A. Eltham College

Eltham College is housed in buildings on the site of Fairy Hall, once a 40 acre estate. This building dates from the mid-19th century. It was used by the Royal Naval School from 1889 to 1911 and taken over by the School for the Sons of Missionaries in 1912 to form Eltham College.

B. Marvels and Elmstead Woods

In the stream next to the Sports Ground you can see three-spined sticklebacks - but please do not disturb them. Elmstead Woods is an area of oak and sweet chestnut coppice. Hornbeams, the hairy woodrush and butterflies such as the comma can be found here. The woods were originally part of the Bishop of Rochester’s estate and used to provide timber for ship building.

C. Sundridge Park

In the grounds of Sundridge Park, now laid out as two golf courses, is a large mansion designed in 1795 by James Wyatt for the Scott family. Sir Edward Scott was a friend of the then Prince of Wales who often visited the house for pheasant shooting weekends. The building is now used as a management centre.

D. Halls Farm

At the end of the allotments to the right in Milk Street you can see Halls Farm, an old farmhouse. This is a reminder of the farming history of the area which goes back to at least 1500. The present house dates from the early 19th century.

E. Sundridge Park Station

The railway is the branch line from Grove Park to Bromley North, opened in 1878. The Scott family at Sundridge Park had a railway station built at Plaistow Lane for their private use. The station was eventually rebuilt and opened to the public as Sundridge Park Station in 1896.

F. Prince Frederick

Just to the left along Nichol Lane stands the Prince Frederick pub, originally known as the Prince Frederick’s Head. Formally an ale house dating from at least 1761, it was rebuilt receiving a new frontage in 1890. It is believed to be the only pub named after ‘Poor Fred’, Prince of Wales (1707 - 1751), the eldest son of George II, and father of George III. He was outlived by his father who, on the Prince’s death, refused to pay his debts.

G. Elstree Hill

Look for the interesting porchway, dating from 1874, which was originally part of the doorway to the London School Board offices on the Victoria Embankment . The offices were demolished in 1929 but the porch was re-erected here in 1930.

H. Chislehurst

The name Chislehurst is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words ‘ceosal’ and ‘hyrsk’ meaning ‘gravel wood’. Chislehurst grew up as a scattered village centred around its various commons. Surrounded by large country estates, it did not outgrow its hill top site until mid-Victorian times. Prickend Pond at the northern end of Chislehurst Common was a former gravel pit and is fed by springs, of which there are many in the area.
A booklet, ‘A Walk Around Chislehurst’, published by Bromley Council is available at Bromley libraries and information points.

I. Walden Recreation Ground

Walden Recreation Ground is named after Viscount Walden who became the 9th Marquis of Tweeddale in 1876. He was born in Yester, near Edinburgh but came to live nearby. Whyte’s Woodland is believed to refer to Robert Whyte who also lived nearby in the 19th century.

Select an area 1 - 10 for an overview of that section on the Green Chain Walk.