Bromley Common
Coordinates: 51°23′03″N 0°02′06″E / 51.3841°N 0.0349°E / 51.3841; 0.0349
Bromley Common (grid reference TQ420670) is the area centered on the road of the same name, stretching between Masons Hill at the south end of Bromley and Hastings Road, Locksbottom. Part of the A21. The area borders on other suburbs in the London Borough of Bromley such as Petts Wood and Orpington.
Besides this well-used thoroughfare between Kent and central London, Chatterton Road has a number of popular restaurants, delicatessen, hair and beauty salons, the Chatterton Arms pub (the village and the pub were named after the 18th-century poet, Thomas Chatterton)[1] and a range of hobby/craft and charity shops. The pub, which opened around 1870, was originally named the “Hit or Miss”, presumably a reference to “Shooting Common”, dating back to the 'dark' days of highwaymen.[1]
The area has been awarded village status by the local authority and is known as Chatterton Village. Recent improvements include flower boxes, a village sign, Victorian-style lamp posts and a village notice board outside the bakery. The nearby Whitehall Recreation Ground has also been enhanced by Bromley Council's Parks Department with flower beds, seating, a picnic area, a wildlife pond and a refurbished children's play area. The network of mostly Victorian streets comprising Chatterton Village is becoming increasingly popular with younger professionals working in the centre of London.
Cricket venue
The first definite mention of the Bromley area in a cricket connection is a 1735 match on Bromley Common between Kent and London Cricket Club. Kent won by 10 wickets after scoring 97 and 9-0 in reply to London's 73 and 32.[2] The report of this match states that a large crowd attended and a great deal of mischief was done. It seems that horses panicked and riders were thrown while some members of the crowd were rode over. One man was carried off for dead as HRH passed by at the entrance to the Common. "HRH" was Frederick, Prince of Wales who was a keen patron of cricket.
The Common was used for major cricket matches on at least dozen occasions between 1735 and 1752, a period which coincided with Bromley Cricket Club having one of the strongest teams in England during the career of Robert Colchin. The last major match known to have been played there was Bromley v London on 30 June 1752. It was drawn.[3]
Notable People
- Richmal Crompton, author of Just William lived at "The Glebe" in Cherry Orchard Road
References
External links
English cricket venues to 1825 |
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Parks and open spaces by London borough |
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