We stayed in Ealing for the Easter weekend, so on the Saturday morning we hopped on a train from Victoria and went to Bromley. The town was originally in the county of Kent and was a market town, having received its charter in 1158. It became part of the London Borough of Bromley in 1965. The Waterstones (originally an Ottakar’s) is located in the Glades Shopping Centre in the heart of the town, and is set over two floors. Although in a very modern building, the store has a quirky layout.
St Peter and St Paul, Bromley
Bromley parish church, or to give it its official name, St Peter and St Paul, Bromley was mostly destroyed during a bombing raid in 1941 – the only remaining part was the tower. The church was rebuilt and the nave of the new church was consecrated in 1952, with the chancel and sanctuary consecrated five years later. The original tower was retained in the rebuilding. The church was being prepared for the Easter services when we arrived, and we didn’t realise that it wasn’t officially open, but we were welcomed inside, and even taken to see the Children’s chapel, the main feature of which is the mural, which was designed and painted by Alison Hodson in 2007/08.
Bromley and H G Wells
The author H G Wells, probably best-known for his story The War of the Worlds, was born in Bromley in 1866 and lived in the town for the first thirteen years of his life. There was a large mural of Wells in the town, but after severe deterioration it was painted over with a mural of Charles Darwin (who lived near Bromley for many years) although a small image of Wells was included on it. You can see the original mural here.
Janet's Adventures in Waterstones 