Welling Origin

Map of Welling dated 1710. Now in possession of Bexley Local Studies Centre
(click map to enlarge it)

Welling originally formed part of the ancient manor of East Wickham which
was centred on St Michael’s Church,built in the 13th century. In the Doomsday
Book, East Wickham was included as part of the return for Plumstead and the
church was originally a chapel of St Nicholas’ Church in Plumstead.

Welling was originally called ‘Wellyngs’, and was first mentioned in a document
dated 1362. The name probably means ‘the place of the spring’, derived from
the Old English word wella (‘well’ or ‘spring’). There is certainly water in the area,
notably the spring that feeds Danson Lake but also the old moat that was part
of the grounds of Moat House, which appears on 19th-century maps of the area near
the Guy, Earl of Warwick public house. Wickham is taken from the old English word
wicham (‘dwelling place’ or ‘settlement’).

Much of the history of this area is tied up with the manor of Danson. A magnificent Palladian
villa, built in the late 1760s, survives in the middle of Danson Park, fully restored
by English Heritage. One of the owners of Danson manor, Alfred Bean, bought the house
in 1862 and did much to improve local amenities, both in Welling and in nearby Bexleyheath.
 

The growth of the area, like that of Bexleyheath, was tied up with Watling Street, the Roman
road from London to Dover, and the trade that could be had from the travellers who used it.
The old coaching inns such as the Guy, Earl of Warwick and the Nag’s Head formed the
nucleus for development. These inns survive today although not in the original buildings.

Slowly shops and other amenities grew up beside the inns and in Welling a high-class
residential district called Belle Grove was established on the main road to the west of
Welling Corner.

The local economy was originally sustained by farming and in particular market gardening.
The arrival in 1849 of the railway line meant that perishable produce such as soft fruits
could be transported to the London markets a great deal more quickly. The predominant
farm in the area was East Wickham Farm in Wickham Street owned for many years
by the Jones family who lived in nearby East Wickham House.



An interesting early development in the area was a prefab estate known as the
East Wickham Hutments, put up by he Royal Arsenal to house its workers on land
near St Michael’s Church in 1916. Residents of the estate had their own amenities,
including a theatre, but there were frequent complaints about the drainage
and sanitary arrangements.

In the 1920s a major residential development was the Welling Council Housing
Scheme undertaken by Bexley Urban District Council, which borrowed £400,000
to build 426 houses.

During the 1930s New Ideal Homesteads Ltd built the Falconwood Estate and
a local builder, Stevens, constructed another large estate to the north-east of Welling.

Today Welling is predominantly a residential suburb, with vast swathes of 1930s
housing. Commercial life still revolves around activity on the old London
to Dover road.
*****
Information courtesy of
Ideal Homes Organisation

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