Remembered as a place of transition, Orpington blends London’s bustle with Kent’s serene history. Orpington is a town in Greater London. It resides within the London Borough of Bromley. Orpington is about 13.4 miles southeast of Charing Cross.
Now, let’s stroll through time in Orpington. In 1038, it was first named in record. King Cnut’s treasurer, Eadsy, gave “Orpedingetune” land to Canterbury’s Christ Church Monastery. “Orped’s farmstead” is the name’s meaning. Orped was an Anglo-Saxon first name.
All Saints Church was built back then too. Fast forward to 1573. Queen Elizabeth I enjoyed Bark Hart now called Orpington Priory. Her horses rested at the Anchor and Hope Inn on High Street.
Orpington evolved. St Mary Cray, not Orpington, used to be the big commercial spot. St Mary Cray had markets and industry. Think paper mills and a bell foundry. Orpington was a small village. Orchards and fruit farms surrounded it. These drew Romani people as pickers. They camped in meadows. Even today, Romany Rise marks those gatherings.
In 1967, Orpington’s MP, Eric Lubbock, pushed for Romani sites. This led to the 1968 Caravan Sites Act. It told local authorities to provide traveler sites. Orpington hosted a Romany meeting in 1971. The International Romani Union was founded. This group sought Romani political power across Europe.
Orpington railway station appeared in 1868. It sat southwest of the town center. Housing sprung up in Crofton and Broom Hill. The Derry Downs area grew too. The station expanded in 1904. A wave of house building peaked in the 1920s-30s. The area became a London suburb. The Walnuts Shopping Centre opened in the early 1970s.
Since 1965, Orpington has been part of Bromley. Before that, it was the Orpington Urban District in Kent. Orpington sends Gareth Bacon to Parliament since 2019. He is a Conservative.
In 1962, a by-election made headlines. The Liberal candidate, Eric Lubbock, won. This win revived the Liberal Party.
Orpington’s High Street and Walnuts Centre offer shops. You can find pubs and restaurants there. A big Tesco opened in 2009. It replaced a car park. There is a market three days a week by Orpington College.
Orpington is known for the Orpington chicken. William Cook bred them in the 1890s. You could see the Buff Orpington at Tripes Farm until the late 1990s. Cook also made Buff Orpington Ducks. The Buff pub is named after this chicken.
The Orpington Car debuted at the 1920 Motor Show. Smith & Milroy Ltd built it. It was a two-seater convertible.
Journalists used “Orpington man” in the 1960s. This term meant a typical lower-middle-class person.
All Saints Church is Orpington’s Parish Church. It rests on pre-Norman ground. It features Early English style. Saxon work remains visible. The Archbishop of Canterbury gave it support in 1173. A storm damaged the tower in 1771. Lightning struck the rebuilt steeple in 1809. It was not replaced. The church expanded in 1957.
The Priory is a medieval hall house. Eadsy gave his Orpedingetune estate to Canterbury’s Christ Church Priory in 1032. Hugh de Mortimer, Orpington’s first Rector, held court here in 1270. The house was rebuilt in stone in 1290. It was extended in 1393 and 1471. The museum closed in September 2015 for cost reasons.
Priory Gardens has Italianate and Arts & Crafts gardens. Cecil and Lilian Hughes designed it. There is a park and ponds.
During World War I, the “16th Canadian General” hospital opened. Ontario, Canada funded it. It held over 1,050 patients. By 1919, it had treated over 25,000 soldiers. Orpington Hospital now offers therapy and outpatient services.
The Orpington War Memorial stands on High Street. Charles Heaton Comyn designed it. It honors those who died in war.
Canadian Corner sits at All Saints’ Church. It marks where 182 soldiers from Orpington Hospital rest. Eighty-eight of them are Canadian.
Orpington is more than meets the eye. Its story blends ancient roots with suburban growth. Its landmarks whisper tales of farming, innovation, and community.