Description
Orpington Parish Church of All Saints is a small medieval church mentioned in the Domesday Survey, endowed by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1173. The oldest parts of the building have some Saxon remains including a Saxon sundial in the south wall. A much larger building was added to the south in the 1950s. The burial ground now extends around the church and to additional land across Ramsden Road where there is a Memorial Garden, Canadian Corner and Orpington War Memorial.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Orpington Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | Bark Hart Road / Ramsden Road, Orpington |
| Postcode | BR6 0QD |
| What3Words | ///afford.until.swift |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Public Transport | Rail: Orpington c1km to west. Bus: 17, 18, 51, 61, 208, 358, R1, R3, R4, R7, R11. |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2015 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The north tower and west doorway of All Saints Church were partly rebuilt in c.1200. The west porch was built by a rector called Nicholas who died in 1370 and wished to be buried here marked by his tomb. The exterior of the tower was rebuilt in brick and flint in the late C18th following damage by a storm in 1771; the steeple was later struck by lightning in 1809 and not replaced. A much larger building was added to the south in the 1950s to designs by Geddes Hyslop dwarfing the old church.
Kent Archaeological Society has a transcription of monumental inscriptions in the churchyard noted by Leland L. Duncan in September 1919 plus a copy of his sketch plan of their locations in the churchyard. The churchyard now extends around the church to additional land where there is a War Memorial, garden of remembrance and Canadian Corner. As part of the war effort during World War I, the Government of Ontario in Canada contributed to the building of Orpington Hospital, where over 26,000 soldiers were treated. Of the 182 soldiers who died, 88 Canadians, 23 British and 5 Australians were buried in an area of the churchyard that became known as Canadian Corner. The Memorial Cross and Sword of Sacrifice in Canadian Corner was unveiled on 28 August 1921 in the presence of the High Commissioner for Canada, the first Canadian Memorial to be unveiled in the UK. Typical of those found in many WWI cemeteries in France and Belgium, the wording inscribed on the Orpington Memorial suggests it may have been among the first to be unveiled outside the old Western Front.
The new churchyard on land known as Newells Meadow has a Memorial Garden that has been extended in recent years, and now has two memorial walls to accommodate stone plaques.
Kent Archaeological Society has a transcription of monumental inscriptions in the churchyard noted by Leland L. Duncan in September 1919 plus a copy of his sketch plan of their locations in the churchyard. The churchyard now extends around the church to additional land where there is a War Memorial, garden of remembrance and Canadian Corner. As part of the war effort during World War I, the Government of Ontario in Canada contributed to the building of Orpington Hospital, where over 26,000 soldiers were treated. Of the 182 soldiers who died, 88 Canadians, 23 British and 5 Australians were buried in an area of the churchyard that became known as Canadian Corner. The Memorial Cross and Sword of Sacrifice in Canadian Corner was unveiled on 28 August 1921 in the presence of the High Commissioner for Canada, the first Canadian Memorial to be unveiled in the UK. Typical of those found in many WWI cemeteries in France and Belgium, the wording inscribed on the Orpington Memorial suggests it may have been among the first to be unveiled outside the old Western Front.
The new churchyard on land known as Newells Meadow has a Memorial Garden that has been extended in recent years, and now has two memorial walls to accommodate stone plaques.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ466663 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Diocese of Rochester |
| Site Management | Church |
| Dates | C11th onwards |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: All Saints Church |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Bromley |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Orpington Priory |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance II |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Archaeological Significance |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
The Priory has a long history dating back to the C13th. In 1865 the gardens and park were probably laid out by the then owner Dr Herbert Broom, and in 1919 the property was bought by painter Cecil Hughes. His wife, a keen horticulturalist, was a friend of garden designer Gertrude Jekyll and the Hughes also knew architect Geoffrey Jellicoe; the house and gardens show the influence of Arts and Crafts ideas. Hughes died in 1941 and in 1947 Orpington District Council bought the building, which was used as offices, then a museum. The grounds were purchased in 1959 and were opened as a public park in 1962.
The Priory has a long history dating back to the C13th. In 1865 the gardens and park were probably laid out by the then owner Dr Herbert Broom, and in 1919 the property was bought by painter Cecil Hughes. His wife, a keen horticulturalist, was a friend of garden designer Gertrude Jekyll and the Hughes also knew architect Geoffrey Jellicoe; the house and gardens show the influence of Arts and Crafts ideas. Hughes died in 1941 and in 1947 Orpington District Council bought the building, which was used as offices, then a museum. The grounds were purchased in 1959 and were opened as a public park in 1962.
Broomhill Common is old commonland, registered under the Commons Preservation Act of 1965. Broom Hill Common Local Open Space has been used for public recreation since at least 1910.
During WWII land on the banks of the River Cray was bombed and after the war Riverside Gardens was created from this wasteland to form a riverside linear park. The site, largely level with undulations, is laid mainly to grass borders and decorated by native and ornamental trees. The stream is broken in places with small cascades and the park is divided in two by Kent Road. A tarmac path runs along the western side of the stream in the southern section and on the eastern side in the northern section. At the northern end is a small paddling pool and in the southern section, near to Kent Road, is a pool for model boats.