Bexley Kent Family History Guide

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Bexley an Ancient Parish in the county of Kent. In 1866 the ecclesiastical boundary of Bexley Ancient Parish was altered with the creation of Bexley Heath Christ Church Ecclesiastical Parish, in 1878 with the creation of Lamorbey Holy Trinity Ecclesiastical Parish, in 1936 with the creation of Bexley St John Ecclesiastical Parish and in 1969 with the creation of Sidcup St Andrew Ecclesiastical Parish.

Bexley St John an Ecclesiastical Parish created in 1936 from Bexley Ancient Parish, Lamorbey Holy Trinity Ecclesiastical Parish and Welling St John Ecclesiastical Parish.

Bexley Heath Christ Church an Ecclesiastical Parish created in 1866 from Bexley Ancient Parish. In 1926 the ecclesiastical boundary of Bexley Heath Christ Church was altered with the creation of Welling St John Ecclesiastical Parish, in 1937 with the creation of Barnehurst Ecclesiastical Parish and in 1955 with the creation of Bexleyheath St Peter Ecclesiastical Parish.

Bexleyheath St Peter an Ecclesiastical Parish created in 1955 from Bexleyheath Christ Church Ecclesiastical Parish and Belvedere All Saints Ecclesiastical Parish.

Other places in the parish include: Lamb Abbey, Bexley Heath, and Lamorbey.

Parish registers begin:

Bexley

  • Parish registers: 1565
  • Bishop’s Transcripts: 1669

Bexley Heath

  • Parish registers: None
  • Bishop’s Transcripts: 1842

Nonconformists include: Baptist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Independent/Congregational, Particular Baptist, and Wesleyan Methodist.

Adjacent Parishes

Bexley Parish Registers

Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials Records

These records include images of Church of England parish registers of baptisms, marriages, deaths and burial records.

Bexley St Mary the Virgin, Kent Church of England Baptisms Marriages and Burials 1565-1812

Bexley, St John the Evangelist, Kent Church of England Births and Baptisms 1882-1925

Bexley, St Mary the Virgin, Kent Church of England Births and Baptisms 1813-1925

Bexleyheath, Christ Church, Kent Church of England Births and Baptisms 1844-1925

Marriage and Banns Records

These records include images of Church of England parish registers of marriages and banns records.

Bexley, St John the Evangelist, Kent Church of England Marriages and Banns 1892-1935

Bexley, St Mary the Virgin, Kent Church of England Marriages and Banns 1755-1935

Bexleyheath, Christ Church, Kent Church of England Marriages and Banns 1847-1935

Death and Burial Records

These records include images of Church of England parish registers of deaths and burial records.

Bexley, St Mary the Virgin Kent Church of England Deaths and Burials 1813-1978

Bexleyheath Christ Church Kent Church of England Deaths and Burials 1842-1925

Bexleyheath Cemetery, Kent Cemetery Registers 1879-1985

Parish History

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

BEXLEY, a village, a parish, and a subdistrict, in the district of Dartford, Kent. The village stands on the Cray river, and on the Lee and Dartford railway, 3 miles W of Dartford; has a r. station with telegraph, a post office under London SE, and a fair on 13 Sept.; and gave the title of Baron to the Vansittarts.

The parish includes Bexley-Heath and three hamlets. Acres, 5,025. Real property, £25,284. Pop., 4,944. Houses, 1,002. The property is much subdivided. The manor belonged, in the Saxon times, to the see of Canterbury; was alienated, by Cranmer, to Henry VIII.; granted, by James I., to Sir John Spielman; sold by Spielman to Camden the antiquary; and bequeathed by Camden to University college, Oxford, for maintaining a professorship of history.

The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Canterbury. Value, £592. Patron, Viscount Sydney. The church is chiefly early English, with later windows. The vicarage of Bexley-Heath and the p. curacy of Lamorbey are separate benefices. There are a national school, an infant school, alms-houses with £100 a year, and other charities £104. The subdistrict comprises four parishes. Acres, 12,969. Pop., 13,026.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

Maps

Vision of Britain Historical Maps – includes topographic maps, boundary maps and land use maps

Administration

  • County: Kent
  • Civil Registration District: Dartford
  • Probate Court: Pre-1845 – Court of the Peculiar of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham, Post-1844 – Search the courts of surrounding parishes
  • Diocese: Pre-1845 – Rochester, Post-1844 – Canterbury
  • Rural Deanery: Pre-1845 – None, Post-1844 – Dartford
  • Poor Law Union: Dartford
  • Hundred: Codsheath; Ruxley
  • Province: Canterbury