Description
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.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Cudham Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | Church Approach, Cudham |
| Postcode | TN14 7QF |
| What3Words | ///calm.town.likely |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Chelsfield, Dunton Green and Knockholt (4 miles distant). Bus: TN14 |
| Research Updated | 1 March 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The old flint church was restored in 1846 and again in 1891/2. It has a Saxon-Norman nave, C13th chancel and south tower, and in the C14th a short north aisle was added to the nave and the south chapel added to the chancel. Cudham is mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 and it is thought there has been a church here since the mid C10th. In 1976 the parishes of Cudham and St Mary the Virgin Downe (q.v.) were united. The Kent Archaeological Society has a transcription of memorial inscriptions in the churchyard taken by Leland L Duncan on 3 August 1919.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ445599 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Archdeaconry of Bromley and Bexley |
| Site Management | Church |
| Dates | C10th onwards |
| 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 |
| Tree Preservation Order | To be checked |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Archaeological Significance |
| Other LA Designation | Part of proposed World Heritage Site (UDP Draft 2002 for details) |
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
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.
* 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.