Description
Cator Park was once part of the extensive Cator Estate, owned by the Cator family from the late C18th. The area that became the public park was laid out as private pleasure grounds principally for the private use of residents on the Cator estate who paid an annual subscription fee. For this reason it was already well matured as a park when the local council purchased the land in 1931.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Cator Estate; Kent House Pleasure Gardens |
|---|---|
| Site location | Kings Hall Road/Aldersmead Road,/Lennard Road, Beckenham |
| Postcode | BR3 1NA |
| What3Words | ///ally.radar.corn |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Children’s playground, sports fields |
| Public Transport | Rail: Kent House; New Beckenham. Bus: 194, 227, 351, 358 |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2006 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Cator family were major landowners in Beckenham and also Blackheath from the late C18th. John Cator (1723-1806), a wealthy timber merchant, had become Lord of Beckenham Manor in 1773, where he built Beckenham Place (q.v.). In 1783 he purchased Blackheath Park and began speculative development of the land with smart villas aimed at the wealthy and professional classes, some of which survive set in their large gardens. Wide tree lined avenues were characteristic of Cator's road layout of 1806, and the development of the Cator Estate continued gradually until the 1930s. On payment of an annual subscription, residents on the estate were provided with private recreational facilities at Kent House Pleasure Gardens, which were laid out between 1885 and 1889 with facilities for football, tennis and bowling. In 1931 the local council purchased the pleasure gardens and Cator Park was formally opened to the public in April 1932 by Lawrence Chubb.
Cator Park today consists of a large area of mown grass relieved by shrub beds, clumps of Corsican pine, and park trees. Other park trees are planted singly with recent new plantings to the north. Curving tarmac paths cross the site and lead to the grassed children’s play area on the west side of the park. The River Pool, canalised in concrete, runs north/south through the centre of the park, bounded by iron railings. Cycle route 21 runs through the site as does the Green Chain walk. The park, with two football pitches, was once an important venue as the home ground for local football teams including Beckenham United, which formed in 1974 and was once successful in the Metropolitan Sunday League. The nursery later occupied the former football changing rooms. The Friends of Cator Park and Alexandra Recreation Ground were established in 2008 to encourage better care of both parks, and organise a variety of activities.
Cator Park 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.
Cator Park today consists of a large area of mown grass relieved by shrub beds, clumps of Corsican pine, and park trees. Other park trees are planted singly with recent new plantings to the north. Curving tarmac paths cross the site and lead to the grassed children’s play area on the west side of the park. The River Pool, canalised in concrete, runs north/south through the centre of the park, bounded by iron railings. Cycle route 21 runs through the site as does the Green Chain walk. The park, with two football pitches, was once an important venue as the home ground for local football teams including Beckenham United, which formed in 1974 and was once successful in the Metropolitan Sunday League. The nursery later occupied the former football changing rooms. The Friends of Cator Park and Alexandra Recreation Ground were established in 2008 to encourage better care of both parks, and organise a variety of activities.
Cator Park 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 | TQ363700 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 17.25 |
| Site Ownership | LB Bromley |
| Site Management | idverde; Friends of Cator Park and Alexandra Recreation Ground. River Pool is the responsibility of the Environment Agency. |
| Dates | C18th; 1930s |
| 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 | (part of park in extension to Aldermead Road CA) |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local Open Space, Neighbourhood Playground |
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
River Pool Walkway is a footpath following part of the River Pool through largely industrial areas to Kangley Bridge Road to the east. There is however a conservation site and some naturalised areas.
Formerly ornate gardens for the Royal Free Watermen and Lightermen's Almshouses, founded in 1839 for retired Watermen and their wives and widows. The almshouses opened in 1841 and remained in Penge until 1973 when the residents moved to Hastings. The property was acquired by the GLC and then sold for conversion into private housing. Part of the grounds remain in private ownership while the area to the south is now public gardens. The formal garden has a monument to local landowner John Dudin Brown, a freeman of the Company of Watermen, whose donation of 2 acres of land and 50 guineas led to the foundation.
Alexandra Recreation Ground was laid out by the local council in the late 1880s and opened in September 1891. It is named after Alexandra, wife of the future King Edward VII, who is also commemorated in Alexandra Road that borders the park in the south-east. The original area of the park was what is now north of Maitland Road, the southern part facing Lennard Road was added in 1897. A pond in the south-east corner of the original park pre-dated the recreation ground but was eventually filled in, becoming the site of a bandstand, itself no longer in place. The park was a popular venue for cricket, with Penge Cricket Club playing here.
