IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Hearns Road, ORPINGTON, BR5 3NF

The houses on the right date from about 1890, those on the left from about 1960.

The Blue Anchor pub closed in 1996 and was converted to flats in 1997-8, one of 3 pubs in the village to go this way.

The Old Star pub is another one which has been converted to flats.

Survey House is probably the one of the oldest buildings in the village (parts date from around 1500-1520). Damaged by fire, it has been renovated and converted to houses. The Blue Anchor building, at the left of the picture, includes timbers which suggest it was originally built at the same time as Survey House.

This former pub on Main Road, opposite Station Road, is a Grade II listed building now converted into a private house. See http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-471060-the-blue-anchor-public-house-1-bromley for more details.

Grade II listed Building, built in 16th Century. See http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-358488-5-9-bromley for more details about the jettyed timber framed building.

John Newman in Pevsner's 'The Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald' writing in 1969 was fairly scathing about St Mary Cray. He wrote: "The post-war expansion in the Cray Valley has been terrific... So it is an indictment of the planners that St Mary Cray is no place to linger in, and an indictment of the architects, and also it must be admitted of post-war austerity, that there is hardly anything worthy to be mentioned in 'The Buildings of England'; not a factory, not a school, not a housing estate, just one undistinguished church." Of the church he says: "Below the intimidating arches of the railway viaduct. Outside all one sees is of the restoration of 1861-3 (E. Nash), 1876 and 1895. ..But in essence the church is early 13th century. West tower and shingled spire. Nave and aisles of three bays." This is the view from St Mary the Virgin Church with Main Road on the other side of the church wall - see also https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2456252