Description
Cudham is an old settlement mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and the parish church may date from the C10th. The fields to the east of the church were used as a sports ground by the early 1930s, crossed by various footpaths. The recreation ground had a cricket pavilion and by the 1960s there were tennis courts. On adjacent land to the east was the Angas Convalescent Home for Sailors, which had opened in 1918 as a branch of the Seamen's Hospital Society Dreadnought Hospital.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Cudham Lane North Recreation Ground / Cudham Lane South Recreation Ground |
|---|---|
| Site location | Cudham Lane South/Cudham Lane North, Cudham |
| Postcode | TN14 7QB |
| What3Words | ///cheek.insert.stand |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Facilities | Children's play area, toilets, football pitches, cricket square, tennis (spring and summer), car park |
| Events | Rail: Chelsfield, Dunton Green and Knockholt (4 miles distant) |
| Research Updated | 19 July 2023 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The recreation ground is adjacent to Cudham parish church of St Peter and St Paul's (q.v.), from which a footpath leads to the park. The park is provided with a children’s play area, cricket run by the local club, football and a grass tennis court. To the north is a secluded open space with grass and a small children’s play area.
The main building of the sailors convalescence home had started life as the vicarage, a gothic revival building of the 1880s that was probably designed by Charles Innes. Marked on the OS Map of 1896 as Cudham School by 1909 it was marked as Towers House. It was purchased by Lady Angas and opened in 1918 as the Angas Convalescent Home for Sailors, a branch of the Seamen's Hospital Society, Dreadnought. Later an NHS residential institution it is now awaiting conversion to residential use. To the south of the church are Cudham Court Farm and Cudham Hall, the former manor house, together with a public house, The Blacksmith's Arms, and a post office, both marked on the first edition OS.
The two areas of the recreation ground, north and south, are 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.
The main building of the sailors convalescence home had started life as the vicarage, a gothic revival building of the 1880s that was probably designed by Charles Innes. Marked on the OS Map of 1896 as Cudham School by 1909 it was marked as Towers House. It was purchased by Lady Angas and opened in 1918 as the Angas Convalescent Home for Sailors, a branch of the Seamen's Hospital Society, Dreadnought. Later an NHS residential institution it is now awaiting conversion to residential use. To the south of the church are Cudham Court Farm and Cudham Hall, the former manor house, together with a public house, The Blacksmith's Arms, and a post office, both marked on the first edition OS.
The two areas of the recreation ground, north and south, are 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 | TQ446598 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 10.5 |
| Site Ownership | LB Bromley |
| Site Management | idverde |
| Dates | 1930s |
| Listed Structures | Local List: Angas Home |
| 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 |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Archaeological Significance |
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 Peter and St Paul's Church is a medieval church, mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086, and may date from the C10th. In the churchyard are two ancient yew trees, one in the south west corner by the main entrance and the other in the south east near the chancel. One of these predates the church and may be around 1,500 years old, which suggests that the church may have been built on an existing burial site.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Down House was the home of Charles Darwin from 1842-82 and the gardens retain some of the structure from his time, including a square lawn below the south-west front, shrubbery with trees planted on mounds, a series of walled gardens, and the wood with the 'sand walk' around it. The garden was an inspiration for his study and experiments, and he installed paths, flower beds and outbuildings associated with his research. An asphalt tennis court was constructed in 1881. Since acquisition by English Heritage in 1996, the gardens have been restored, as far as possible, to their appearance towards the end of Darwin’s life.
Down House was the home of Charles Darwin from 1842-82 and the gardens retain some of the structure from his time, including a square lawn below the south-west front, shrubbery with trees planted on mounds, a series of walled gardens, and the wood with the 'sand walk' around it. The garden was an inspiration for his study and experiments, and he installed paths, flower beds and outbuildings associated with his research. An asphalt tennis court was constructed in 1881. Since acquisition by English Heritage in 1996, the gardens have been restored, as far as possible, to their appearance towards the end of Darwin’s life.
St Mary the Virgin Church and its churchyard in the village of Downe date from around 1291 and while the church has gained a tower since then the churchyard is probably little altered. Of the many noteworthy residents of Downe, Charles Darwin is undoubtedly the most famous and lived nearby from 1842 until his death in 1882. Darwin, who was buried in Westminster Abbey, is commemorated by a sundial and plaque on the tower, but his wife Emma and other members of the family are buried in the churchyard. Among the trees in the churchyard is an ancient yew.