West Wickham is an area of the Bromley Borough that pops up constantly for us as agents as somewhere where families want to move to, particularly from more central parts of London, in order to get more for their money property-wise, as well as for greener spaces and great schools.
So what do I need to know about West Wickham?
Nestled between Bromley and Croydon, and with a decent high street and great transport links, West Wickham was largely a village until the 20th century with only cottages and a few large houses. During the 1920s and 1930s there was great redevelopment, with thousands of semi-detached properties built, most of which still exist today and provide many of the houses we have for sale in the area. With their often large gardens and decent-sized plots they make excellent family homes. The Meridian line passes through West Wickham (you can see a large stone commemorating this in West Wickham’s Coney Hall Park!), and it’s home to Wickham Court Manor House (now location to a private school, Wickham Court) the ancestral home of Anne Boleyn.
Getting about
West Wickham has excellent transport links to central London.
Rail: West Wickham station provides 4-hourly services into Charing Cross and Cannon Street and London Bridge, with journeys taking approx 35 minutes.
Bus: There are many local bus routes linking West Wickham with Bromley, Croydon and Beckenham including the 24 hour 119 (to Bromley). Other routes include the 194 (to West Croydon), 198 (to Thornton Heath), 352 (to Lower Sydenham), and 356 (to Upper Sydenham) and 358 (to Orpington one way, Crystal Palace the other)
Cycle: There are plenty of parking spaces for bikes at West Wickham station, with many locals opting to cycle there instead of park their car before commuting by train.
Airports: For air travel, Gatwick Airport is just 40 minutes away by car, and London City Airport a similar timeframe.
Local amenities
West Wickham is the perfect place to live for families who like plenty to do and to have amenities aplenty on their doorstep. Sports-wise Langley Park Golf Club provides 120 acres in which to improve your swing, Wickham Park Tennis Club has a number of courts and a lively clubhouse, and the West Wickham Leisure Centre (soon to be refurbished) provides fitness classes, a gym, and swimming lessons for the local community.
Shops-wise West Wickham has a great mixture of both high street names and independent stores and cafes (prospective buyers to the area are always pleased by the sight of a Marks & Spencer Simply Food here!), and the local library fosters a great sense of community with many workshops and classes for both adults and little ones.
Schools
West Wickham is fortunate enough to be served by many great schools, both state and idependent. At primary level local residents have the option of Oak Lodge, Hawes Down, Wickham Common, Unicorn and Pickhurst, with Langley Boys (Outstanding) and Girls (Good) schools covering a great deal of homes when it comes to secondary catchments, with Hayes (Outstanding) another sizeable chunk of the area. If private schooling appeals to you, then St David’s College, an independent co-ed school for pupils aged 2-16 is frequently on the Sunday Times Top 20 Prep Schools list. There are also local buses provided to the Newstead Wood Girls and St Olave’s Boys grammar schools.
For littler members of the family, there are several popular preschools in the area (Parklands in Coney Hall Rec, Jigsaw, Bizzy Bees & Sunny Kids to name a few), and Hayeswick is the outstanding day nursery that runs 52 weeks a year.
Going out
Food and drink-wise, West Wickham has a whopping array of restaurants in the area showcasing almost every cuisine you can think of, as well as a few lovely pubs that date back to the last century and beyond. For those who enjoy their green spaces, running or a good old dog walk, West Wickham, and Hayes Commons provide beautiful woodland and open spaces. Both Blake’s Recreation Ground and Coney Hall Recreation Ground have excellent play areas for children, as well as various sporting facilities.
Fancy buying in here? Contact us and we can arrange viewings at suitable properties
