Welcome to Foots Cray Meadows, a 97 hectare local nature reserve in the heart of suburban south-east London, consisting of landscaped open space, meadows and woodland, as well as the River Cray.
The Meadows are home to an abundance of wildlife, including at least 50 kinds of birds and over 40 species of trees, as well as bats, voles, butterflies, newts and a variety of fish that swim in the clear waters of the chalk stream.
There is evidence of people using and living on the land that is now Foots Cray Meadows from 10,000 years ago, and records of manor houses on the land can be found in the Domesday book of 1086.
Foots Cray Place, a Palladian-style manor house built in 1754 that was once owned by a Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Bexley, stood on the grounds until 1950, when it was demolished after being damaged beyond repair by fire.
To support visitors of the Meadows in discovering more about the wealth of history and wildlife around them, the Friends of Foots Cray Meadows have placed a series of QR Codes on posts around the Meadows that discuss the areas they're in.
Find out more about the locations of the QR Codes and what they cover below. You can also read in more detail about the history and wildlife of the Meadows by exploring the rest of our website.
Location descriptions
0 - Welcome points
1 - Foots Cray Place, Information Centre, Stable Block
What3Words /// glory.trout.lawn
2 - Foots Cray Lawns, Ancient Sweet Chestnut, Tulip Tree, Lime Avenue
What3Words /// enjoyable.drop.cotton
3 - All Saints Church, Penny-Farthing Bridge, Chestnut Avenue and Pond
What3Words /// rent.enjoy.hears
4 - Meadow Wetlands and Ponds
What3Words /// towns.fired.pulse
5 - North Cray Woods
What3Words /// planet.prompting.enable
6 - Five Arches Bridge, River Cray, the Lake, Wildfowl and Birds
What3Words /// retail.bits.varieties
7 - Cedars of Lebanon, North Cray Place
What3Words /// maker.wash.ready
8 - St James' Church, Permitted Ride
What3Words /// shots.longer.shut
9 - Riverside Woodland, Royal Park playground, Iron Bridge
What3Words /// sounds.movie.coast
Find out more
History of the Meadows
Wildlife of the Meadows
Sites around the Meadows
Let us know what you think
Are there other parts of the Meadows you'd like to learn about that aren't currently covered by our QR posts? Do you find this information interesting? Is there anything else you'd like to see?
Let us know via the form below!