Comments on: At Beckenham Place

By: Michael Toivonen

Michael Toivonen — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 06:13:41 +0000

I have a two volume set of The Guardian by Addison and Steele with bookplates from John Cator’s library. I like to fantasize that Samuel Johnson may have picked them up during a visit to Beckenham Place. I enjoyed seeing the many shots of the interior of Beckenham here and hope its next incarnation as artist’s and makers studios is a success. Those books of mine, once the possessions of a man ” vulgar in Manners and Pronunciation” according to Thrale, whose judgement I learned above, were amongst the two boxes of my books grabbed when fleeing in the we hours as the terrible conflagrations raged in northern California on October 9. 2017 and threatened my home. Luck had it that my home was spared as the flames changed course at the last minute. Having a small collection of rare books made quick work of hard decisions as to what to save: save those things which I am only the temporary guardian of.

By: Jenny Kay

Jenny Kay — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 12:58:09 +0000

Beautiful photos of a beautiful building, thank you….and it would be great to see the Mansion House out to appropriate use….art,music, ‘salons’ …….I am one of the golfers who used to play at the well loved and busy course, we never had any feeling that Lewisham Council had an integrated vision for the park and house, and sadly the Heritage Lottery Fund ‘Parks for People’ scheme imposes a flawed plan to ‘restore’ the dried up lake (no answer as to where water supply will come from) and remove hundreds of trees which are felt to spoil the view. Great that it funds restoration of the Homesteads buildings (destroyed by arson a few years ago) and create some educational facilities etc but it was a missed opportunity to apply for grant funding for the Mansion House. There was a community Trust established to take on the building and golf course as a economically viable entity but Lewisham Council did not support this…what a waste and a shame. It is now listed as an Asset of Community Value at least so hopefully local people and the community trust will have a say in its future.
Just to add that for the last ten years the golfers only ever used the downstairs cafe and Toiltes etc ……before that we were very occasionally allowed to hold events upstairs for a period of a year or two when an events manger took some interest in the building……that lovely notice board for the Ladies was unknown to those of us who played with the Ladies section, heaven knows where it was hidden! All best wishes for its future, hope it can thrive and be an asset to the local community.

By: Mal Mitchell

Mal Mitchell — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 22:18:21 +0000

Sydney and colleagues doing a good job of arresting decay and bringing back into use. Our member David Love has produced an article about plasterwork motifs perhaps installed by the Rose family who worked in the Adam style. Our visitor centre is open 1.30 to 3.30 sunday afternoons in the mansion.

By: Ros

Ros — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 21:47:30 +0000

I’d never heard of this place so thanks for publicising it. Terrific photos capturing so many aspects. I especially like the weathercock, bell and carpet juxtaposition. John Cator sounds a bit of a rough diamond.

By: Carole Hope

Carole Hope — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 21:00:32 +0000

You can check out more of the history of Beckenham Place on the “Friends” website http://www.beckenhamplaceparkfriends.org.uk/. The Cator family very quickly fell out of love with Beckenham Place and it had a succession of tenants from 1829 onwards. The Cator’s never brought any added value to the area, they did not endow any schools, hospitals or alms houses. The closure of the public golf course has been hugely contentious, but it is good the manor house has a tenant, albeit only for 22 months, who is doing a splendid job on a limited budget applying some TLC after decades of neglect by Lewisham Council and their previous intransigence about allowing a community group to take responsibility. Sadly, the council decided to apply for a Heritage Lottery Fund grant to change landscape, which will result in felling hundreds of healthy trees, rather than one that will restore the manor house. We continue to wait for a grant for the house.

By: Jude

Jude — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 14:46:57 +0000

Pity it went out of residential use! I would love to have lived there 🙂 The ceilings were amazingly beautiful. It needs a fair bit of work doing on it internally and am glad it remains and is being put to good use.

By: Helen Breen

Helen Breen — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 13:08:37 +0000

Greetings from chilly Boston,

GA, great piece. Love Johnson’s assessment of Cator – “He never speaks merely to please and seldom is mistaken in things which he has any right to know”

Beckenham Place is a magnificent property. Aren’t those Wedgewood motifs on the fireplaces? I did visit Kenwood House last summer – really a treasure. Maintaining these estates must be so costly. I am glad to see the Beckenham place will be recycled and not destroyed.

By: Stephen Barker

Stephen Barker — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 12:36:17 +0000

A splendid building especially the fine plasterwork. I would like to visit and tour the building.

By: Sue M

Sue M — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 11:38:28 +0000

What a beautiful building! I hope there will be enough money to restore the whole building. A little gem in our modern concrete jungle.

By: Lesley T

Lesley T — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 11:37:13 +0000

Came across Beckenham Place for the first time last week when walking a section of the Capital Ring walk. House and surroundings are indeed reminiscent of Kenwood in North London. Let’s hope it is successfully renovated and used.