architect in Kent and Middlesex, being one of the first designers of semi-detached housing in the capital. He is buried at St. Mary's Church; his son, John Shaw Jr, lived in nearby Crayford for a short time and owned a villa which was demolished in the early 20th century.

==Places of worship== thumb|upright=0.8|St John the Evangelist, late 19c neo-gothic design

* St. Mary the Virgin Church, Bexley<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=11192 |title=Borough of Bexley: Churches of Interest |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711114125/http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=11192 |archive-date=11 July 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.stmarysbexley.co.uk/ |title=St. Mary the Virgin Church, Manor Road |publisher=Stmarysbexley.co.uk |access-date=10 August 2012}}</ref> * Albany Park Baptist Church, Stansted Crescent<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.albanyparkbc.org.uk |title=Albany Park Baptist Church |access-date=19 March 2013}}</ref> * St. Augustine's Church, Slade Green Road<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.staugustines-sladegreen.church |title=St. Augustine's |access-date=8 August 2018}}</ref> * St. John the Evangelist, Parkhill Road<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.stjohnsbexley.org |title=St. John the Evangelist |access-date=19 March 2013}}</ref> * Strict Baptist Chapel, Bourne Road<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://bexleybaptistchapel.org/ |title=Old Bexley Baptist Chapel |website=bexleybaptistchapel.org}}</ref> * United Reformed Church, Hurst Road<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://bexley-urc.co.uk/ |title=Bexley United Reformed Church, Bexley, Kent - Bexley URC |website=bexley-urc.co.uk}}</ref> * Our Lady of Angels Church, Bexley Road<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.olaerith.org.uk/ |title=Our Lady of the Angels RC Church |website=Our Lady of the Angels RC Church}}</ref> * St. Paulinus Church, Bexley<ref>{{Cite web |title=St Paulinus, Crayford {{!}} Bexley Care Services and Resources |url=https://careservices.bexley.gov.uk/Services/837/St-Paulinus-Crayfor |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=careservices.bexley.gov.uk}}</ref>

==Transport== Bexley railway station serves the area with services to London Charing Cross via Sidcup and to Gravesend. Bexley is served by several Transport for London bus services connecting it with areas including Abbey Wood, Bexleyheath, Bromley, Crayford, Chislehurst, Dartford, Eltham, Erith, North Greenwich, Sidcup, Thamesmead, and Welling.

==Culture== [[File:War Memorial, Bexley.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Bexley War Memorial with its Cross of Sacrifice]] {{For|education in Bexley|London Borough of Bexley#Education}}

* Old Dartfordians' War Memorial clubhouse, Bourne Road (home to the DA5 Club). This is home to both Dartfordians' Rugby Club and Dartfordians' Cricket Club. * Bexley Cricket Club is based on Manor Way.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bexleycc.co.uk/ |title=StackPath |website=bexleycc.co.uk}}</ref> * Burnt Ash (Bexley) Hockey Club are also based at Manor Way, and play their home matches here, at Hurstmere School or at Erith School.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/burntashhc/ |title=Burnt Ash (Bexley) Hockey Club |access-date=16 March 2013}}</ref>

== Twin towns and sister cities == Bexley is twinned with: * Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=21 August 2024 |title=Mapped: Twin Towns Of All London Boroughs |url=https://londonist.com/london/features/mapped-london-borough-twin-towns |access-date=20 February 2026 |website=Londonist}}</ref> * Évry, Île-de-France, France<ref name=":0" /> * Footscray, Melbourne, Australia<ref name=":0" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Bexley, London}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20041016061015/http://www.bexley.gov.uk/visiting/history.html Bexley Council archives] * [http://www.bexleyweb.co.uk/ Bexley communities websites] * [http://www.bcvyo.org.uk/ Bexley Council for Voluntary Youth Organisations (BCVYO) website] * {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Bexley|volume=3}}

{{Geographic location |Centre = Bexley |North = Bexleyheath |Northeast = Crayford |East = Coldblow |Southeast = Joyden's Wood |South = North Cray |Southwest = Foot's Cray |West = Albany Park |Northwest = Bexleyheath }} {{LB Bexley}} {{London Districts}} {{London Outer Orbital Path | locale=Old Bexley | forward=Petts Wood | back=Erith | A=1 | B=2}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Areas of London Category:Districts of the London Borough of Bexley Category:Former civil parishes in the London Borough of Bexley