Description
Longlands Recreation Ground was laid out c.1900 on land formerly known as Priestlands, which was donated by the Hawkins family who stipulated it was to be used as a Recreation Ground to the south, with land for Allotments to the north. The Upper area to the south had a curved footpath through it and became the recreation ground while the Lower portion to the north was cleared and developed as allotments during the 1900s. The footpath between the two halves used to be closed on May 1st as a reminder that it was owned by the Council and not by ratepayers at large.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Priestlands |
|---|---|
| Site location | Crescent Road, Sidcup |
| Postcode | DA15 7HN |
| What3Words | ///brains.armed.tinsel |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Bexley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - 8pm weekdays. 9am - 8pm weekends Opening Hours 7.30 - 8 p.m. Weekdays |
| Facilities | 1 standard football pitch, changing facilities |
| Public Transport | Rail: Sidcup. Bus: 321. |
| Research Updated | 1 February 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Hawkins family donated land, formerly known as Priestlands, to be used as a Recreation Ground to the south, with land for Allotments to the north. This was to form a barrier between their new housing development and the residents of Woodside Road who were considered ‘working class'. The Upper part to the south had a curved footpath driven through it and this became Longlands Recreation Ground with real woods and bushes. The Lower portion, to the north, was cleared and developed as allotments during the 1900s. The straight footpath between the two halves used to be closed on May 1st as a reminder that it was owned by the Council and not by ratepayers at large. Either before or after the 1914-18 war swings and other play equipment was introduced to the south-west corner of the recreation ground but these did not survive the 1939-35 war. Today the park is dominated by playing fields with two smaller blocks of allotments to the north. A good number of mature oaks remain and the early C20th building, decorated with burnt brick fragments and named ‘the caretakers office' is roofed with corrugated iron.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ456722 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Bexley |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | c.1900 |
| 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 |
| Conservation Area Name | abuts Christchurch CA |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| 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
King George's Field consists of open playing fields with a large playground at the west end. It was created by Chislehurst and Sidcup UDC under the provision of the King George's Fields Foundation, which provided a sum of £600 towards the cost of the site. The Foundation, set up as a memorial following the King's death in 1936, provided funding for the creation or improvement of a great many playing fields before it was dissolved in 1965. The land, formerly used as allotments, was conveyed in July 1949 and the site was officially opened in 1955.
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.
Old Farm Park is recreational open space alongside the north of the railway line, which was built through the area in the late C19th. The area remained rural into the C20th and this strip of land was left unbuilt when the area to the north was developed for housing. By the 1950s the site was used for allotment gardens and it was laid out as a park by the 1970s.