The Ancient Village The name
Hayes is recorded from 1177 as
hoese from the Anglo-Saxon meaning "a settlement in open land overgrown with shrubs and rough bushes". It formed an ancient, and later civil, parish of
Kent of around . The village stood at the junction of Hayes Lane, leading north to
Bromley (one mile distant), and what is now known as Pickhurst Lane, leading west to
West Wickham; the centre of the old village is now called
Hayes Street. The village school was here, as is the parish church of
St Mary the Virgin. Parts of the church date back to the thirteenth century, however it was subject to
heavy restorations by
George Gilbert Scott and
John Oldrid Scott in the 19th century. The village's public house, also on Hayes Street, is called "The George" (first recorded 1759). Hayes Street Farm, still shown on modern maps, is to the north of the village centre. Both
William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), and
William Pitt the Younger (1759–1806) lived at Hayes Place. The house, which dated back to the 15th century, was demolished in 1933 by the developer
Henry Boot and the site redeveloped, but its occupants are remembered in such road names as Chatham and Pittsmead Avenues. Development was aided when the branch
railway from
Elmers End, originally known as the
West Wickham and Hayes Railway, was opened on 29 May 1882. Between 1801, when the population was just 382, and 1921, it had almost tripled to 1,010.
Modern suburban Hayes Throughout the 20th century, the Hayes village area continued to grow and thrive. Further commercial development occurred on Station Approach because the increased traffic through the railway terminus created an incentive for growth. it lies along George Lane, which was further expanded at around the same time to facilitate further suburban housing developments. To cope with the increase in commuter traffic, the station was rebuilt in 1935, and
Station Approach became the main shopping area, including a
Post Office,
petrol station, two mini-supermarkets and numerous small shops. It also contains a
public house called The New Inn. During the
Second World War an anti-aircraft gun battery was locally based on Hayes Common, and the soldiers of the
1st Canadian Division who manned it were barracked in local homes. Grandfields Nursery on West Common Road was hit by a
V-2 rocket in the late afternoon of 9 February 1945, killing four people, including three members of the Grandfield family. Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church was later built on the site. Much of the area to the west and north-west of the original village has been taken over by
suburbia.
West Wickham and Bromley are completely joined with Hayes; and
Coney Hall estate, beyond the
Orpington -
Croydon road is also part of the pattern. To the east and south, however, the open space of
Hayes Common precludes building of any kind. The old village area along Hayes Street, also known as 'Old Hayes', today contains some small shops, though the local post office closed in 2004 (the nearest is now in the main shopping area near the station). The timbered cottage on the eastern side of Hayes Street was originally the village bakery, then it became a
newsagents called "The Walnut Tree", until 2006, when it changed to residential use. The former village school remains a second village hall; the local primary school in George Lane has expanded in size in recent years, and now has three class groups in each year. It is extremely popular, and many of its pupils go on to
Hayes School in West Common Road. The shopping area in
Old Hayes functions as a second hub for commercial businesses, running along Hayes street opposite the church building. It consists of the public house, "The George", a mini-market, several hairdressers, a cycle shop, two coffee shops and a fish and chip shop. Next to the church is the village
public library, part of the
Bromley Borough Libraries Service, occupying the old
rectory building (since replaced by the new rectory). The library is surrounded by the library gardens, a small area of parkland containing tennis courts. On the north side of the church is Hayes Village Hall, built in 1927 by Hayes Community Council. This was led by Canon Thompson. It remains a hub of Village life. Hayes Street Farm continues to play an important role in the village setting. Several public pathways and popular walking routes run through the farmland, and regular
car boot sales are hosted on the farm fields. There is a group called Hayes Village Association (HVA) which meet regularly to inform people about local issues. They regularly liaise with Bromley Council on planning matters and they give a voice to residents and businesses on a variety of issues. HVA produce a quarterly magazine with local interest articles and events, as well as details of businesses in the locality. In 2024, the association faced closure but was revitalised by new volunteers. ==Sports and leisure==