Hayes: Natural Areas, Trails and Village History

Hayes reveals a less obvious side of London: natural areas, designated trails and a local history dating back to the Bronze Age. Its history spans Bronze Age activities on Hayes Common and St Mary the Virgin, a medieval parish church dating from the 13th century.

Nature and Trails Around Hayes

Hayes and Keston Commons were designated as a Local Nature Reserve by the London Borough of Bromley in 2011. A small part of Hayes Common is also included in a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The geographical scope of the two designations differs: the Local Nature Reserve designation applies to Hayes and Keston Commons, while the SSSI status applies only to a small part of Hayes Common.

The Ravensbourne Trail is approximately 2.5 miles long. Numbered or marked posts indicate its route. The trail passes rare heathland and wet meadow habitats, heathland, acid grassland and ancient coppice woodland. The varied landscape is therefore the focus of this trail. At approximately 2.5 miles, the Ravensbourne Trail is shorter than the Hayes Trail, which is about 6 miles long in total.

Local History on Two Routes

The Hayes Trail offers a different perspective. It is a circular route along the surviving buildings of the Parish of Hayes from 1914 and is divided into five walks. The trail explores who lived in the surviving buildings of the Parish of Hayes, what happened to the residents and how the war affected Hayes. Unlike the Ravensbourne Trail, the focus here is therefore not the natural landscape, but the history of the buildings and their residents.

The older history of the area also dates back to the Bronze Age: between 1000 and 700 BC, Bronze Age people ground grain and wove sheep's wool on Hayes Common. St Mary the Virgin is a medieval parish church dating from the 13th century and also the oldest building in the village of Hayes. The Bronze Age activities took place on Hayes Common; St Mary the Virgin belongs to the village of Hayes and is its oldest building. The two places therefore differ both in period and subject: Hayes Common is associated with grinding and weaving, while St Mary the Virgin is a church building.

Finding Your Way Around the Area

The Millennium Rock in Hayes is located outside the library, beside the path. Hayes Library offers events and activities for all age groups, including reading groups and Rhyme Time sessions.

If you would like to place Hayes within your wider orientation around London, you can also consider Poplar, Surbiton, Rotherhithe, Walthamstow, Northwood, Bexleyheath, Harrow and Romford.