Beckenham is a district within the London Borough of Bromley. It borders Beckenham Place Park and Bellingham within the London Borough of Lewisham. It's 13.5 km south east of Charing Cross.
Beckenham was a little village in the borough in Kent mostly with land serving as private parkland until the railway was constructed in 1857. Just after that, an entrepreneurial family began constructing villas which brought on the population to rise massively from just 2,000 to 26,000 between 1850 and 1900. Since 1900, housing has been built at a steadier pace, meaning the population is beginning to balance out. In the 2011 census, the populace stood at 56,668.
The district is served by three key railway stations as well as six more in the post town. There is also two Croydon Tramlink stations towards the west of the area. Transport for London buses serve the Beckenham area to link it with other towns such as Bromley, Catford, Croydon and Crystal Palace.
Beckenham is recognised for its many places of worship. St George’s Church is the main parish church and stands in the centre of the district. It goes back to about 1100, but was majorly rebuilt in the end of the 19th century. It consists of a 13th century lynch gate that is believed to be one of the oldest of its type in England.