Slade Green

infobox UK place
country = England
map_type = Greater London
region= London
population=
official_name= Slade Green
latitude= 51.4668
longitude= 0.1964
london_borough= Bexley
constituency_westminster= Bexleyheath and Crayford
post_town= ERITH
postcode_area= DA
postcode_district= DA8
dial_code= 01322
os_grid_reference= TQ525765

Slade Green is a place in the London Borough of Bexley. It is a suburban development situated 14 miles (22.5 km) east south-east of Charing Cross and lying south of the River Thames slightly to the west of the River Darenth and River Cray.

History & Development

There is some evidence of human occupation of the area in prehistoric times - work at the site of the Hollywood Way estate by the Museum of London Archaeological service revealed the presence of a prehistoric cookery pit [http://www.molas.org.uk/pages/siteSummariesDetailsAll.asp?year=summaries1997 Museum of London summary of archaeological work carried out in 1997] accessed 6 Apr 2008] .

What is now Slade Green consisted of two isolated agricultural communities of Slade Green (formerly Slades Green [http://www.kentrail.co.uk/slade%20green%20station.htm Kent Rail website page on Slade Green station] accessed 6 March 2008] or Slads Green [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10040383&c_id=10001043 Maps, particularly OS Series 1, compared to modern map of the area (Collins)] accessed 6 March 2008] ) and Northend, with most land belonging to either the Howbury Manor or Newbery Manor, and was referred to locally as 'Cabbage Island' [http://www.saxoncourtbooks.co.uk/railwaybooks/item339.htm Review of book 'An Illustrated History of Slade Green Depot] accessed 27 Jun 2007] [http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/users/h/i/l/Julie-M-Hilliard/index.html commentary by person with family from the area at genealogy.com] accessed 27 Jun 2007] because of the market gardens that lay between the part of Whitehall Lane that is now Moat Lane and Slade Green Lane (now Slade Green Road) [Oak Road Conservation Area Consultation Draft, Bexley Council February 2008] pdf version accessed 6 March 2008 at http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/consultations/conservationareas_phase2/pdfs/oak_road_conservation_area.pdf] .

In 1848 Samuel Lewis's 'A Topographical Dictionary of England' states that Slade Green was a hamlet with 66 people [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51282 British History Online record of 'A Topographical Dictionary of England', Slackstead - Slawston] accessed 5 Nov 2007] and Northend a hamlet with 191 people [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51183&strquery=northend British History Online record of 'A Topographical Dictionary of England', Normicott - North Holme] accessed 5 Nov 2007] . Northend hamlet lay alongside Northend Road and around Colyers Lane and towards the boundary with Erith at Boundary Street, and Slads Green hamlet lay alongside Slade Green Road (Slade Green Lane) near Hazel Road and down to Wallhouse Lane. [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10040383&c_id=10001043 Maps, particularly OS Series 1, compared to modern map of the area (Collins)] accessed 6 March 2008] Development came with the railways and the areas use as a rail depot (originally designed to service 100 steam locomotives) [Oak Road Conservation Area Consultation Draft, Bexley Council February 2008] pdf version accessed 6 March 2008 at http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/consultations/conservationareas_phase2/pdfs/oak_road_conservation_area.pdf] and Slades Green station was opened to serve the depot and community on 1st July 1900 (the name was changed to Slade Green station in 1953) [http://www.kentrail.co.uk/slade%20green%20station.htm Kent Rail website page on Slade Green station] accessed 6 March 2008] , and by 1910 the complete 'railway village' of 158 houses had been built [Oak Road Conservation Area Consultation Draft, Bexley Council February 2008] pdf version accessed 6 March 2008 at http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/consultations/conservationareas_phase2/pdfs/oak_road_conservation_area.pdf] . At around the turn of the 19th/20th centuries, land near the railway station was used to produce hand made bricks [http://www.bexley.gov.uk/localstudies/history_pdfs/38_brickmaking_in_bexley.pdf Bexley Local Studies Note 38 'Brick Making in Bexley'] accessed 27 Jun 2007] .

Originally marshland used for agriculture, the isolated Crayford Marshes that lie between Slade Green and the Rivers Thames and Darenth were an ideal location for a large ammunition works which survived until the 1960s. In 1924 this was the scene of a tragedy, as an explosion at the W.B. Gilbert premises on 19 February caused the death of 13 people. [http://www.whitstablescene.co.uk/1924.htm "A Tragedy That Rocked The Nation" on 'Whitstable Scene'] accessed 1 Oct 2007] During the Second World War the marshes were used for anti-aircraft batterys. This land has since developed into the Darenth Industrial Estate [http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/environ/regeneration/pdfs/mm_baselinesummaryreport_06.pdf "Managing the Marshes" Summary of Baseline data (page 7) (Bexley Nov 2004)] accessed 27 Jun 2007] .

During the Second World War the area was subject to a series of air raids, notably the night of 16th April 1941 when incendiary raids caused many fires and massive explosions were only avoided by extreme bravery of local people which saw 3 British Empire Medals and a George Medal awardedThomas, E.O."Slade Green and the Crayford Marshes", Bexley Education and Leisure Services Directorate, 2001, ISBN 0902 541 552] . During the war the community was served by a British Restaurant operated from St. Augustine's Church Hall, which supplied up to 250 lunches six days a week and also provided lunches for school children and local factoriesThomas, E.O."Slade Green and the Crayford Marshes", Bexley Education and Leisure Services Directorate, 2001, ISBN 0902 541 552] .

Notable Buildings

Between Slade Green and Crayford Marshes lies a Scheduled Ancient Monument (English Heritage), Howbury Moat, dating from c.900s, and a Grade II Listed Tithe Barn (c.1600s). The moat originally surrounded the Howbury Manor house, and holders of the Manor of Howbury included Bishop Odo, Roger Apylton (aka Appleton) and Sir Cloudesley ShovellThomas, E.O."Slade Green and the Crayford Marshes", Bexley Education and Leisure Services Directorate, 2001, ISBN 0902 541 552] . After Apylton had May Place built in Crayford, occupants of the property were tenant farmers, and, after the building of a new house (Howbury Grange) for the tenant farmer in 1882, by farm labourers, until the building was condemned in 1934.Thomas, E.O."Slade Green and the Crayford Marshes", Bexley Education and Leisure Services Directorate, 2001, ISBN 0902 541 552] In 2006 the moat site was the subject of an English Heritage sponsored research project by the University of Oxford's Geography Department into techniques of Soft Wall Capping for preservation purposes [http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/arid-environments/rubble/swc/science.html University of Oxford web page on Soft Wall capping research] accessed 6 April 2008] .

The area around Oak Road and Moat Lane near the station are part of a conservation area, including the Grade II listed Railway Tavern. The Tavern and houses were built by Smith & Sons of South Norwood around the year 1899, and were notable for being illuminated by electricity. [Oak Road Conservation Area Consultation Draft, Bexley Council February 2008] pdf version accessed 6 March 2008 at http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/consultations/conservationareas_phase2/pdfs/oak_road_conservation_area.pdf]

St. Augustine's Church was built in 1899 and extended in 1911. Substantial rebuilding work was required following a direct hit during an air raid during the Second World War in 1944 and following a fire in 1991 which destroyed the roof and much internal fabricThomas, E.O."Slade Green and the Crayford Marshes", Bexley Education and Leisure Services Directorate, 2001, ISBN 0902 541 552] .

Present & Future

The area is now mainly residential with a mixture of social housing and cheaper owned properties, with some industry confined to the site of the old works and the area adjacent to the railway which has large carriage depot for rolling stock on the line. There are two churches (Christian Fellowship - part of the Baptist Union, and St Augustine's Anglican parish church; a third church - Pentecostal - meets in the Anglican Church's hall), three pubs (a fourth pub, the Railway Tavern, was converted to create ten flats in 2005/6), a community centre, two social clubs and an amateur football team [http://www.web-teams.co.uk/Home.asp?team=sladegreenfc Slade Green FC] , which plays in the Kent League. The Howbury Centre contains the local library, toddler group, pre-school and Bexley Council Social Services, as well as various social activities. Bexley Council are currently considering plans to redevelop the Howbury Centre site for housing. [http://www.thisislewisham.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.2059164.0.councils_centre_sale_plans_met_with_jeers.php Newsshopper article on plans for the Howbury Centre site] accessed 6 March 2008] A Children's Centre in Lincoln Close is managed by Sure Start. Erith Yacht Club is at a site on the edge of Crayford Marshes between Slade Green and Erith.

Some nearby Green belt land directly next to local marshland is planned to become a large road/rail freight depot, promoted by ProLogis. It was the subject of a Public Inquiry, which started at the end of April 2007. The Inquiry essentially finished at the end of June 2007, but was adjourned rather than closed to allow minor changes to be made to the Environmental Statement, finally closing in September 2007 [http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/indepth/features/display.var.1448074.0.now_the_waiting_game_begins.php 'This Is Local London' article by Linda Piper] accessed 27 Jun 2007] . The result of the Public Inquiry was announced in December 2007 - ProLogis's appeal was upheld, allowing them to proceed with their plansSlade Green Community Forum copy of Department for Communities & Local Government decision letter dated 20 December 2007 and accompanying report sent to ProLogis's solicitors] .

Local Governance

Slade Green is within the historic boundaries of Kent. In 1894 Slade Green was part of Dartford Rural District, as created by the Local Government Act 1894 [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10042136 Vision of Britain 'Unit History of Dartford'] accessed 1 Oct 2007] [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10042136&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain 'Map of Dartford Rural District'] accessed 1 Oct 2007] . In 1920 the area became part of the Crayford Urban District of Kent. [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10025746 Vision of Britain 'Unit History of Crayford'] accessed 1 Oct 2007] [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10025746&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain 'Map of Crayford Urban District'] accessed 1 Oct 2007] In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, the Crayford Urban District was abolished and its area transferred to Greater London to form part of the present-day London Borough of Bexley. [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10152550 Vision of Britain 'Unit History of Bexley'] accessed 1 Oct 2007]

Slade Green is part of North End ward in Bexley Borough, which also includes the eastern part of Erith.

Community interests are represented by [http://www.sladegreen.org Slade Green Community Forum] , which is a registered charity.

Notable people

Artist John Titchell RA was born in Slade Green in 1926.

Education

There is an Infant School, a Junior School plus a smaller Primary School. Bexley Council's Secondary Pupil Referral Unit is on the Howbury Centre site.

:"For education in Slade Green see the main London Borough of Bexley article"

Transport and locale

Nearest places

*Erith
*Northumberland Heath
*Barnes Cray
*Barnehurst
*Bexleyheath
*Crayford

Places of Worship

* [http://www.sladegreen.org/staugustines St Augustines] (Anglican)
* Slade Green Christian Fellowship (Baptist)

Rail

The nearest railway stations in the area are Slade Green railway station. Trains from this station runs to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street via Woolwich and Greenwich to the west. To the east the trains go to Dartford and a limited service (between the morning and evening peaks, except Sundays) runs to London via Crayford and along the Sidcup line. Some weekend services go to Gravesend and Gillingham.

Buses

The 89 bus contracted by TfL runs between Lewisham Station and Slade Green Station; The 89 has a frequency of 10 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and at evening and Sundays the 89 has a frequency of 20 minutes. In the early mornings a night bus service operates called the N89 which runs between Trafalgar Square and Erith; The N89 has a frequency of every 30 minutes.

The 428 bus contracted by TfL runs between Bluewater Shopping Centre and Erith Town Centre; The 428 has a frequency of 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and at evening and Sundays the 428 has a frequency of 30 minutes.

The 469 bus contracted by TfL runs between Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and Woolwich Common; The 469 has a frequency of 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and at evening and Sundays the 469 has a frequency of 20-30 minutes.

References

External links

* [http://www.sladegreen.org Slade Green Community Forum]
* [http://www.erithyachtclub.org.uk/ Erith Yacht Club]
* [http://www.ecscouts.org.uk/ Erith & Crayford District Scouts]