Hall Place, Bexley, Dartford, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest: 

The early 20th century gardens and grounds of a 16th/17th century manor house, opened to the public in 1952.

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Hall Place is situated to the north of the main trunk road, the A2 Rochester Way, east of the Black Prince interchange. The small industrial town of Crayford lies to the north-east and the urban housing of Bexley Heath and Bexley are to the north and south-west respectively. The junction of the A220 Bexley Heath to Bexley road and the A223 road to Crayford lies to the north-west of the site and the A223 continues along the northern boundary. The Dartford to Lewisham railway line runs a few metres to the south of the southern boundary. Sports pitches and recreation grounds provide the boundary to the east.

The grounds at Hall Place are mainly level, with a slight slope downwards to the south-east. The River Cray runs through the middle of the site with a flood defence (bank and ditch) sited to the south of the river. The remains of an avenue extend north-west from the A223, across open grassland (outside the area here registered). The avenue is aligned on the north front of Hall Place mansion, following the line of a double avenue depicted on an estate map of 1700.

REFERENCES used by English Heritage:

J C M Shaw and M Scott, Hall Place A Short History & Guide (Bexley Libraries 1936)

Gardeners' Chronicle, (12 October 1963), p 266

B Cherry and N Pevsner, The Buildings of England: London 2: South (1983), pp 135-137

Maps

Estate plan, 1700

Map accompanying Sale particulars, 1912

OS 25" to 1 mile: 1st dition published 1860

2nd edition published 1895

Description written: July 1997

Edited: June 2001