Shortlands

The earliest known settlement in the area was an Iron Age hillfort at Toots Wood, where traces of a Roman Camp and pottery has also been found.{{cite book |last=Hevey |first=Len |author-link= |date=1992 |title=Shortlands |url=https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/c3844fd3/files/uploaded/Shortlands%20-%20Len%20Hevey.pdf |location= |publisher=Bromley Borough Local History Society |page=10-12 |isbn=}}{{cite web|title=Tootswood road|url=http://www.beckenhamhistory.co.uk/beckenhamearlyhistory|website=Beckenham History|accessdate=8 January 2017}}Willey, Russ. Chambers London Gazetteer, p 441 Dr Peter D. Moore has performed a pollen analysis at the site which suggest that the site was abandoned before the beginning of the Roman occupation.

Historically, Shortlands was known as Clay Hill.{{cite web|title=History of Shortlands|url=http://hidden-london.com/gazetteer/shortlands/|website=Hidden London|accessdate=8 January 2017}} In medieval times the areas consisted of sets of long and short fields, called Longelonds and Shortelonds, the latter ultimately giving its name to Shortlands House (later converted into a hotel, and now a part of Bishop Challoner School) which was built at the start of the 18th century. The house with its extensive farmland was acquired in 1848 by a railway magnate William Wilkinson, who also built several cottages for his farm labourers.{{cite web|title=William Wilkinson|url=http://hidden-london.com|accessdate=8 January 2017}} Housing development began in the 1860s with the sale of the Shortlands House estate, spurred by the opening of Shortlands railway station in 1858. The housing along Westmoreland Road largely dates to the 1880s, with further development occurring in the 20th century.

Pearson & Cox was a British automobile manufacturer in Shortlands, trading from 1908 to 1916. In 1913 they manufactured both steam-powered vehicles (cars and bicycles) and petrol powered cyclecars.{{cite web|title=Pearson and Cox Steam motor cycle|url=http://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co25154/steam-motor-cycle-motor-cycles-steam-road-vehicles|website=collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk|accessdate=29 October 2017}}{{cite web|title=Pearson and Cox|url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Pearson_and_Cox|website=gracesguide.co.uk|accessdate=29 October 2017}}

In 1921, a war memorial, designed by W. D. Caroe in the form of a Celtic cross, was unveiled in the village, in the middle of a road junction. On 8 July 2016, a Mini car collided with the memorial, breaking it into pieces.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/08/war-memorial-destroyed-after-car-crash-mini-lands-on-top-of-it/|title=War memorial destroyed after car crash Mini lands on top of it|work=Daily Telegraph|date=8 July 2016|accessdate=10 July 2016}} The memorial was restored in October 2017 and re-positioned on its site.{{cite news|url=http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/NEWS/15617984.Shortlands_War_Memorial_smashed_by_car_returned_to_former_glory/|title=War memorial smashed by car returned to former glory|work=News Shopper|date=25 October 2017|accessdate=26 October 2017}}

Shortlands is today a quiet, prosperous suburb. There is a library on Shortlands Road and a small row of shops by the railway station.

Shortlands station is in Travelcard Zone 4 of Transport for London’s zonal fare system, and serves the area with National Rail services to London Victoria via Herne Hill, as well as Orpington. Shortlands is also served by Thameslink to London Blackfriars via Catford, (during peak hours these trains continue to Luton via St Pancras International); as well as to Sevenoaks via Swanley. As of 2025, the station also houses a coffee shop and accessible facilities are being developed.

Shortlands is served by London Buses routes 162, 227, 354, 358, 367 and N3. These connect it with areas including Beckenham, Bromley, Bromley Common, Locksbottom, Farnborough, Green Street Green, Keston, Park Langley, Eden Park, Chislehurst, Bickley, Eltham, New Eltham, Croydon, Shirley, Addiscombe, Crystal Palace, Elmers End, Anerley, Penge and Orpington.

Route 162, and the N3 night bus between Oxford Circus and Bromley North serve Shortlands via Hayes Lane at the Scotts Lane, Den Close and Hayes Lane/Kingswood Road bus stops.

The nearest Tramlink station is Beckenham Junction, which serves the western termini Wimbledon, as well as Mitcham Junction, West Croydon and East Croydon stations.

The main schools in Shortlands are Valley Primary School, Highfield Infant and Junior Schools, Harris Academy Shortlands, Clare House Primary School and Bishop Challoner School.

Beccehamians RFC, a Rugby Union Club founded in 1933, plays competitive rugby at Sparrows Den at the bottom of Corkscrew Hill near West Wickham.{{Cite web|url=http://www.beccehamians.co.uk/|title=Beccehamian RFC|website=Pitchero}}

• Enid Blyton (1897–1968), children's author, commemorated by a blue plaque on 83 Shortlands Road where she lived part of her life.{{cite web|url=https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/enid-blyton-bromley|publisher=London Remembers|title= Enid Blyton - Bromley|accessdate=14 August 2020}}
• Harold Bride (1890-1956), the wireless operator aboard {{RMS|Titanic}}, lived at 58 Ravensbourne Avenue from 1903–1922, commemorated by a blue plaque on the property.{{cite web|url=https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/harold-bride|publisher=London Remembers|title= Harold Bride|accessdate=14 August 2020}}
• Sir John Brown (1816–1896), Victorian-era industrialist, died at Shortlands House.{{cite web|url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/John_Brown_(1816-1896)|publisher=Graces Guide|title= John Brown|accessdate=14 August 2020}}
• Grahame Clark (1907–1995), archaeologist who specialised in Mesolithic Europe and palaeoeconomics, grew up in Shortlands.{{cite web|url=http://publications.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/pubs/proc/files/94p357.pdf|publisher=The British Academy|title= Grahame Clark|accessdate=14 August 2020}}
• Dinah Craik (1826–1887), novelist, lived and died in Shortland.{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Craik, Dinah Maria | volume= 7 | page = 362 |short= 1}} Sally Mitchell, "Craik, Dinah Maria (1826–1887)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford, OUP, 2004) [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/19519 Retrieved 12 March 2017, pay-walled.]
• John Ossian Davies (1851–1916), the Welsh Congregationalist minister, died here.{{cite DWB|title=John Ossian Davies|id=s-DAVI-OSS-1851|last=Rees|first=Thomas Mardy|accessdate= 18 July 2017}}
• Thomas Charles Dewey (1840–1926), President of the Prudential Assurance Company and philanthropist, commemorated by a blue plaque on 1 South Hill Road where he lived for much of his life.{{cite web|url=https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/sir-thomas-dewey|publisher=London Remembers|title=Sir Thomas Dewey - Bromley|accessdate=14 August 2020}}
• George Grote (1794–1871), eminent historian of Greece, was born here at Shortlands House when it was known as Clay Hill.{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Grote, George |volume= 12 |last= Mitchell |first= John Malcolm | pages = 619–620|short=1 }}
• General Sir Reginald Hewetson, GCB CBE DSO (1908–1993) senior British Army office.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}
• Charles Keeping (1924–1988), illustrator, children'sauthor and lithographer, lived at 16 Church Road where there is a plaque commemorating him.{{cite web|url=https://visitbromley.co.uk/listing/charles-keeping-blue-plaque.html|publisher=Visit Bromley|title=Charles Keeping|accessdate=14 August 2020}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Joseph Thomas Last (1849–1933), English missionary, explorer and naturalist, died here.{{cite web|url=http://www.conchology.be/?t=9001&id=23066|publisher=Conchology|title=Joseph Thomas Last|accessdate=14 August 2020}}
• Alexander Muirhead (1848–1920), electrical engineer, credited with recording the first human electrocardiogram, lived and died on Church Road.{{cite web|url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Alexander_Muirhead|publisher=Graces Guide|title= Alexander Muirhead|accessdate=14 August 2020}}
• Brian Murphy (1932-2025), actor, known for playing George Roper in the sitcom George and Mildred, lived in Shortlands with his wife Linda Regan (see below).{{cite web|url=https://www.bromleytimes.co.uk/news/tv-actors-selling-grade-ii-listed-shortlands-cottage-with-links-to-blyton-hg-wells-and-shelley-1-5508779|publisher=Bromley Times|title=TV actors selling Grade II listed Shortlands cottage with links to Blyton, HG Wells and Shelley|date=9 May 2018|accessdate=14 August 2020}}
• Linda Regan (born 1949), actress and author, lived in Shortlands with her husband Brian Murphy (see above).
• Peter Ricketts, Baron Ricketts GCMG, GCVO (born 1952), former Permanent Secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, created Baron Ricketts, of Shortlands in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/543973/resignation_peerages_2016.pdf|title=Resignation Peerages 2016|website=gov.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506003949/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/543973/resignation_peerages_2016.pdf|archive-date=6 May 2021|url-status=live}}{{London Gazette |issue=61738 |date=21 October 2016 |page=22392 }}
• Lord Stamp of Shortlands (1880–1941), the first Chartered Mayor of Beckenham and Chairman of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. lived and died here when his house on Park Hill Road was bombed in 1941.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3114173/STAMP,%20OLIVE%20JESSIE%20THE%20RT%20HON|title=Civilian The Rt. Hon. Lady Olive Jessie Stamp | War Casualty Details 3114173 | CWGC}}
• John Veale (1922–2006), English classical composer, born here.[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/jan/18/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1 Guardian Obituary] Guardian. 18/01/07
• Charles Paget Wade (1883–1956), English architect, artist-craftsman and poet, was born in Shortlands.{{cite web|url=https://www.bblhs.org.uk/article-charles-paget|publisher=BROMLEY BOROUGH LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY|title=Charles Paget Wade|accessdate=14 August 2020}}

File:Pump_House,_Shortlands.jpg|The listed Pumphouse{{NHLE|num= 1298989|desc=Main Pumping Station|accessdate=15 August 2020}}

File:Shortlands_shops.jpg|Shops by the railway station

File:Shortlands_Tavern.jpg|Shortlands Tavern

File:Shortlands_railway_bridge.jpg|Bridge under the railway station

File:St_Mary's,_Shortlands.jpg|St Mary's Church

File:Shortlands_Library.jpg|Shortlands Library

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.beckenhamhistory.co.uk/flashNifties/gallery4.html Historical images of Shortlands]

{{LB Bromley}}

Category:Districts of the London Borough of Bromley