Description
Christians have worshipped on this site for over 1000 years, but the present church of St Peter and St Paul was built in the 1950s following the destruction of the old church in an air raid on 16 April 1941 that left only the C15th tower standing. The churchyard was enlarged in 1843 and 1863 and contains many tombs and monuments, including the pink granite obelisk to Coles Child, Lord of the Manor (d.1873). There are mature lime and horse chestnut trees, and a beech hedge surrounds the WWI memorial, initially positioned outside the east end of the church. The C19th lych gate was also relocated to its present site after the church was rebuilt following WWII bombing.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Bromley Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | Church Road, Bromley, Kent |
| Postcode | BR2 0EG |
| What3Words | ///mile.lime.sample |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Car park |
| Public Transport | Rail: Bromley North, Bromley South. Bus: 61, 119, 126, 138, 146, 162, 208, 227, 246, 261, 314, 320, 336, 352, 358, 367, 402. |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Christians have worshipped on this site for over 1000 years and the parish of Bromley was previously in the county of Kent. The tower of the present church dates from the C15th, but the medieval church was largely rebuilt in red brick in 1792, and major works to the building took place in 1883. The present church was built in the 1950s following the destruction of the old church in an air raid on 16 April 1941 that left only the flint tower standing. This had been restored in 1924 when its decayed rag stone gargoyles and dressings were cut out and replaced by Clipsham stone. The foundation stone of the new church was laid by Princess Elizabeth, as she was then, in October 1949. It was designed by J Harold Gibbons and completed by 1957, now positioned further back from the road; it was extended to the west in 1983.
The churchyard contains many monuments and tombstones, including a number dating from the C17th such as that of Richard Gratwicke (d.1674). The burial ground was enlarged to the west in 1843 and to the east in 1863, but lost a strip from the east end when Tetty Way was built in the 1960s. Among the monuments is the pink granite obelisk to Coles Child, Lord of the Manor, who died in 1873. Other local families buried here include the Champion family whose large tomb under holly trees records burials between at least 1774 and 1870; the Emmett family and the Dunn family. Dr Johnson's wife, Elizabeth, was buried in the church in 1752. Much of the paving in the churchyard consists of re-used gravestones. The churchyard has mown grass between the tombs and monuments with 13 mature lime and horse chestnut trees on the borders, the north and east boundaries with flint redbrick-capped walls. In the north west of the churchyard is a group of yews, hollies, cypresses and other trees and there are a few shrubs between the road and car park located to the north of the church.
A high beech hedge surrounds the small war memorial lawn, with its WWI memorial, a Portland stone column designed and built by Mr Sydney March. This was initially outside the east end of the church. The oak lych gate was erected in 1855, designed by Mr St Aubyn, and moved to its present site after the church was rebuilt following WWII bombing.
The churchyard contains many monuments and tombstones, including a number dating from the C17th such as that of Richard Gratwicke (d.1674). The burial ground was enlarged to the west in 1843 and to the east in 1863, but lost a strip from the east end when Tetty Way was built in the 1960s. Among the monuments is the pink granite obelisk to Coles Child, Lord of the Manor, who died in 1873. Other local families buried here include the Champion family whose large tomb under holly trees records burials between at least 1774 and 1870; the Emmett family and the Dunn family. Dr Johnson's wife, Elizabeth, was buried in the church in 1752. Much of the paving in the churchyard consists of re-used gravestones. The churchyard has mown grass between the tombs and monuments with 13 mature lime and horse chestnut trees on the borders, the north and east boundaries with flint redbrick-capped walls. In the north west of the churchyard is a group of yews, hollies, cypresses and other trees and there are a few shrubs between the road and car park located to the north of the church.
A high beech hedge surrounds the small war memorial lawn, with its WWI memorial, a Portland stone column designed and built by Mr Sydney March. This was initially outside the east end of the church. The oak lych gate was erected in 1855, designed by Mr St Aubyn, and moved to its present site after the church was rebuilt following WWII bombing.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ401692 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 1 |
| Site Ownership | Archdeaconry of Bromley & Bexley |
| Site Management | LB Bromley |
| Dates | medieval |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: St Peter and St Paul's 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 | Bromley |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Bromley Town Centre |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| 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
Church House Gardens and Library Gardens are now one public park but were originally two sites: Library Gardens formed from the grounds of 'Neelgherries', and those of Church House. Neelgherries was bequeathed to Bromley Town Council in 1900 and the Library and Gardens were opened to the public in 1906. Church House Gardens, purchased by Bromley Town Council in 1926, were connected to the Library Gardens and opened in July 1927. The two open spaces were combined in 1930 and have dramatic topography with a lake at the foot of richly planted slopes.
Reputedly named after a baker who lived here, Martin's Hill had long been a place where the people of Bromley promenaded. It was once famous for the broom that grew here, the plant after which Bromley takes its name. Between 1868 and 1872 only part of the hill was set aside for public use, the rest being open fields, the lower slopes formerly used for growing hops. In 1878, when the area was under threat of development, the site was acquired from the Ecclesiastical Board by Bromley Council and opened as the town's first ornamental park.
Queen’s Gardens are now set in the shade of The Glades Shopping Centre. By the C19th the site was known as The White Hart Field after a nearby inn and used for public recreation and sports. In 1865 part of the inn was opened as a homeopathic dispensary and in 1889 Bromley's first homeopathic hospital opened. When a new homeopathic hospital was under discussion, the Lord of the Manor, Coles Child, presented White Hart Field to Bromley in 1897, part given for the hospital and the rest laid out as a public recreation ground. This was initially named Victoria Gardens in celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. When The Glades Shopping Centre was constructed in 1990, a portion of the gardens including the original main entrance with its ornamental gates was lost, but the gates were moved to the southern part of the gardens.