Description
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.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Broomhill Common |
|---|---|
| Site location | Broomhill Road, Orpington |
| Postcode | BR6 0HB |
| What3Words | ///fall.steps.fairly |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Orpington then walk |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2006 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The site is now managed by idverde UK, which in June 2015 was contracted by Bromley Council for the management of the borough's parks, green spaces and countryside service, a relationship that was extended in April 2019 for a further 16 years.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ461667 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Bromley |
| Site Management | idverde |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | Yes: Common (CL87) |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Bromley |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Broomhill, Orpington |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Other LA Designation | Urban Open Space |
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.
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.
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.