Bromley Civic Centre (also known as Bromley Palace Park, Grounds of Former Palace of Bishops of Rochester)⁸²⁴⁹

Brief Description

What remains of the former park is south of the Old Palace ruins, and includes the lake, once part of the medieval moat, two Pulhamite rockeries and a Folly incorporating medieval stonework created for Child, and possibly an 18th-century ha-ha, although this may also be the work of James Pulham & Sons.

History

This site is that of the late-18th/19th centurylandscaped grounds of the former palace and official residence of the Bishops of Rochester, who had been given Bromley Manor in the 10th century. The present building was erected in 1775, with later additions made in the 1860s after the Manor was sold to Mr Coles Child, who also made changes to the gardens. Much of the once extensive Palace parkland was eventually sold for housing and road construction, the old Palace became a girls school in the 1930s. In 1982 the site was purchased by Bromley Council for the Civic Centre.

Visitor Facilities