Cray Valley Areas | Cray Valley  Foots Cray and North Cray
Areas of outstanding beauty and great history
Foots Cray is a lovely small settlement with some industrial and office premises, together with some residential developments mostly along Cray Road and up Sidcup Hill towards central Sidcup. Traditionally it was an arable farming area but in the 20th century some industrial activity began to take place, based around the River Cray. It is a picturesue area with some stunnng countryside, especially the Foots Cray Meadows and Five Arches Bridge.
North Cray is a beautiful area comprising of some residential areas and some farm land and countryside. In 1557 it was united with the hamlet of Ruxley. There are many garden centres, farm shops and pick your own fields in this area, as well as the aincient North Cray Woods making it a lovely place to live, work and visit.
Historically, both Foots Cray and North Cray were known as a dwellings for the wealthy, full of amazing houses with ornate gardens lining the banks of the River Cray. Some of these still remain for you to see today.
|  | Great Estates
Loring Hall, Vale Mascal, North Cray Place and Foots Cray Place have been the predominant houses and estates in the Foots Cray and North Cray areas for centuries. Foots Cray place was perhaps the most predominent. The date Foots Cray Place was built is not known but it was owned by 6 generations of the Walsingham family up until 1676. The stable blocks still remain as well as some of the grounds which are now part of a recreational area known as Foots Cray Meadows.
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|  The Foots Cray Meadows and Aincient North Cray WoodsThese areas are formed by combining parts of the estates of North Cray Place and Foots Cray Place. They were linked by the famous five arches bridge, built around 1782, when the gardens were thought to have been redisigned by Capability Brown. It is a beautiful expanse of fields, meadows and woods that the River Cray flows through. In summer you will often find children playing and having fun in the lower part of the river, sheltered by woodlands and trees. The upper part is a protected nature reserve for you to walk around and enjoy. It is full of wild birds, ducks and swans as well as other wildlife. You can take a walk through the ancient North Cray Woods whilst in the area, established from at least 1600 AD. It is a beautiful area and supports habitats established for centuries.
| Vale MascalVale Mascal was built in 1746 and is privately owned now, although visits can be made by appointment only and weddings can take place here. The gardens are cirtainly impressive, with green lawns sweeping down to the river cray against a backdrop of huge, mature trees. There are also ornamental bridges, woodland and a rockery garden with a cave, waterfall and streams. Capability Brown was thought to be involved in the development of the gardens. The ingenuity with which the River was treated shows skill of the highest order. Lakes were created and cascades and weirs built, developing channels and sub-channels to give the whole River a braided appearance as it flowed around the islands thus created. It was on one of these channels that the Gothic Bath House was built. It is definately worth seeing although an appointment must be made. |
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