Biggin Hill

Biggin Hill
Polesteeple Hill, Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill Location within Greater London
Population	10,817
OS grid reference	TQ418590
• Charing Cross	15.2 mi (24.5 km) NNW
London borough	Bromley
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WESTERHAM
Postcode district	TN16
Dialling code	01959
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Orpington
London Assembly	Bexley and Bromley

Biggin Hill is a town in South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is situated beyond London's contiguous built-up area in the Metropolitan green belt, 15.2 miles (24.5 km) south-southeast of Charing Cross. It is located adjacent to the Greater London boundary with Kent and Surrey. Prior to the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historic and administrative county of Kent. At the 2011 Census, Biggin Hill had a population of 9,951.

Biggin Hill is one of the highest points of Greater London, rising to over 210 metres (690 ft) above sea level. Biggin Hill Airport occupies land formerly used by RAF Biggin Hill, one of the principal fighter bases protecting London from German bombers during the Battle of Britain.

History

Toponymy

Historically, the settlement was known as Aperfield.

Local government

Biggin Hill formed part of Cudham, an ancient parish in the county of Kent. Following the Local Government Act 1894 it formed part of Bromley Rural District. The parish became part of Orpington Urban District in 1934. Kent County Council formed the second tier of local government from 1889. In 1965, the London County Council was abolished and replaced by the Greater London Council, with an expanded administrative area, so that Biggin Hill is now part of the London Borough of Bromley.

The Famous Orpington & District Boxing Club & the amalgamation with the SpitFire Boxing Club BigginHill

Orpington & District Amateur boxing club located in Pettswood Orpington , Kent, England. The club was originally established as Orpington Lads Club in 1912 by the St. Mary Cray Scout Troop, a scout group in St. Mary's Cray. Its purpose was to support underprivileged young men in the Orpington area. The Clubs Motto Progredior is translated Progression.

Between the years 1962 to 1990, Orpington & District ABC had produced numerous notable amateur champions and had several distinguished former members. Some of these include Jimmy Cable , Albert Hillman, and Mark Baker.

Orpington & District ABC produced the most national champions of any boxing club within the Borough and held the record for most kent, Southern Counties and London Champions

Orpington & District ABC won a record number of school boy titles of any club in Kent during the period from 1962 to 1980 and also held the Kent and Southern counties school boy championships at the RoseCroft Club. Due to the clubs position on Kent borders the club also went on to box in the South East Divisional's winning multiple London titles.

The club later affiliated to Surrey ABA Southern counties, when located in Westerham in 1986.

The club holds the distinction of being one of the oldest boxing clubs in Kent and is currently situated in Pettswood. Its name was changed to Orpington & District Amateur Boxing Club in 1936 from Orpington lads Club under the guidance of former professional boxer Harry Taylor, who introduced the prestigious Taylor's Cup.

In 1937 under the guidance of Harry Taylor,his stable of boxers put on various tournaments to raise funds for Cray Wanders Football Club to prevent it from closing.

During World War II, the club temporarily closed down for obvious reasons. It wasn't until 1962, under the leadership of Alf Reilly at St. Joseph's Boys School in Orpington and Eric Lubbock MP as the president , that the club reopened. It later moved to St. Mary's Cray Sea Cadet Hall and then the Rose Croft Social Club in the late 1960s and 1970s, With Jack Stewart the then president of the Rosecroft ensuring the club had a home until he resigned in 1980.

Orpington & District ABC has a rich history of producing champions, including,Mick Spencer, Gary Cable, Alan Cable, Johnny Hillman, Albert Hillman, Mark Baker, Robert Mullholland, Robert Stacey, Terry Pearson, P Martin and Ray Mason.

In 1966, the club successfully raised funds to build the Magpie Hall Lane Youth Centre in Southborough. It briefly operated from the Youth Centre at Magpie Hall Lane Pettswood before relocating to the Rosecroft social club in St.Mary’s cray coached by ex England international and national champion and previous boxer for the club Mick Spencer.

The club then relocated behind the Queenshead public house in Green St. Green in 1980 with Mick Spencer moving to the Fitzroy lodge. Ex pro Arthur Davis was now the head coach.In 1986, the club moved again, due lack of funding and unsuitable venue, this time to Westerham, where it merged with the Sir Winston Churchill Boxing Club,and the Spitfire Boxing club Bigginhill with Jimmy Cable serving as president and John Hart as coach. During this period, the club continued to produce national champions such as Robert Stacey and Mark Baker and good regional boxers such as Neville Smith,Dean Philp, Justin Worrel,Ian Tebbit and Mark Dalton.

Unfortunately, the club faced challenges in the 1990s, when the Royal Standard pub in Westerham closed this was the closure of all 3 clubs the Spitfire, Sir Winston Churchill and Orpington ABC leading to temporary closures due to a lack of venues and funding. However, in 2007 the Cray valley boxing club in Poverest claimed the Orpington & District ABC name and briefly re-opened and again produced regional champions under coach Olly Rutherford. The club sadly closed in 2013 due to lack of funding yet again.

Orpington & District ABC reopened its doors again in Pettswood on the 8th April 2024 with an 15 year lease, ensuring the continuation of its legacy in the boxing community.

The club is the only official regulated boxing club affiliated to the National Governing Body England Boxing & Sport England based in Pettswood and was the Original boxing club in Pettswood being located there in 1966. Amateur tournaments were held at the Daylight Inn with Great Elms Boxing club which was located in Great Elms road in Bromley.

The club also has a professional affiliation to the British Boxing Board of Control.

The club is now run by ex boxers & family members of the original Orpington & District ABC under the affiliation of England Boxing established in 1880.

Buildings

The most architecturally noteworthy building within Biggin Hill is St Mark's Church, Church Road – 'the moving church' - designed by Richard Gilbert Scott. It was erected in the 1950s using the dismantled materials from All Saints Church, North Peckham. Much of the work was undertaken by volunteers led by Rev Vivian Symons who undertook much of the decorative work himself.

Airport

Main article: London Biggin Hill Airport

Biggin Hill has an airport—more than an airfield as it has a terminal building and customs facilities—London Biggin Hill Airport, which uses much of the land formerly used by RAF Biggin Hill, an aerodrome best known for its role during the Battle of Britain. The airfield was the location of the "Operations Room" for the Operation Crossbow V-1 flying bomb defence during World War II.

The Biggin Hill Cemetery

The old "west camp" of the airport is now owned by Bernie Ecclestone. Most of the buildings in the West Camp are Grade II listed. A small section remains in the care of the RAF, and the Grade II listed chapel (guarded by replicas of the station gate guardians, a Hawker Hurricane and a Supermarine Spitfire) is open to the public.

Many ghosts are commonly attributed to the World War II airbase.

The old "south camp" is now occupied by the Biggin Hill Business Park, Airport Industrial Estate and various private flying clubs. There are further commercial premises, hangars, private flying clubs and a helicopter joy-ride and pilot training centre to the east of the main runway.

The airport is host to a wide range of private and business jet and turbo-prop aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 737. In the 21st century it was enlarged and improved, and as of 2020 further expansion was planned.

A model aircraft site operates within its Air Traffic Zone, operating large model aircraft. In 2009 there were sightings of model aircraft traffic and one air proximity report was filed, according to the Airport Consultative Committee in May 2010.

Biggin Hill is the location of a VOR-DME navigational beacon, codenamed "BIG", which anchors the South East Arrival Stack for London Heathrow Airport.

The airport was the venue of the Biggin Hill International Air Fair, an annual airshow that usually took place towards the end of June. The event was first held in 1963 and the airshow was permanently cancelled in 2010, shortly after the 48th event.

Education

Ward of Biggin Hill (red) shown within the London Borough of Bromley (orange)

Main article: List of schools in the London Borough of Bromley

Charles Darwin School is a secondary school within three miles of the centre.

Two main primary schools operate: Oaklands Primary School and Biggin Hill Primary School. Beyond the outskirts are Cudham CoE Primary School near Foal Farm, Tatsfield Primary in Tatsfield to the west and Downe Primary in Downe village.

Demographics

The area is represented by the Biggin Hill ward, which according to the 2011 UK census had a population of 9,951 and a density of 12 people per hectare. The census showed that 93% of the population was White British. The median age of the population was 42. The most common accommodation type was detached houses or bungalows.

Location

Biggin Hill is on the outskirts of the London Borough of Bromley. The A233 road is the only main road that runs through the area, from North to South. Most of the settlements that surround Biggin Hill are small towns and villages. Biggin Hill's postcode is TN16, and its post town is Westerham (although Westerham itself is located outside Greater London).

Transport

Biggin Hill is part of the Transport for London operating area and is thus served by several London Buses services as well as one route operated by Southdown PSV. Buses provide connections to Bromley, Keston, Hayes, Bromley, Westerham, Downham, Catford, Oxted, Locksbottom, New Addington, Tatsfield, Orpington and Green Street Green.

The nearest National Rail station to Biggin Hill is Hayes station (located 5 miles away) as well as Oxted station in Surrey plus Bromley South station and Orpington station. The nearest Tramlink stop is New Addington located 4 miles away.

See also

• 2008 Biggin Hill Cessna Citation crash