High Elms Country Park

High Elms Country Park comprises woodland countryside and a golf course; the chalky valley has probably been farmed since Roman times. It was part of the parish of Downe that once belonged to Bishop Odo of Bayeux, brother of William the Conqueror, who was given the land for the part he played in the Battle of Hastings. In ensuing centuries, the land changed hands numerous times until it was purchased in the early C19th by Sir John William Lubbock, a wealthy banker who bought over 105 hectares of land with house, home farm and lodges. Over the next 130 years the Lubbock family developed the farm into a country estate; the 3rd Baronet, who lived here from 1840, commissioned architect Philip Hardwick to design a large mansion and ornamental gardens in classical Italian style. Later additions included a stable block, ice well, coach house and race course and at its height the estate employed 30 staff. In 1900 the 4th Baronet, Sir John Lubbock was given the title of Lord Avebury. A banker like his father, Sir John had many interests, was an author and scientist, as well as a politician as a Liberal MP for Maidstone. As such he was instrumental in the passing of important legislation including the Open Spaces Act of 1896, the Wild Birds Protection Act and the Bank Holiday Act, which was subsequently dubbed St Lubbock's Day.

In 1938 High Elms was sold to Kent County Council and during the 1940s and '50s large areas of the estate were planted with conifers for use as pit props, telegraph poles and fencing. In 1965 the estate was transferred to LB Bromley as Green Belt Open Space. In 1967 the mansion was destroyed by fire but the formal gardens, stable block, surviving remains of an Eton Fives court and the ice well remained. The latter is to the north of the Nature Centre, which opened in 1970 housed in the old stable block and the walled garden. Within the country park is Dene Hole, a rare survivor of the many chalk mines once found in the area. Mining by this method to get chalk for marling land began in Roman times. Trees in the park suffered from Dutch Elm disease and also the storms of 1987. The park has a network of Country Park trails with some paths used by both horse and bike riders. A loop of the London Outer Orbital Path enters on the west side and a Look, Touch and Smell trail is to be found north-west of the Nature Centre.

The 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.