Grove Park

Overview

Grove Park is bordered by Bromley in the south and Catford in the west. The area has a mix of council and private housing. Property prices in Grove Park are slightly lower than the average property prices across Greater London. Grove Park station is served by National Rail services with direct trains to Charing Cross, Bromley North, Cannon Street and Orpington.

Let’s take a look at all the things this area with a quaint countryside feel has to offer.

Interesting Facts

Many of the trees that were cut down in the woodland area were burned to make charcoal, hence the name Burnt Ash for part of the area.

Edith Nesbit (1858-1924), author of children's books such as 'The Railway Children', used to live on Baring Road. A footpath leading to the Hither Green Nature Reserve is called Railway Children Walk.

The woodland at the southern end of what is now the nature reserve was once the garden of a large house. This appears on the Ordnance Survey six-inch map of 1894–96.

Amenities

University Hospital Lewisham is a 25-minute bus ride away from Grove Park. Baring Medical Centre on Baring Road is also located in the area.

Attractions

Things to do

Grove Park is surrounded by plenty of green spaces like Grove Park Nature Reserve, Northbrook Park, Downham Fields to the west, Horn Park to the East, as well as Chinbrook Meadows, Kings Meadow and Sundridge Park to the south. Bromley which is a short bus ride away offers plenty of shops, pubs, cafes to enjoy. Pavillion Leisure Centre which boasts a bowling alley, gym and café is nearby as well.

History

The area used to be a dense woodland until the 18^th century. After Grove Park Station was built in 1871 a small collection of Victorian homes followed on Baring Road, Chinbrook Road & Coopers Lane. In 1902 Greenwich workhouse was constructed in the area which served as barracks during the First World War and later became a tuberculosis isolation hospital in 1926. Around the same time the railway line was electrified the area developed more as private houses and sports grounds were built on Grove Park’s remaining dairy pasture and plant nurseries in the 1930s. This survived until the construction of the Marbrook estate in the 1960s, which followed several smaller projects designed to address the post-war housing shortage.

Developments

Since the submission of Grove Park Neighbourhood Development Plan by the Grove Park Neighbourhood Forum in 2017, the area has seen a few improvements including the Baring Hall Hotel being listed as a Grade II building, major refurbishment of the Grove Park Youth Club, improvements in the Town Centre and the ‘Railway Children Urban National Park’ coming to life.

Education

Education in the area

Brindishe Manor School, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, St Margaret’s Lee CofE Primary School, and Burnt Ash Primary School are the schools rated outstanding in the area. Prendergast School, Harris Academy and Bullers Wood are some of the well rated secondary schools located nearby.

Worship

Places of worship

St Augustine’s Church is a historical church in the area located on the edge of South Lee and Grove Park. It was administered by Archbishop Desmond Tutu between 1970 and 1974. There is a garden named after him in Chinbrook Meadows.

Burnt Ash Methodist Church is located on Burnt Ash Hill road. There is also the Word of Life Church on Mayeswood Road in the Grove Park Estate. Kings Church Downham is a Charismatic church part of the New Frontiers network and one of three sites that makes up Kings Church London.