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Badgers Mount History

Local history - a timeline of Badgers Mount...

Corrections and additions welcomed! info@badgersmount.net

This is a timeline showing some of the major or interesting events that have happened locally. Our neighbours, Shoreham and Halstead have a more detailed history, but I'm hoping this timeline is of interest and leads to more local history being uncovered which will be added to this page. More coming soon...

2023 2022 2020 2019 2015 2010 2004 2002 2001 2000 1994 1988 1986 1964 1963 1961 196? 195? 1953 1947 1946 1940 1939 1936 1934 1928 1926 192? 1900 1894 1876 1871 1868 186? 1749

2023
Time Capsule

To mark the coronation of King Charles III the Parish Council & Residents' Association organised a Badgers Mount Time Capsule.

Badgers Mount Coronation Time Capsule

King's Coronation Time Capsule

2022
Trig Station

Historical trig station (trigonometrical point) reinstated in Highland Road!

Badgers Mount trig station

Highland Road Trig Station

2020
Bus Service

The local bus service stopped 14/4/2020. Previously on a limited schedule now withdrawn due to the Covid pandemic.
A new limited bus service re-started 30/10/2023.

Badgers Mount bus service stopped

Old London Road bus stop - opposite Crest Close.
Photo June 2022.

2019
Care Home

The former Fox's Garage (latterly Elite Motors) site was redeveloped by Hamberley Care Homes - Nesbit House opened 12/8/2019.

Nesbit House

Nesbit House build photos

2015
Parish Council

Previously part of Shoreham Parish, on the 7/5/2015 the first Badgers Mount Parish Council elections were held.
The newly formed Parish Council held their first meeting on the 14/5/2015.

Voting for the first Badgers Mount Parish Council

Parish Council

2010
Chelsfield Depot

The Ministry of Defence sold the Chelsfield Ammunition  Depot on 11/11/2010, they had used this site since before the Second World War. FM Conway (an infrastructure company) became the new owners.

MOD Chelsfield Ammunition Depot

2004
Post Office

The Badgers Mount Post Office closed in February 2004 (opened in 1936).

Post Office and Stores

Badgers Mount Post Office

2002
Badgers Mount Online

This website went online 18/3/2002!

Badgers Mount website

20 years of the Badgers Mount website

2001
Village Sign

A new village sign was installed in front of the Post Office in Old London Road.

Village sign

Village sign

2000
Millennium

A tiled mosaic depicting the local area and signed by many local families was created to mark the new Millennium.

Millennium Mosaic

Halstead and Badgers Mount Millennium Mosaic

1994
Memorial Hall

The build of the new Memorial Hall was completed in August 1994. This replaced the previous timber structure.

Memorial Hall

Badgers Mount Memorial Hall

1988
Badgers Rise

A new road and housing development on the site of Badgers Cafe.

Badgers Rise under construction in 1988/89

Badgers Rise housing development

1986
M25

In February 1986 the 8 mile Swanley to Sevenoaks section of the M25 which passes Badgers Mount was completed.

M25 construction - Shacklands Road

Badgers Mount / Shoreham M25 construction

1964
Garden Centre

Polhill Garden Centre in Badgers Mount

Jim Novell with son David set up a plant nursery that became Polhill Garden Centre.

Polhill Garden Centre - History External Link

1963
Residents' Association

The BMRA held its first AGM on the 5/6/1963.

BMRA

Badgers Mount Residents' Association

1961
Aerial Photo

Taken by the RAF on 18/8/1961.

1961 aerial photo of Badgers Mount

View 1961 Aerial Photo

196?
Road Fund

Highland Road wasn't much more than a cart track with flints and pot holes when residents got together and formed The Highland Association and started to improve the surface. Around 1965 Milton Avenue and Badgers Road residents joined and the Badgers Mount Road Maintenance Fund was born.

Badgers Mount Road Maintenance Fund

Road Maintenance Fund

195?
Map

Badgers Mount map from the late 1950s created by H C King a local property developer and builder. Additional data showing the depth of the local drains/sewers!

1950s map of Badgers Mount Road

1950s Map

1953
WI

The Badgers Mount Women's Institute was formed in 1953.

Badgers Mount WI

Badgers Mount WI

1953
Original Memorial Hall

Original timber built Memorial Hall (village hall).

Original Memorial Hall

Original Memorial Hall

1947
Aerial Photo

Taken by the RAF on 11/4/1947.

1947 aerial photo of Badgers Mount

View 1947 Aerial Photo

1946
Postcard

Hand-drawn postcard centered on Halstead village and Badgers Mount.

Old postcard of Halstead Village and Badgers Mount

Sheila Draffin hand-drawn postcard

1940
Home Guard

Members of the local home guard, made up from residents believed to be living in Badgers Mount, Halstead and Shoreham.

Badgers Mount, Halstead and Shoreham Home Guard

Badgers Mount Home Guard

1939
Public House

Originally named The Black Eagle. It later became The Badgers Mount Toby Carvery.
When it was The Black Eagle it was known for music events held in a building in the grounds called the Eagle's Nest. It got it's original name from the local Black Eagle Brewery at Westerham which closed in 1965 after nearly 300 years.

Originally The Black Eagle pub

1936
Post Office

The Badgers Mount Post Office was situated in Old London Road, it opened in 1936 and closed in 2004.

The Post Office opened in 1936

Badgers Mount Post Office

1934
New Houses

A. E. Skipper advert for new homes for sale along the Orpington Bypass.

1934 new homes in Badgers Mount

New Orpington Road - Houses For Sale

1928
Land For Sale

Original layout of Badgers Mount, advertising building plots and land for sale.

Badgers Mount building plots for sale

Badgers Mount Estate - Land For Sale

1926
Orpington By-Pass

The 'new Orpington Road' was completed in 1926 and is now known as the Orpington By-Pass, A224.
Constructed by Fordyce Brothers Ltd. it was built with wide verges so that it could be made into a dual carriage way - the M25 took those plans away.

Orpington By-Pass

192?
Cafe

Johnsons Tea Room (later Badgers Cafe) in London Road, Badgers Mount.

1920s Badgers Mount cafe

Johnsons Tea Room / Cafe

1900
Knockholt Station

The station was renamed to Knockholt Station on 1/10/1900 this was to avoid confusion with Halstead Station in Essex.

Knockholt Station

1894
Early map/plan

Early conveyancing plan and docs possibly showing the purchase of 'Badgers Mount Farm' from the Mildmay Estate in Shoreham - more to come...

Badgers Mount Farm

Thanks to Sue and Vic for supplying the photo.

1876
Railway Station

The station opened in 1876 and was named 'Halstead for Knockholt'.

Halstead for Knockholt station opened. Photo 1898.

Photo of Knockholt Station dated 1898.
Thanks to Avril for supplying the photo.

Click the photo to enlarge or use the link below to compare the station to how it is today.

Knockholt Station - 'then and now'

1871
OS Map

First edition Ordnance Survey map of Badgers Mount. Showing the railway line, milestone location (London 18 ~ Sevenoaks 6) and one property along Old London Road.

First Edition Ordnance Survey Map

Early OS map

1868
Rail Tunnel

Completion of the Polhill rail tunnel. This runs from just north of Badgers Rise under the summit of the North Downs under Polhill. The tunnel is 2,387m long (nearly 1.5 miles).

Polhill Rail Cutting
Polhill Cutting
This tunnel and railway embankment is where Edith Nesbit is believed to have got the idea for 'The Railway Children' when she lived locally in Halstead.

Thanks to Paul for supplying the photo taken in 2016.

186?
Oldest Property

The oldest properties in Badgers Mount looks to be The Nook and The Lilacs on Old London Road. Early maps show they were around in the mid 1800s. A pair of Victorian cottages.

Oldest house in Badgers Mount

The sign reads: STRICTLY NEW LAID EGGS 2/? DOZ.
Thanks to Richard & Miriam for supplying the photo.

Bench Mark in Badgers Mount

Cut Bench Mark on the oldest house in Badgers Mount. Looks like this is Mark no. 54 on the London to Brighton line from the First Primary Levelling, England & Wales (1840-60).
Thanks to Michelle & Jim for letting me take a photo.

1749-1860
Milestone

There is a local milestone along Old London Road on the Badgers Mount and Halstead border. The age is unknown but this section of turnpike road was established in 1749. It also contains a 'benchmark' (No. 53) from the 'Primary Levelling' carried out between 1840-1860.

Local milestone with benchmark

Milestone Photos & Information

Badgers Mount place name?
It's not known how Badgers Mount got its name. My guess is it's simply as it was known as the mount (hill) where Badgers were often seen, as they still are today.

Corrections and additions welcomed! info@badgersmount.net

Links to neighbouring local history websites

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