Beckenham

From Free net encyclopedia

Template:Infobox London place Beckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles (13.5 km) south east of Charing Cross.

It is referred to as Bacheham in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name appears to derive from Beohha's homestead (Beohhan + ham in Old English)<ref>Brewer's Britain and Ireland, compiled by John Ayto and Ian Crofton, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005, ISBN 0-304-35385-X</ref>. The River Beck was named after the town. The word Beck also means a stream in Middle English. Many attribute John Cator as being responsible for turning the village of Beckenham into a significant town in the late 1700s - a process that accelerated after his death in 1806 with the arrival of the railway from the 1830s.

St George's church at the centre of Beckenham has a 13th century lychgate that is said to be the oldest in England<ref>Brewer's Britain and Ireland, compiled by John Ayto and Ian Crofton, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005, ISBN 0-304-35385-X</ref>.

Contents 1 Nearest places 2 Nearest railway stations 3 Nearest tram stations 4 Beckenham today 5 Notable people 6 Notable places 7 Reference

Nearest places

• Bromley
• Elmers End
• Penge
• West Wickham
• Sydenham
• Catford

Nearest railway stations

• Beckenham Junction railway station
• Beckenham Hill railway station
• Birkbeck railway station
• Clock House railway station
• Kent House railway station
• Ravensbourne railway station
• New Beckenham railway station
• Shortlands railway station

Nearest tram stations

• Beckenham Junction tram station
• Avenue Road tram station
• Beckenham Road tram station
• Birkbeck tram station

Beckenham today

• Beckenham Swimming Club

Notable people

Famous people who lived and/or have been buried in Beckenham include:

• Julie Andrews
• Floella Benjamin
• Nigel Benn
• Carey Blyton
• Enid Blyton
• Col/Sgt Bourne of Rorke's Drift - South African zulu wars
• David Bowie
• Admiral Sir Peircy Brett
• Dinah Craik
• Thomas Crapper
• Walter de la Mare - between 1899 and 1906 lived in 195 Mackenzie Road
• Peter Frampton
• Duncan Goodhew
• W. G. Grace
• Nick Heyward
• Robert Key
• Robin Knox-Johnston
• Kate Lawler
• Bob Monkhouse
• Buster Mottram
• David Sylvian
• Frederick York Wolseley

Notable places

• Kelsey Park
• Chinese Garage
• Croydon Road Recreation Ground
• St George's Parish Church
• Beckenham Place Park
• Beckenham Crematorium aka Elmers End Cemetery
• South Norwood Country Park

Reference

<references/>

• Beckenham Town Introduction, as of March 29, 2003.

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Beckenham is also a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.