Places of Local Historic Interest
There are several buildings in Welling deemed to be of national significance so are formally listed and there are many more considered to be of local interest that are listed in Bexley Council’s list of local buildings and structures of historic or architectural significance. In addition, we will be adding a few choices of our own that are not currently included in either list.
National Heritage List for England
The National Heritage List for England originated in 1882, when the first powers of protection were established. These developed into what we know today as statutory ‘Listing’ just after the Second World War. The List now holds over 400,000 entries, curated by Historic England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Listed buildings in Welling are as follows:
Danson House was built by Sir Robert Taylor about 1765 for Alderman, later Sir, John Boyd and originally called Banson Hill. Wings were added later, which have since been demolished. The Park was laid out by ‘Capability’ Brown in 1761.
The house is of Portland stone; the ground floor being rusticated. It has 3 storeys; the principal apartments being on the first floor. Heavy modillion eaves cornice. Slate roof. Windows in moulded architrave surrounds, with glazing bars intact; those on the first floor having projecting cornices over and panels of balustrading below. All 4 fronts are exposed, but the north and south fronts are slightly wider than the east and west fronts. The east, west and south fronts have a canted bay of 3 windows on all floors in the centre. The north front has a square central projection, with a pediment over containing a round window in the typanum. The entrance is on this side. Nineteen wide steps, with a balustrade on each side, lead up to the front door, on the piano nobile. This has engaged Corinthian columns, a modillion cornice and a vase over it between volutes and a medallion and swags between the architrave and the moulded surround of the door. The interior has a fine central oval staircase, with a gallery of 8 Ionic columns on the second floor and an oval dome above, and some fine rooms.
These are contemporary with Danson Park Mansion, circa 1765, and were presumably designed by Sir Robert Taylor. Half-H plan. Portland stone. Stringcourse. Slate roof. The north or main side has a slightly projecting centre, with 3 coach-houses on the ground floor, having flanking pilasters and double doors. Above on the first floor, but at ground level, are 3 large lunette windows of 22 panes each. On the roof is a small octagonal wooden cupola. On each side of the centre projection is a roundheaded doorway, with a semi-circular fanlight and a square window of 12 panes above. The inner face of each half-H wing has 3 windows on the first floor and one on the ground floor, between 2 round-headed doorways with semi-circular fanlights. Their south ends have large round-headed rusticated arches, with lunette windows, in the arches above the stringcourse.
Formerly a school with a former schoolmaster’s house. Built in 1879 for Foster’s Educational Trust which had been set up on another site following a bequest of William Foster in 1727 for the education of 20 poor children. Built of brown brick with red brick dressings, some pointed tiles to gables and renewed tiled roof with ridge tiles. PLAN: L-shaped building comprising school to left and former schoolmaster’s house to right. EXTERIOR: School of one storey and attics with prominent octagonal tiled spire with wooden louvres and cast-iron finial. Projecting gable to left with wooden bargeboards and pendant and 2 tall windows and on return lean-to with arched doorcase. Dormer with stepped mullioned windows followed by 3 mullioned and transomed casements on ground floor. A gabled porch is followed to right by a large projecting gable with 3-tier 5-light casement. 2-storey former house to right is of 2 parallel ranges and 2 storeys with chequer-work framing with pebbledashed infill to gable. One 3-light sash to first floor, a 4-light canted bay to ground floor and gabled wooden porch with bargeboard, finial and pendant. North-east side has 4 mullioned and transomed windows and roof has courses of alternate plain and patterned tiles. Rear elevation has end projecting gables with hipped hoist and flat-roofed dormer to central section and later flat-roofed addition in matching style and materials.
Small single-cell church, of flint, rubble and brick, with gabled roof and prominent bellcote at west end. Probably of C12 origin, judging from lancet window in chancel; east window has 3 lights with cinquefoil heads within square frame; nave has cinquefoil-headed windows; west door. within pointed brick arch. Tiled roof; shingled bellcote carrying weather vane added in 1897. Restored in 1926. The fittings have been largely removed.
The farmhouse is obscured by a large fence and trees, so very little can be seen of it.
Two storeyed house facing south, with cross wings at east and west ends. Front and return elevations of white-painted stucco, with parapets. Front has 3 windows; east and west ends 2 windows; sashes with projecting cornices carried on brackets, some glazing bars. Centre has tiled gabled roof with single axial stack, with 4 flues; second stack nearer east end; wings have hipped roofs with stacks towards rear. General appearance is of late C18 or early c19 house, but plan and roofs strongly suggest that this is a refronted and storeyed timber-framed medieval hall-house with end wings. Exposed beams within, many reused.
Locally Listed Buildings and Structures
Bexley council maintains a list of buildings and structures within the borough, which are considered of architectural or historic interest at a local level. They may also be considered to make a contribution to the townscape or landscape of the borough.
There are several buildings in Welling on the list as well as a few items of historical interest.
Buildings
We do not currently have any further details at present as to why these particular buildings are considered of interest, but will add more details when we can.
Welling Library
Tesco Express formerly The Station Inn
The Plough and Harrow
The Foresters Arms
Freedom Centre International former site on the Odeon Cinema
Saint Michael's Church
The Rose and Crown
Former Welling Post Office
St. Mary the Virgin
The Lord Kitchener
Structures
These are structures or other signs of local historic interest. The local list does not give any details of why these are of significant interest, so we will be researching further and adding more details.
The whole of the raised areas on the green space at Danson Meads, sits above a World War II Underground air raid shelter.
Most visitors to Danson Park, would not even notice that this is here, but in the main field towards the Boat House, there is a raised mound in a fenced off area. The cover at the top sits over an old ice well.
This stone sits on the green space along Danson Mead, opposite South Gipsy Road, marking the border between Welling and Bexleyheath.
This sign from 1888 can be found on the wall above the original entrance to Wellspring Pentecostal Church in New Road, Welling. It was believed to be the location of the first Sunday school in Welling.
Many commuters would not realise that the waiting room on the Dartford side of Welling Station is actually the original one from when the station was first built.
On the list it says that there is an underground World War 2 shelter adjacent to number 40 Welling High Street, but we are unsure as to the exact location of this at present.
Things we thought were interesting
There were a few things that we were very surprised to see were not on the local list, so we have shared some of them here and we will submit them to the council with the hope of getting them included on the list.
The Cannon at Welling Corner
As one of the most recognisable places in Welling, we were surprised not to see this on the local list.
The cannon is a Russian iron 36-pounder carronade from the Crimean War and is on loan from the Royal Artillery Firepower Museum in Woolwich. It is a reminder of the time when huts at East Wickham provided homes for World War One munitions workers.
Welling Gateway Mural
The Welling Gateway Mural was put together in 2004 by local artist Gary Drostle who worked with pupils from Barrington Primary School and Welling School.
