Hayes, Bromley

infobox UK place
country = England
map_type = Greater London
region= London
population=
official_name= Hayes
latitude= 51.378
longitude= 0.0192
london_borough= Bromley
constituency_westminster=
post_town= BROMLEY
postcode_area= BR
postcode_district = BR2
dial_code= 020
os_grid_reference= TQ405665

Hayes is a place in the London Borough of Bromley, south-east London, England. It has two main areas of activity: the "ancient village" and "suburban Hayes".

The ancient village

Hayes formed an ancient, and later civil, parish of Kent of around 1,282 acres. [Vision of Britain - [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10095165&c_id=10001043 Hayes parish] ( [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10095165&c_id=10001043 historic boundaries] )] 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 parish church of St Mary the Virgin is located here; as was the village school. The public house, also on Hayes Lane, is called "The George". Hayes Street Farm, still shown on modern maps, is located 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. [Hayes Place was at gbmapping|TQ404663 and is described on [http://www.victorianlondon.org/ql/queenslondon283.htm this page] ] The house was demolished in 1933 and the site redeveloped, but roads in the area bear witness to them: Chatham and Pittsmead Avenues are two examples. Prior to being demolished, Hayes Place was owned by the Hambro family (of banking fame) and a couple of roads bear the family names.

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

Today the area 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 used to be a newsagents called "The Walnut Tree" until 2006 when it reverted to residential use. The former village school is now a second smaller village hall; the local primary school which opened in Circa 1930 to replace it is located in George Lane; in recent years it has expanded in size and now has three forms in each year. It is extremely popular and many of its pupils go onto Hayes School in West Common Road. By coincidence the current head master of Hayes primary is a Dr Hayes.

uburban Hayes

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.

There are numerous playing fields around the periphery of Hayes: such clubs as Hayes Cricket Club use them. It is also home, since 1927, of the world famous Athletics Club Blackheath Harriers (now Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC).

"Station Approach" is now the main shopping area in Hayes, containing a Post Office, petrol station, two mini-supermarkets and numerous small shops. It also contains a public house called The New Inn which is run under the Harvester brand.

Another main large shopping area is Hayes Street, otherwise known as 'Old Hayes'. It consists of a public house called The George, a mini-market, several hairdressers, a cycle shop and two off-licences.

Transport Links

Seven Transport for London buses run through Hayes:
119 (24hr bus) - Croydon (The Colonnades) to Bromley North via Hayes, Shirley, East Croydon Rail and Tramlink, Sandilands and Lebanon Road Tramlink stops;
138 - Coney Hall to Bromley North;
146 - Downe to Bromley North via Hayes Farm and Keston;
246 - Westerham to Bromley North;
314 - New Addington to Eltham via Addington Village Tramlink and Bromley Town Centre;
353 - Ramsden Estate (Orpington) to Addington Village Tramlink;
638 - A school bus running from Coney Hall to Kemnal Technology College in Sidcup via Bromley, Grove Park, Mottingham and Chislehurst.

Hayes Rail Station provides good links to the rest of South East London and The City, being the terminus of the Southeastern Hayes Line. Regular services from station terminate at either Charing Cross or Cannon Street.

References

External links

* [http://www.hayesvillage.org/ Hayes village website - contains an 1872 map]
* [http://www.hayescricket.co.uk/ Hayes Cricket Club]
* [http://www.bandbhac.org.uk/ Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC - founded in 1869]