Description
Bursted Woods is a remnant of the more extensive woodland that once covered the area, with Erith Road marking an old route between villages of Bexleyheath in the south and Northumberland Heath in the north. It is now public open space consisting of recreational grassland in the north and woodland in the south, mainly sweet chestnut and oak, providing an important habitat for wildlife. Part of the former woodland is now occupied by Bursted Wood Primary School.
Practical Information
| Site location | Swanbridge Road/Erith Road, Bexleyheath |
|---|---|
| Postcode | DA8 |
| What3Words | ///insist.until.arrow |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Bexley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Putting greens |
| Public Transport | Rail: Barnehurst. Bus: 89, 229. |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Bursted Wood once abutted other woodland including Three Corner Wood and Conduit Wood to the east of Erith Road, which marks the old route between the villages of Bexleyheath and Northumberland Heath. The village of Bexleyheath arose following the Enclosure Award of 1819 when houses were built around the junction of the road across the heath. At one time known as Bexley New Town and later as Bexley Heath, in 1894 the name changed to Bexleyheath. Although Bexley Heath Railway Company constructed its railway line to the south of Bursted Wood, crossing Conduit Wood, and Barnehurst Station opened nearby in 1895, the area remained quite rural until the railway line was electrified in 1926. The area around the village included market gardens that supplied cereal and fruit crops, as well as flowers, that were transported to London, and farmland remained on the heath into the 1930s. There was a pond in the north-east corner of Bursted Wood until the 1930s when the northern part was cleared of woodland. OS maps show a sand pit and earth works here and to the north new housing on Rydal Drive. An adjacent wooded area to the north-west, known as Butler's Shaw, had also disappeared under housing. By then Bexley Maternity Hospital had opened in the south-west corner of Bursted Wood, to the north of which was another area of cleared woodland that was later used for allotment gardens and is now the site of Bursted Wood Primary School.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ498762 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 10.75 |
| Site Ownership | LB Bexley |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces |
| 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 | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough II Importance |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | 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
Russell Park was laid out by 1951 to serve the local population of Bexleyheath.
Northumberland Heath Recreation Ground was laid out by c.1901 by Erith UDC, when the formerly rural area and hamlet of Northumberland Heath was becoming increasingly developed for housing. The original recreation ground was considerably smaller and was laid out with paths and perimeter trees, with a bandstand and drinking fountain shown on OS maps of c.1938. The bandstand appears to have disappeared sometime in the early 1960s and the park was later extended to the north and west over former allotment gardens. The park has some original railings and mature trees.
Formerly part of Lime Wood, the use of this small level site as a cemetery pre-dates the building of the Friary here. Established in Erith by 1867, the Capuchin Franciscan Friars acquired the land at Northumberland Heath and the Friary was built in 1902/3, with its Hall added by 1928 and Our Lady of the Angels Church in 1963. The cemetery is still in use. Enclosed within iron railings it is laid to grass that is occasionally mown and contains small to medium sized monuments. There are trees around the edges except for the east, which fronts onto Bexley Road.
