North Cray


North Cray is a village in south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Bexley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.
It lies on the River Cray, east of Sidcup and south of Bexley, and is in the Cray Meadows electoral ward, which also includes Foots Cray.

History

Early history

North Cray was previously a civil parish in the Hundred of Ruxley, Sutton-at-Hone Lathe. The settlement Ruxley had its own parish but it was abolished in 1557 and the area was absorbed into North Cray parish.

Modern history

North Cray was within Kent until the creation of Greater London in 1965. From 1894 to 1934 North Cray was within the Bromley Rural District, then it was in the Chislehurst and Sidcup Urban District from 1934 to 1965; then finally the London Borough of Bexley from 1965 which remains today.

Geography

Transport

The nearest National Rail station to North Cray is Albany Park. North Cray is served by one Transport for London Bus route, the 492 bus route.

Notable people

North Cray briefly became the centre of international attention in August 1822 when Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, the Foreign Secretary, committed suicide at his country home Loring Hall.
Other notable people associated with the area include geologist Joshua Trimmer, colonial administrator Harry Ord, and cricketer John Gosling, all of whom were born in North Cray.