Description
The first church of St John the Evangelist to serve the village of Sidcup was consecrated in 1844. Following arrival of the railway in 1866 more capacity was needed for the congregation and a chancel, Lady Chapel and vestries were added in 1882. In 1899-1901 the current brick church was built, although part of the existing churchyard walls date from 1844. The churchyard was enlarged in 1898 and again in 1934 and contains numerous monuments; there are mature and semi mature trees including a large horse chestnut. The churchyard is now closed for burials.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Sidcup Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | Church Road, Sidcup, Kent |
| Postcode | DA14 6BX |
| What3Words | ///lofts.chair.smiled |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Bexley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Events | Concerts. Has opened for Open House London |
| Public Transport | Rail: Sidcup. Bus: 160, 229, 269, 286, 492, 233, 51. |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The original church here was built in 1841-44 as a District Church for the Parish Church of St Nicholas Chislehurst (q.v.) when the hitherto small village of Sidcup was expanding and the population needed their own church. For a short time it was known as St John the Evangelist, East Chislehurst before the parish of St John Sidcup was formed. Contributions towards the building of the church came from Lord Sydney of Chiselhurst, who owned Frognal House (q.v.) and was a major landowner in Chislehurst, Lord Bexley and Harold Berens, who owned Sidcup Place (q.v.). The church had twin towers with steeples at the west end and an arcade or ambulatory around three sides supporting the galleries, but had no chancel; it was consecrated by the Bishop of Rochester on 16 April 1844. The congregation grew after the opening of Sidcup station in 1866 and soon after the Revd T C Lewis was appointed vicar in 1882, he instigated plans to extend the church. The foundation stone for the new chancel was laid on St Swithin's Day 15 July 1882 and the Chancel and Lady Chapel were consecrated on 31 October the same year. These, together with the vestries, were built at a cost of £2,500, paid for by the Revd Lewis himself. Further enlargement was needed by 1898 and the present brick church was built in 1899-1901, designed by the architect G.H. Fellows-Prynne ARIBA. The foundation stone of the present nave, as well as that of the aisles and tower of the new and enlarged church, was laid on the 18 November 1899 by the Revd Canon Francis Murray, Rector of Chislehurst.
The churchyard that surrounds St John the Evangelist is bounded on two sides by residential houses, on one side by the parish halls and on the fourth side by the main road, bordered by a flint and brick wall dating from 1844. The churchyard was enlarged to the north with part of the vicarage garden in 1898, and further enlarged in 1934. Tarmac paths lead around the churchyard, which has a number of mature and semi mature trees including a large horse chestnut. Evergreen trees include yews and holly. There are numerous monuments especially to the east and south. The churchyard is now closed for burials except family graves and ashes.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ464716 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Church of England (Archdeaconry of Bromley and Bexley) |
| Site Management | LB Bexley (Parks and Open Spaces, Highways and Amenities Department?)/Church? |
| Dates | 1841-4; 1899-1901; 1934 |
| Designers | Church by Fellows Pryme |
| Listed Structures | LBII: St John's Church; Sheffield Monument 1899 (south-east of church) |
| 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 | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | The Green, Sidcup |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| 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
St John the Evangelist Church Bexley was originally established as a daughter church to the Bexley parish church of St Mary when the local population was growing, and became a parish church in its own right in 1936. It was consecrated in 1882, built on a site provided by the University of Oxford. Its tall tower and spire were added in 1890. The churchyard was originally surrounded by wooden fencing, with a wooden gate, replaced by a wall in 1949 and iron gates in 1952.
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.
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.
