Bromley
A Shopper’s Paradise
It has always been a place of importance, today it is a borough and one of the major metropolitan centres of London, in its earlier life it was a market town within the garden of Kent. Its meteoric rise in power was in part thanks to the business acumen of the Bishops of Rochester for whom Bromley was home. They may have long since departed but they have left Bromley with quite a legacy! The palace that they regarded as home is now part of the civic centre and is used as a stunning setting for weddings and the market they helped establish is still a focal point for residents and visitors alike. Bromley is well known for its excellent shopping facilities; and has become one of the most popular shopping venues in the South East. It is seen by many as a rival to London because it is possible to buy almost anything from a period fireplace to home furnishings.
The Glade Centre in Bromley is a purpose built shopper’s paradise with unrivalled facilities and home to a large number of well known chain and department stores that cater for every possible taste! However shopping in Bromley doesn’t end at the Glades, Bromley has other retail areas that are able to offer a completely different shopping experience, with much more choice and a personal touch that is often missing from the mainstream, high street chains. The High Street is a perfect example; its unique character sets it apart from other towns with a harmonious blend of quality retailers. It is located in the centre of Bromley and is a colourful, vibrant area partly due to an Arts and Crafts Market for which it is an ideal venue every Friday and Saturday. The High Street is a treasure trove of boutiques and services that you may not find anywhere else from cutting edge fashion boutiques, fine jewellers, hair and beauty salons and countless others. This is further enhanced by a Farmers Market which makes a welcome appearance every Friday selling locally sourced produce and the occasional appearance of a Continental Market offering speciality goods from Europe
Bromley first started life as the name of a woodland clearing where broom grows, in Old English it was called “Bromleag” not too different from the name by which it is known today! In 862 Ethelbert, King of Kent gave the woodland clearing and other parcels of land to the Church of Rochester. The gift of land became known as the Manor of Bromleag or Bromley as it is now known! Although the manor was owned by the Bishops of Rochester they had a tenuous hold on a property that was subject to the whims of whichever king was in power. When the Normans invaded Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux seized the property but thanks to the exertions of the Archbishop Lanfranc a portion of the original manor was recovered for the church. From then on it continued in the uninterrupted possession of the Bishops of Rochester until the English Civil War.
There were various types of clergy during the middle ages coming from different ends of the social spectrum; Bishops were very well educated and usually came from wealthy families and were regarded as the bridge between God and the people. Not only did they mediate on religious matters but invariably they meddled in politics too. Bishops enjoyed a lavish lifestyle which was partly funded by the vast amounts of land and livestock owned by the church as well as the tithes and other taxes paid by peasants. A tithe was around one tenth of everything that a peasant produced usually paid in crops or animals and occasionally money. They were also expected to set aside a couple of days each week to provide free labour for whoever owned the manor; be they the church or a lord! The Bishops also used their palaces as a place to conduct the business of levying taxes and weightier issues like the annulments of marriages.
Markets were a good source of revenue so it should come as no surprise that the Bishop of Rochester applied for a charter which was granted by King John in 1205. They were allowed to hold a market every Tuesday, a second charter from Henry VI, in 1447, changed market day to Thursday, and allowed fairs in February and July.
Just as the coming of the railway in the 1900’s improved the fortunes of towns and villages up and down the country it was the arrival of the stage coach in the 17th century and better road surfaces which helped further increase Bromley’s prosperity. The stage coaches divided their journeys into segments or “stages” hence the name, each one was between ten and fifteen miles in length and this made Bromley an ideal rest point. Hotels and coaching inns were quickly built to make the most of this lucrative market. Coach journeys must have been torturous as the roads despite many improvements were invariably full of pot holes! Those who made journeys must have welcomed the arrival of the railway in 1858 and with it the luxury of relative comfort!
The increase in the speed of travel established Bromley as a commutable location for wealthier members of society who’s homes can still be found scattered across the borough with a large number in the exclusive enclave of Forest and Regent Drive. Eventually the working classes arrive en masse and Bromley became what it is today; a place that is just as attractive for residents and visitors alike, firmly set in the commuter belt on the periphery of London with open countryside on its doorstep and a myriad of entertainment, what more could you ask for!
copyright© Wendy Stevenson 2011
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