Queens Gardens – Former White Hart Field
Welcome to Bromley Palace Park and it’s historic features! This location is the first stop on the heritage and biodiversity trail (around the historic parks in Bromley Town Centre) for Queens Gardens.
The land was a field, gifted to the people of Bromley, by the Lord of the Manor, in the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, on condition that it was an ornamental garden. Before that, it had been known as White Hart Field, and was one of the early places where cricket was played.
Fun Fact
HG Wells would never have become a famous author, and written The War of The Worlds, if he hadn’t broken his leg here while his father played cricket.
Joseph Wells, professional cricketer and HG Wells father
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The White Hart was a historic coaching Inn on the High Street; at various times it hosted the early local fire-engines, various Magistrate court hearings, a local library, and a homeopathic medicine practise.
The fine set of gates used to be at the entrance to the park from Market Square – before the Glades were built over that part of the park. However, originally they had been bought at auction to grace the entrance to Quernmore House, before it became Quernmore School, and then Parish Primary School. This is why they are not large enough to close in the middle!
There is more information on Queens Gardens at the entry on this park in the Bromley Civic Society site, here.
To continue the Heritage Trail, walk towards the Glades shopping centre and stop by the large Cedar tree next to the entrance.
Browse our old photos, in 
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