Hayes, Bromley

Hayes is a suburban area of South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley and the historic county of Kent. It is located south of Bromley, and 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Charing Cross and it neighbours Coney Hall.

Not to be confused with Hayes, Hillingdon.

Hayes
Hayes
Location within Greater London
Population15,906 (2011 Census. Hayes and Coney Hall Ward)[1]
OS grid referenceTQ405665
London borough
Ceremonial countyGreater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBROMLEY
Postcode districtBR2
Dialling code020
PoliceMetropolitan
FireLondon
AmbulanceLondon
UK Parliament
London Assembly

The ancient village

The name Hayes is recorded from 1177 as hoese from the Anglo-Saxon meaning "a settlement in open land overgrown with shrubs and rough bushes".[2][3] It formed an ancient, and later civil, parish of Kent of around 1,282 acres (5.19 km2).[4] The village stood at the junction of Hayes Lane, leading north to Bromley (one mile distant), and what is now known as Pickhurst Lane, leading west to West Wickham. The centre of the old village is now called Hayes Street. The village school was here, as is the parish church of St Mary the Virgin. Parts of the church date back to the thirteenth century; however it was subject to heavy restorations by George Gilbert Scott and John Oldrid Scott in the nineteenth century.[5] The public house, also on Hayes Lane, is called "The George" (first recorded 1759[6]) . Hayes Street Farm, still shown on modern maps, is to the north of the village centre.

Both William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), and William Pitt the Younger (1759–1806) lived at Hayes Place.[7] The house was demolished in 1933 and the site redeveloped, but its occupants are remembered in such road names as Chatham and Pittsmead Avenues. Prior to being demolished, Hayes Place was owned by the Hambro family (of Hambros Bank fame) and a couple of roads bear the family names.

Although the parish church of Hayes can trace its history back over 800 years, and local villains joined Jack Cade in his rebellion of 1450, the story of Hayes became significant a little over a century ago, when Hayes became a popular place in which to live because bankers, stockbrokers and those who were "something in the City" bought property in the area.[8]

Between 1801, when the population was just 382, and 1921, it had almost tripled to 1010.[9]

The branch railway from Elmers End, originally known as the West Wickham and Hayes Railway, was opened on 29 May 1882.[10] Hayes station is a terminus.[11]

During the second world war, an anti-aircraft gun battery was locally based on Hayes Common, and the soldiers of the 1st Canadian Division[12] who manned it were barracked in local homes.[13]

A 3-inch gun crew of 303rd Battery, 99th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, at Hayes Common in Kent, May 1940. H1387

Throughout the 20th century, the Hayes village area continued to grow and thrive. Further commercial development occurred on Station Approach because the increased traffic through the railway terminus created an incentive for growth. In the old village area ('Old Hayes'), the former village school was converted to a second, smaller village hall when the local primary school opened in 1937;[14] it lies along George Lane, which was further expanded at around the same time to facilitate further suburban housing developments.

Modern suburban Hayes

To cope with the increase in commuter traffic, the station was rebuilt in 1935, and Station Approach became the main shopping area,[15] including a Post Office, petrol station, two mini-supermarkets and numerous small shops. It also contains a public house called The New Inn.

Much of the area to the west and north-west of the original village has been taken over by suburbia. West Wickham and Bromley are completely joined with Hayes; and Coney Hall estate, beyond the Orpington - Croydon road is also part of the pattern. To the east and south, however, the open space of Hayes Common precludes building of any kind.

Grandfields Nursery in West Common Road was hit by a V-2 rocket in the late afternoon of 9 February 1945, killing four people, including three members of the Grandfield family. Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church was later built on the site.[16]

The old village area along Hayes Street, also known as 'Old Hayes', today contains some small shops, though the local post office closed in 2004 (the nearest is now in the main shopping area near the station). The timbered cottage on the eastern side of Hayes Street was originally the village bakery, then it became a newsagents called "The Walnut Tree", until 2006, when it changed to residential use. The former village school remains a second village hall; the local primary school in George Lane has expanded in size in recent years, and now has three class groups in each year. It is extremely popular, and many of its pupils go on to Hayes School in West Common Road.

The shopping area in Old Hayes functions as a second hub for commercial businesses, running along Hayes street opposite the church building. It consists of the public house, "The George", a mini-market, several hairdressers, a cycle shop, two coffee shops and a fish and chip shop. Next to the church is the village public library, occupying the old rectory building (since replaced by the new rectory), and is surrounded by the library gardens, a small area of parkland containing tennis courts.

Hayes Street Farm continues to play an important role in the village setting. Several public pathways and popular walking routes run through the farmland, and regular car boot sales are hosted on the farm fields.

There is a group called Hayes Village Association (HVA) which meet regularly to inform people about local issues. They regularly liaise with Bromley Council on planning matters and they give a voice to residents and businesses on a variety of issues. HVA produce a quarterly magazine with local interest articles and events, as well as details of businesses in the locality.

Sports and leisure

There are numerous playing fields and sports grounds around the periphery of Hayes: such as the Metropolitan Police Sports Ground at the Warren. It is also home, since 1927, to the world-famous Blackheath Harriers Athletics Club (now Blackheath and Bromley Harriers Athletic Club) at their clubhouse The Sydney Wooderson Centre.

  • Hayes Town FC (Formed 2016). Members of the Surrey South Eastern Combination, based at Coney Hall FC's Tiepigs Lane ground.[17]
  • Beccehamians RFC – a Rugby Union Club founded in 1933 plays competitive rugby at Sparrows Den at the bottom of Corkscrew Hill near West Wickham.[18]
  • Hayes Cricket Club,[19] based at the Warman Sport ground.
  • Bromley RFC – a Rugby union club started in 1886 and moved to Hayes Village in 1956 and are based at the Warman Sport ground.[20][21]
  • Norman Park Athletics Track – one of the main athletics tracks in Bromley.[22]
  • Bromley F.C. – A football club based at the Hayes Lane Stadium.
  • Hayes (Lawn) Tennis club,[23] based at the Warman Sport ground.
  • Old Wilsonians Sports Club[24] (on fields formerly known as Hayes Hill Sports Ground)
  • Urban Krav Maga based at the Old School.
  • Bigfoot Cycle club.[25]
  • Roebucks Cricket Club, based at Burton Pynsent House.

Arts and culture

Transport

Rail

Hayes railway station is the terminus for Hayes line services operated by Southeastern to and from London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street stations.

Buses

Hayes is served by Transport for London bus routes 119 (24 hour service), 138, 146, 246, 314, 353 and 638.

Education

Green Spaces
  • Hayes Common - a 79-Hectare area of public open land
  • Husseywell Park -[30]
  • Coney Hall Recreation Ground[31]
  • Pickhurst Park
  • The Knoll - an Ornamental Ground of four and a half hectares with lakes and specimen forest trees[32]

Notable residents

Geography
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References
  1. "Bromley Ward population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  2. "London Gardens Online". www.londongardensonline.org.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. Vision of Britain - Hayes parish (historic boundaries Archived 1 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine)
  5. Cherry, Bridget; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1990) [1983]. London 2: South. The Buildings of England. Penguin Books. p. 187. ISBN 0-14-071047-7.
  6. Thompson), H. P. (Henry Percy) (1978). A history of Hayes in the county of Kent. Beckenham: Jackdaw Publishing. ISBN 0906377005. OCLC 498598112.
  7. Hayes Place was at grid reference TQ404663 and is described on this page
  8. "The Warren | History". www.mpthewarren.com. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  9. "Tithe Apportionments for Kent - Kent Archaeology Society". www.kentarchaeology.org.uk.
  10. "Thames Tributary Bourne flowing to the Ravensbourne - Hayes". edithsstreets.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  11. historian), Wilson, Jean (Local (2012). Hayes : a history of a Kentish village. Woodman, Trevor, 1939-2007. Bromley: J. Wilson. ISBN 9780951517826. OCLC 808490838.
  12. Wilson, Jean (Local Historian) (2012). Hayes: a history of a Kentish village. Woodman, Trevor, 1939-2007. Bromley: J. Wilson. ISBN 9780951517833. OCLC 808490838.
  13. "History - Hayes (Kent) Branch - The Royal British Legion". branches.britishlegion.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  14. "Our School History - Hayes Primary School". www.hayes-pri.bromley.sch.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  15. "Hayes, Bromley - Hidden London". hidden-london.com. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  16. "Past & Present". 14 February 2018.
  17. "Hayes Town Football Club". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  18. "Beccehamian RFC Home Page". www.beccehamians.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  19. "Hayes (Kent) Cricket Club". www.hayescricket.com. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  20. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. "Bromley RFC". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  22. "Norman Park Athletics Track". www.openplay.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  23. "Hayes Kent Lawn Tennis Club". www.hayeskenttennis.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  24. "About Old Wilsonians Sports Club". oldwilsonians.com. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  25. "About Us". BigfootCC. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  26. "Hayes Philharmonic Choir | Registered Charity 285667". www.hayeschoir.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  27. "Allegri Singers". allegrisingers.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  28. "The Hayes Players". www.hayesplayers.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  29. "Hayes School is World Class". www.hayes.bromley.sch.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  30. "London Gardens Online". www.londongardensonline.org.uk.
  31. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  32. http://www.kidsfunlondon.co.uk/kids-london/park/the-knoll.html
  33. "Mourners gather in Hayes for funeral of former UK's tallest man Christopher Greener". News Shopper. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2017.

Further reading
  • Hayes: a History of a Kentish Village: Volume 1: The Stone Age to 1914 by Jean Wilson and Trevor Woodman ISBN 978-0-9515178-2-6
  • Hayes: a History of a Kentish Village: Volume 2: 1914 to Modern Times by Jean Wilson and Trevor Woodman ISBN 978-0-9515178-3-3
  • A history of Hayes in the county of Kent by H. P Thompson ISBN 0-906377-00-5
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