Description
Barnehurst Golf Club was established here in 1903, on the former estate lands of May Place. The old mansion, built c.1480 but altered and extended over the centuries, had passed through numerous owners. In 1748 it was purchased by Miles Barnes, after whose family Barnescray and Barnehurst were named. In 1938 the house and golf course were purchased by Crayford UDC but the house was later destroyed in a fire of 1954. The new clubhouse was built on its site. Crayford War Memorial was unveiled here in 1954 set in a memorial garden.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | May Place |
|---|---|
| Site location | Mayplace Road East, Bexleyheath |
| Postcode | DA7 6JU |
| What3Words | ///swing.claps.stuck |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Bexley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.45am - dusk |
| Special Conditions | General public access but beware of golf balls. |
| Facilities | Sports grounds including bowling green run by local consortium. Public clubhouse, dog waste bins. |
| Public Transport | Rail: Barnehurst then bus, Crayford then bus. Bus: 492, 469. |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2006 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The golf course was made in the heart of old May Place and the clubhouse, built c.1960, occupies the site of the mansion of May Place. May Place was built in c.1480 and was altered and extended over the centuries to become a large manor. The estate covered a vast area to the north and east and included the old Crayford Manor House, which subsequently became a farmhouse but retained the name of Crayford Manor. By the C17th May Place belonged to the Draper family whose monument is in nearby St Paulinus Church (q.v.). In 1694 the estate was purchased by Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, who died in 1707 when his ship hit rocks off the Scilly Isles. In 1748 Miles Barnes, a cloth merchant, bought May Place and the family subsequently gave its name to nearby Barnescray (1800) and Barnehurst (1895). In 1903 a golf club was set up in the grounds and in 1938 Crayford UDC bought the golf course and the buildings. May Place was demolished after a fire in 1959 and the club house was built on the site. Old brick garden walls can be seen beneath the vegetation.
Barnehurst Golf Course is used for various activities. The golf course to the north and east is open to the public and there are footpaths for walkers around the edges of the greens. To the west the ground has areas for formal sports, areas of unkempt grass and scrub, areas of mown grass and woodland for informal activities. To the south Crayford Manor House survives and is used as a community and adult education centre. The area around the Manor House is used variously with formal gardens to the front (south) and sports grounds, including a bowling green, and allotments to the west and east respectively. Near the bowling green, Crayford War Memorial was unveiled in 1954, in commemoration of the dead of both world wars from the parish of Crayford. It takes the form of a memorial garden in which is a free-standing brick wall with 3 bronze plaques, one of which has lines from Laurence Binyon's poem 'For the Fallen'.
There is general public access to the grounds but visitors should be aware that it is a golf course. There are panoramic views across Barnescray, to the east, from the higher part of the site, to the north. The golf clubhouse was refurbished by Architecture Limited of Greenwich, and has extensive facilities for 350 people, new car parking within existing woodland, and some landscaping.
Barnehurst Golf Course is used for various activities. The golf course to the north and east is open to the public and there are footpaths for walkers around the edges of the greens. To the west the ground has areas for formal sports, areas of unkempt grass and scrub, areas of mown grass and woodland for informal activities. To the south Crayford Manor House survives and is used as a community and adult education centre. The area around the Manor House is used variously with formal gardens to the front (south) and sports grounds, including a bowling green, and allotments to the west and east respectively. Near the bowling green, Crayford War Memorial was unveiled in 1954, in commemoration of the dead of both world wars from the parish of Crayford. It takes the form of a memorial garden in which is a free-standing brick wall with 3 bronze plaques, one of which has lines from Laurence Binyon's poem 'For the Fallen'.
There is general public access to the grounds but visitors should be aware that it is a golf course. There are panoramic views across Barnescray, to the east, from the higher part of the site, to the north. The golf clubhouse was refurbished by Architecture Limited of Greenwich, and has extensive facilities for 350 people, new car parking within existing woodland, and some landscaping.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ507757 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 23.4 |
| Site Ownership | LB Bexley |
| Site Management | Barnehurst Golf Course |
| Dates | C17th onwards; 1903 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Crayford Manor House; Crayford War Memorial. Local list: C18th Ice Well, C19th Coach House and Stables, late C18th Ice House on mound. |
| 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 | Bexley |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Local Importance |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes (part/in south) - Area of Archaeological Priority |
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
St Paulinus Church has long served the parish of Crayford, and the building dates from the C12th but is largely early C14th. Much of the north nave is Norman, and the tower and chapel were added in the C15th. Built of ragstone and flint, it is unusual in having twin naves with the chancel positioned at the end and midway between them. The church was restored in 1862, the work undertaken by architect Joseph Clarke. The church and its burial ground occupy an elevated site with good views to the south, its open setting across fields from the north making it an important landmark. The large picturesque churchyard has numerous tombs and is set behind brick and flint retaining walls, entered through a fine Gothic lych-gate of 1873. Yews and other trees are scattered throughout. In front of the church is a small public garden, St Paulinus Gardens.
Marten’s Grove Park is an extensive, oblong park, occupying part of the former grounds of a mid C19th house, Marten's Grove. Major changes were made to the house in the 1860s after which it remained virtually unaltered until the estate was sold c.1927, the house demolished in 1932. Land to the north of the house was unsuitable for housing and it was offered to Crayford UDC for use as a recreation ground, which opened on 1 July 1933. The ornamental lake was transformed into a swimming pool, which eventually closed in 1986.
Shenstone Park is on an area of former parkland belonging to a house called Shenstone, which was built c.1828 and demolished c.1974 on the site of which Shenstone School now stands. The site has a number of mature horse chestnut trees and limes, some appearing to be remnant avenues from the former grounds. There are some good views from the high points across the adjoining countryside to the south (the Cray valley) and to the south-west towards Bexley village.
