Description
Chislehurst Cemetery, the largest of Bromley's municipal cemeteries, opened in 1912. The need for a new burial ground was noted from 1905 when the parish churchyard of St Nicholas was becoming full. The land, formerly a field, was purchased from Robert Marsham-Townshend, the Lord of the Manor of Chislehurst and Scadbury. A design competition was held for the cemetery buildings, won by Curtis Green, architect of the Dorchester Hotel. Milner, Son and White were appointed landscape gardeners in October 1910 to design the roads, paths, layout and planting. The cemetery layout has changed little, although by 1960 it had been extended to the north by annexing part of Hoblands Woods.
Practical Information
| Site location | Beaverwood Road, Chislehurst |
|---|---|
| Postcode | BR7 |
| What3Words | ///dizzy.fears.fixed |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Daily April-Sept: 10am-7pm; October-March 10am-4pm |
| Facilities | Toilets |
| Public Transport | Bus :160, 269 stop in Perry Street at end of Beaverwood Road. |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Chislehurst Cemetery is the largest of Bromley's municipal cemeteries and opened in 1912. In October 1905 a report to the Chislehurst and Sidcup UDC noted that the parish churchyard of St Nicholas was becoming full and steps needed to be taken to provide land for a local cemetery. In early 1906 the Council was already negotiating with the agent for the largest local landowner, Robert Marsham-Townshend, Lord of the Manor of Chislehurst and Scadbury, regarding the purchase of a 2.5 acre site in Perry Street for a Council depot, and they were instructed to enquire about the availability of further land for a cemetery. In October the same year Marsham-Townshend offered 7 or 8 acres at £300 per acre on a site in Perry Street. The site was a field that in 1840 was called Nutgrove, when it was part of Dickenson's Farm, later Beaverwood Farm, part of the estate of Lord Sydney. This had no frontage to Perry Street and the Council were to make up the access road, now Beaverwood Road.
In April 1908 it was agreed that a loan of £12,065 would be raised by the Council for purchase of the land and all the necessary works and in early 1909 a design competition was held for the chapel, lodge, mortuary, depot and entrance gates. Mr Curtis Green, designer of the Dorchester Hotel in London, won the competition, which was assessed by Ernest Newton. The building contract of £4,995 9s was awarded to J N Howard of Chislehurst Road, Orpington, and Mr C Dawe appointed Clerk of the Works. The red-brick chapel, which has a deep Gothic hooded doorway and tall windows on each side, was built c.1910. Milner, Son and White were appointed landscape gardeners in October 1910 and their fee for designing the roads, paths, layout and planting was £10. The firm had been founded by Edward Milner (1819-1884), joined by his son Henry Ernest Milner (1845-1906) in 1870s, later joined by Edward White (1873-1952) to become Milner, Son and White. Cannell and Sons of Crokenhill won the tender for tree planting in late 1911 and in early 1913 the same firm was replacing some trees and planting creepers around the chapel, two Ampelopsis on the north wall and two Magnolia Grandiflora on the south.
The cemetery layout has changed little, although between 1938 and 1960 it was extended to the north by annexing part of Hoblands Woods. Today the cemetery is surrounded by iron railings; near the main entrance, to the east of the chapel, is a toilet block and shelter with seats. The main north-south path from the entrance is flanked by western red cedar trees, with a group of trees at the circle at the north end consisting of an oak, holly and a field maple. On the south side of the path joining the two most northerly circles is a small avenue of crab apple trees. Among the monuments is a memorial to the Bunzle family. In the north-west corner of the cemetery is a memorial garden for cremations marked by horizontal inscribed slabs set into the grass, with another railed area on the north-east dedicated as a children's memorial area. Although still open, the cemetery ran out of space in 2005 and burials have taken place on the verges.
Bromley's cemeteries have been managed on behalf of Bromley Council by idverde UK since 2008. In June 2015 idverde 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.
In April 1908 it was agreed that a loan of £12,065 would be raised by the Council for purchase of the land and all the necessary works and in early 1909 a design competition was held for the chapel, lodge, mortuary, depot and entrance gates. Mr Curtis Green, designer of the Dorchester Hotel in London, won the competition, which was assessed by Ernest Newton. The building contract of £4,995 9s was awarded to J N Howard of Chislehurst Road, Orpington, and Mr C Dawe appointed Clerk of the Works. The red-brick chapel, which has a deep Gothic hooded doorway and tall windows on each side, was built c.1910. Milner, Son and White were appointed landscape gardeners in October 1910 and their fee for designing the roads, paths, layout and planting was £10. The firm had been founded by Edward Milner (1819-1884), joined by his son Henry Ernest Milner (1845-1906) in 1870s, later joined by Edward White (1873-1952) to become Milner, Son and White. Cannell and Sons of Crokenhill won the tender for tree planting in late 1911 and in early 1913 the same firm was replacing some trees and planting creepers around the chapel, two Ampelopsis on the north wall and two Magnolia Grandiflora on the south.
The cemetery layout has changed little, although between 1938 and 1960 it was extended to the north by annexing part of Hoblands Woods. Today the cemetery is surrounded by iron railings; near the main entrance, to the east of the chapel, is a toilet block and shelter with seats. The main north-south path from the entrance is flanked by western red cedar trees, with a group of trees at the circle at the north end consisting of an oak, holly and a field maple. On the south side of the path joining the two most northerly circles is a small avenue of crab apple trees. Among the monuments is a memorial to the Bunzle family. In the north-west corner of the cemetery is a memorial garden for cremations marked by horizontal inscribed slabs set into the grass, with another railed area on the north-east dedicated as a children's memorial area. Although still open, the cemetery ran out of space in 2005 and burials have taken place on the verges.
Bromley's cemeteries have been managed on behalf of Bromley Council by idverde UK since 2008. In June 2015 idverde 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 | TQ453710 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Bromley |
| Site Management | Cemeteries Office (contracted to idverde) |
| Dates | 1911-12 |
| Designers | Milner, Son and White (landscape designer) |
| 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 | CA |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
The Crescent was originally the central garden of a crescent of large Victorian houses built in the late C19th. The houses were demolished in the 1960s and replaced by flats. Buildings in the garden were also removed but five cedars of Lebanon remain, as do holly and chestnut trees from the earlier landscaping.
Although the area remained largely undeveloped until late C18th, Sidcup Green was recorded as commonland in the tithe return for Chislehurst. Goats and donkeys grazed here in earlier times. It was once known as Place Green; part of the commonland was encroached in the late C18th when Charles Minshaw built Place Green House, since renamed Manor House, which faces the Green from the north. The Green appears little changed over the last century and has grass with trees along east and west edges; a raised bank forms the south boundary planted with a line of well grown Lime trees, beyond which are the grounds of Sidcup Place. A C20th War Memorial with ornamental planting faces the Manor House.
The Manor House, formerly Place Green House, was built c.1790 by Charles S Minshaw on land acquired from the Frognal Estate where Shotts Farm stood. The garden is thought to have been laid out around the same time. In 1905 Manor House was bought by E J Elgood who then sold the north part for the Grassington Road residential development. Since 1952 the house has been used for Council offices and the gardens have suffered further encroachment for car parking. A few Corsican and Scots pines survive to the south, a notable cedar of Lebanon stands in the front garden of a house to the west and there is a large Arbutus north-west of the house.
