Getting to know Orpington

community Getting to know

Orpington

Local History Corner

The River Cray was the life blood of the towns of St Mary Cray and Orpington. It also brought prosperity to other towns along its length. In Roman times it formed as a stream in what is Orpington High St and Sevenoaks Road being contributed to by a network of smaller streams and water sources from the higher grounds area. The river was far wider and deeper than today and a story tells of a pageant carrying Queen Elizabeth I up to Orpington from the River Thames.

Crayfish were found in abundance in the River Cray. It is often debated whether the Crayfish got its name from the River Cray. The meaning of the word Cray is also debated. Some say it is from the Saxon word ‘crecia’ meaning brook or rivulet or the Celtic word ‘crei’ meaning fresh or clean. From the 1700s to the mid 1900s mills dominated the length of the river from Orpington to St Paul’s Cray (and beyond). Here is a potted history of the most significant.

Nash’s Mill

Nash’s Mill at St Paul’s Cray started as a corn mill but by the mid-1700s paper making had started. Nash was a big employer of the area and ran a successful business until the mid-1950s when the mill became a factory complex and by the mid-1980s had been demolished and replaced by light industrial units.

Joynsons Mill

Joynsons Mill may be the most remembered in St Mary Cray as it lasted a very long time, was visible from miles around and employed many locals. It started off like most as a crop mill but became a paper mill by the late 1700s. William Joynson took it over in the early 1800s and was run successfully until 1967.

Orpington Mill

The source of the River Cray is the ponds at the Priory. The first mill was Orpington, Colegate or Hodsolls Mill which stood near to Carlton Parade. An 18th Century mill stood at this site for nearly 200 years with its metal water wheel, grindstones and wooden frame and mill building. Orpington Mill also had a pond, supplied by the River Cray to maintain flow at the water wheel. The mill was demolished in the mid 1930s to make way for the housing in St Andrews Drive.

Did you know?

The mills of the River Cray were used in the production of flour, tanning leather and paper production. Joynsons produced the first paper to be used in bank notes and also the first vegetable parchment paper.