Petts Wood

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Location
Petts Wood


OS grid reference:	TQ445675
Latitude:	51.388589°
Longitude:	0.076060°
Administration
London borough:	Bromley
County level:	Greater London
Region:	London
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Greater London
Historic county:	Kent
Services
Police force:	Metropolitan Police
Fire brigade:	London Fire Brigade
Ambulance service:	London Ambulance
Post office and telephone
Post town:	ORPINGTON
Postal district:	BR5
Dialling code:	01689
Politics
UK Parliament:	Orpington
London Assembly:	Bexley and Bromley
European Parliament:	London
London \| List of places in London

Petts Wood is a place in the London Borough of Bromley.

The name appeared first in 1577 as "the wood of the Pett family", who were shipbuilders and leased the wood as a source of timbers. William Willett, a campaigner for Daylight Savings Time lived in nearby Chislehurst for most of his life, and is commemorated by a memorial sundial in the wood. The Daylight Inn in the suburb of Petts Wood is named in his honour. Petts Wood also has a second pub (The Sovereign of the Seas) and a railway station. It is situated between Orpington and Bickley. The Jubilee Country Park is located to the northwest of the main shopping area and is home to several rare species of animal life.

Most of Petts Wood was built in the early twentieth century by the developer Basil Scruby, as a high quality estate in a rural setting only a short train journey from the city, with the East side being built first. The area sustained heavy bombing during WW2 because of its proximity an important railway junction. Charles de Gaulle leader of the Free French and future President of France lived in Petts Wood, in Birchwood Road, for part of the Second World War.

The wood itself is now managed by the National Trust

The wood itself survives and is managed by the National Trust. Originally just 88 acres (36 hectares) were bought by public subscription and donated to the Trust in 1927. This was expanded when the neighbouring Hawkwood Estate and Edlmann Wood, comprising a further 250 acres (100 hectares), were donated to the Trust by landowners Robert and Francesca Hall in 1957. The woodland features oak, birch, rowan, alder, ash, hornbeam and sweet chestnut.