Downe village
Welcome to the Downe Village website. Please take time to look around. If you have any suggestions, please contact the webmaster (via the Residents' Association page)
What's happening in Downe
Events coming up in Downe:
-
Saturday 20 April - Music Quiz (village hall - cancelled)
-
Sunday 28 April - Downe May Queen (details TBA)
-
Thursday 16 May (to Sat 18 May) - Downe Arounders play (village hall) - details TBA
-
Saturday 1 June - Barn Dance (7:30pm village hall)
-
Saturday 22 June - Quiz & Bingo (village hall)
-
Sunday 7 July - Downe primary school summer fete
-
Sunday 7 July - Downe Duck Race (2pm)
-
Saturday 31 August/Sunday 1 September - Harvest Brewfest (Farnborough Fields)
-
Thursday 19 September - Heritage talk no 3 - "the Lubbock family in Kent" - details TBA
-
Saturday 5 October - Race Night (village hall)
-
Saturday 12 October - 2nd Downe Litter Pick day
-
Saturday 9 November - Quiz & Bingo (village hall)
Upcoming AGMs:
-
Thursday 25 April - Downe Residents' Association AGM (7:30pm village hall)
-
TBA - Friends of Downe Orchard AGM
Another successful comedy night in the village hall in aid of fundraising for repairs - 16 February 2024
A packed hall for Lyulph Avebury's second talk on the High Elms estate - 1 February 2024
The "Green Man" leads the 2024 Wassail in the orchard
(14 January)
Remembrance display at St Mary's church (November 2023)
Repairs to village hall underway at October 2023
Dedication of new stained glass window in St Mary's - 24 September 2023
Big crowd in village centre for the annual Downe Duck Race on 9 July 2023
Big crowd in village centre for the May Queen celebrations on 30 April 2023
Downe & Cudham Ultrafast Broadband Community Project
All areas of Downe and Cudham now have access to “ultrafast” broadband. The project has now brought high speed fibre broadband to approx 1,000 premises.
=============================================
Note – if you want to check if fibre service is available at your property, go to:
....and put in your postcode and select your address. If the “ultrafast” option comes up, you can order an “ultrafast” service from your supplier. If it is only “superfast”, then you need to wait a little longer.
"Elvis" entertains and opens the Downe Christmas Lights switch on - 4th December 2022
Music quiz night in the village hall - run by Tony & Jim - 15 October 2022
David Winstanley (CEO Biggin Hill Airport Ltd) addresses residents at the village hall on 3 August 2022
Ravensbourne Morris men visit Downe - July 2022
Ivor Potter sings "Vegas Night" in the village hall - July 2022
Spot the similarity ? Yes - water in the pond (Jan 2021)!!!
St Mary's in the snow (Jan 2021)
Pubs in Downe - the Queens Head and the George & Dragon
Downe Lottery
Read the latest update on the Downe lottery on the lottery page....
Have you joined the Downe Lottery yet ? .........be in it to win it
The main purpose is to raise money for 'worthy' causes in the village, with the added opportunity to win prizes. The prize money is 50% of the monthly monies raised - so clearly, the more lottery shares sold, the more money in the prize pot, and the more money raised for Downe.
To apply, email Tony Dixon, the Lottery Promoter, using lottery@downe-kent.org.uk for a standing order form.
Visit the lottery page for all the information on the lottery....
Bromley Mayor - Cllr Hannah Gray - unveils the Downe information board September 2020
The board was a project originated and driven through over the past two years by residents in Downe village who were concerned that our historic village had no such information for the many tourists, walkers, cyclists, and the general public that visit each year – as well as for locals. With assistance from Bromley Council and many local historians (including at Down House – residence of Charles Darwin), the information board – containing maps, historic buildings, roads, footpaths etc) was researched, designed and eventually produced and installed in August.
Sadly, due to Government restrictions, only six people could be officially invited to the unveiling. Madam Mayor gave an enthusiastic speech before uncovering the board, to the delight of the few people watching. Following the unveiling, Madam Mayor was treated to some local produce - Downe orchard apple juice. Most of the core project team (Zoe Knight, Kim Durham, Terry Pyle and Steve Barnes) were present to witness this fitting addition to the centre of the village.
London Biggin Hill Airspace Change Proposal - Click the button below to read the report about proposed changes to flightpaths:
Two locally produced promotional videos - Christmas Tree Farm and the Queen's Head jam night
Philip Shaye Productions - a Downe village-based business have produced a video for Paul Gubby at Christmas Tree Farm, and a promotional video of the Queen's Head jam night. Click on the buttons above to view
If any of you would like to promote your business using video, contact Phil Louden-Carter on 07834 042918 or
plc.philipshaye@gmail.com
The village lime tree
For as long as villagers can remember it has been said that the Old Lime tree has been dying, starved of water
as it is totally encased in tarmac. Probably over 100 years old - it can be seen in all the old photos of the village and
in the past the Council have removed branches in the hope of reducing its water needs.
The Residents' Association has now installed three one metre deep irrigatation pipes around the tree and can we urge those living close by, when they have a watering can at hand, to pour fresh water through the grills. Water from the road could not have been utilized as during the winter it would be polluted with salt.
Many of you will remember Terry Williams who lived in the village but who sadly died four years ago. Well known
in the entertainment world, perhaps you will recall him on tall stilts ? He recorded the song called 'Dancing around the Old Lime tree' which we hope will be possible for many more years to come !
You can hear it again (with some associated pictures) by clicking here:
A photo of previous village resident - Eric Lubbock and his wife from the Daily Telegraph - Friday March 16th 1962, and another from the Kentish Times showing Eric celebrating his Orpington victory for the Liberal party - a 7,855 majority over the Conservatives.
Biggin Hill Airport
Track planes coming in and out of the airport
Read the "Kent Live" article (12 April) about the new facility......
Click on this link to access the flight monitoring website.......
To comment on incidents relating to Biggin Hill Airport
Ring - 01959 578580 (See HELP page for further information)