Bromley Common is the area of south-east London, within the London Borough of Bromley, Greater London. Prior to 1965 it was within the historic county of Kent. It lies south of Bromley town centre and Bickley, west of Southborough and Petts Wood, north of Locksbottom and Keston, and east of Hayes. Amenities The area is centred on the road of the same name (part of the A21), stretching between Masons Hill at the south end of Bromley and Hastings Road, Locksbottom. Large-scale suburban development means that the area now merges into Southborough and Bickley. The main shopping and leisure area of the district is Chatterton Road, which has a number of popular restaurants, delicatessens, hair and beauty salons, and a range of hobby/craft and charity shops. The Chatterton Arms pub, which opened around 1870, was originally named the "Hit or Miss", presumably a reference to "Shooting Common", dating back to the 'dark' days of highwaymen. It was later renamed in honour of the 18th-century poet, Thomas Chatterton. There are other pubs spread out over the area: The Bricklayers Arms on Masons Hill, A Toby Carvery at the junction of Bromley Common with Victoria Road, and the Lord Holmesdale on Homesdale Road. Havelock Recreations Ground, a slightly smaller park, lies a short distance to the north. The area has been awarded village status by the local authority and is known as Chatterton Village. Recent improvements include flower boxes, a village sign, Victorian-style lamp posts and a village notice board outside the bakery. The nearby Whitehall Recreation Ground has also been enhanced by the Friends of Whitehall Recreation Ground, with help from Bromley Council's Parks Department, with flower beds, seating, a picnic area, a wildlife pond, a refurbished children's play area, a hand-carved wooden bench, and outdoor gym equipment (which was funded by the Friends of Whitehall Recreation Ground). History A hamlet was present here by the 1500s. Until the 1860s, Bromley Common consisted mainly of farmland and the estates of a few large landowners. The common itself was owned by the Bishops of Rochester as Lords of the Manor, but on the condition that various ‘commoners’ should be allowed to freely enjoy their privileges on it. It amounted to about 300 acres, extending irregularly along the sides of the road that formed the main route from Tunbridge Wells and Hastings to Bromley and, beyond, to London. It was a well-known and