Crayford
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crayford is a town in the London Borough of Bexley that was an important bridging point in Roman times across the River Cray, a tributary of the River Thames.
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[edit] History
The Roman name was Noviomagus, probably Noviomagus Cantiacorum - the new market of the Cantiaci.
It is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle at year 457 as Crecganford: see Timeline of Anglo-Saxon England#5th century.
It is mentioned in the Domesday Book as having a church and three mills. As a parish (pre 1920) it included Slade Green which lies to the north. For centuries it was strongly associated with brick-making, the printing of silk scarves, ties and calico cloths, and for a short period carpet-making.
After 1897 the Vickers Company that built military aeroplanes and armaments became the dominant employer building homes, a theatre and a canteen close to many workshops. The canteen (built during World War One) became the town hall of the Crayford Urban District Council and remains a major landmark in municipal use.
[edit] Leisure
Crayford is now well known for a different theatre, a small astronomic observatory and a greyhound racing track. The theatre was named in honour of Geoffrey Whitworth who played a key part in developing a British tradition of amateur drama and in building political support for The Royal National Theatre erected at Waterloo, London after his death. The area boasts the usual array of shops and services, albeit with a disproportionate amount of hairdressers/barbershops, with a small retail park at its Western end with a number of chain stores that has been constructed in the past decade. Crayford also has a greyhound race track known as Crayford Stadium, one of the four remaining (besides Romford Stadium, Walthamstow Stadium and Wimbeldon Stadium) of its kind in London from an original 33.
Hiram Stevens Maxim, inventor of the Maxim machine gun and the common mousetrap, lived in Crayford-hence Maxim Road.
A public house in the town centre called "The Bear and Ragged Staff" is well known as a venue for live pop/rock bands; it was briefly renamed "The Orange Kipper" in the mid-1990s, before public outcry convinced the owners to reinstate the traditional name.
On its way from Erith to Old Bexley, the "London LOOP" walk follows the River Cray across the Crayford Marshes and through the town centre. This section of the LOOP is based on an earlier signed walk, the Cray Riverway, and many of the signposts along it still carry the older route's name.
Crayford Arrows Sports Club is a local football team, established in 1981. [1]
[edit] Transport
[edit] Rail
Crayford Station is located in Zone 6. Trains go to London Charing Cross via London Bridge Station to the west and to the east Dartford. Some trains go to Gillingham Station or Slade Green
[edit] Buses
The 96 contracted by Transport for London runs between Woolwich and Bluewater Shopping Centre. This bus has a frequency of 8 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes and 15-20 minutes at other times.
The 428 contracted by Transport for London runs between Erith and Bluewater Shopping Centre. This bus has a frequency of 15 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes and 30 minutes at other times.
The 492 contracted by Transport for London runs between Sidcup and Bluewater Shopping Centre. This bus has a frequency of 30 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes and 60 minutes at other times.
[edit] Nearest places
[edit] Nearest railway stations
- Crayford railway station
- Dartford railway station
- Barnehurst railway station
- Slade Green railway station
[edit] External links
- Crayford Towntalk Site
- 1870 description
- North West Kent Family History Society - Crayford Parish Page
