St John's Lane
St John's Lane
Info > Places > Q-Z
St Johns Lane (1) Looking towards Orchard Cottage (2) Junction with Church Road
St John's Lane (often pronounced "sinjins lane" locally), is one of Hartley's ancient roads, linking Church Road and Ash Road. It is shown on the 1769 map of the area. It has two Smallowners built houses dating to the early 20th century (Glebe House and Orchard Cottage), but the remaining houses date to the 1960s and 1970s. The road was originally named, but is now numbered.
The origin of the name is unclear, as there are no obvious links in Hartley to St John, the Church for example is dedicated to All Saints' and the field names do not provide any clue. We are also hampered by a lack of pre-20th century references to the name of the road. Before the war it was called both St John's Road and St John's Lane, but residents were definitely unhappy when the council put up a St John's Road sign in 1967.
Up until the late 1960s the road was very narrow and difficult to pass, which acted as a block to further development as well as being inconvenient for travellers. In 1923 Hartley parish asked for the road to be widened. This led to the widening of the Ash Road junction and the erection of a sign saying it was unsuitable for heavy traffic. In 1936 Hartley's district councillor, Captain Bignell, called again for widening. Dartford Rural Council didn't want to pay for this, but decided to negotiate for the purchase of land for two passing places. Meanwhile Hartley Grange came up for sale and Mr and Mrs Hoath the new owners offered land for road widening in 1938. This time the problem was Kent County Council who objected to the scheme on grounds of the £1,388 cost. Dartford RDC replied that they believed the road was narrow and dangerous, being only 8 feet wide in places. So back it was to the plan for two passing places which would cost £147, but by now the landowner was getting impatient at the council's constant delays. Nothing had been done in the war years, and in 1949 the parish council was reduced to asking for one-way traffic, this seems to have led to the passing places being added the following year. Widening was finally achieved in 1969.
Oldest Houses in St John's Lane (1) Glebe House (no 1) (2) Orchard Cottage (no 19)
The earliest house was Glebe House (number 1) which was called Bundoran when built in 1912. Orchard Cottage (number 19) was built on part of the plot in 1921. The 1958 Town Plan envisaged infilling on the north side of St John's Lane within the following 5 years, but placed the south side (including the site of Billings Hill Shaw and Grange Way) in the "white land" where they did not want to allow development for at least 20 years. From 1942 to 1968 number 1 was the home of the Rectors of Hartley Church, then numbers 3-15 were built on the back garden of Glebe House by Fovn Construction Co Limited, and number 3 became the new Rectory and remains so today. Of the other odd numbers 17 was built in part of the garden of Orchard Cottage; and nd 21-25 were built by Brewster Estates Limited on land that was Cherry Orchard Farm. The house itself was where the back gardens of 23 and 25 are today.The even numbers were built at the same time as Billings Hill Shaw on land that had belonged to Hartley Grange by George Wimpey & Co Ltd.
St Johns Lane: 1936 map (black & white) superimposed on modern map (colour) Contains OS data © Crown copyright (2016)
Going further back in time, St John's Lane was bordered by no less than three farms - Fairby, Blue House Farm and Middle Farm (see map).
Grange Way
Grange Way is a small cul-de-sac of mostly detached bungalows. It was built in 1967-8 by the firm A P Clifford Limited of St Mary Cray. The land for it was part of the back garden of Amphion (now called Avalon), Ash Road, which the owners (John and Gynneth Tate) sold for £13,500 on 5 July 1966. Previously Mr Tate had got planning permission for 5 houses and 4 bungalows (Ref: TH/58/396; TH/64/1C). The Tates had owned the land since buying it from Smallowners Limited in 1915. Southside and May Cottage are later additions. They were built at the same time as Tates Orchard on the back garden of Brendon, Ash Road.
The status of road numbering for Grange Way is a bit uncertain. According to the Post Office website only 2, 4, 5 and 7 have numbers and the others are names without numbers. However all but Southside and May Cottage are numbered on the Ordnance Survey map.
Billings Hill Shaw
Historically, Billings Hill Shaw is the name of strip of woodland at the southern end of the estate. Shaws were often historic estate boundaries, and indeed this marked the edge of the Hartley Court estate. The origin of the name is uncertain. In other place names Billing is normally a personal name. It is not connected with the Billings family, who have built many of Hartley's modern houses.
When Smallowners Limited broke up the old farms into smallholdings, this area became the holding called "Hill Shaw", later "Hartley Grange". It's future development potential was recognised as early as 1937 in its advert for sale in the Guardian.
"Hartley Grange, Longfield, Kent, is a modern house, built, in the favourite way, in two stories. Its particular attractions are two fold. In the first place, it is a very compact and easily run small country property in an exceedingly pleasant part of Kent and one which is noted for its fruit growing. Ten out of its 16 acres produce apples, pears, plums and cherries on the 2,000 trees, everyone full bearing, with which they are planted. It is just the sort of place to suit anyone who wants to live a country life with sufficient land to indulge a profitable hobby, like fruit farming or poultry rearing. Then there is the other side to it. There are road frontages to the property which are of considerable potential value. The 835 feet to Church Road and the 1,040 to St John's Road, both parish roads with no paving charges, would make it worth while considering whether the Grange was not an attractive proposition from the developer's point of view. London is within an hour's journey by the best trains. Harrods are the agents concerned, and they will sell the property publicly on September 7 if nobody buys it before then."
The buyers in 1937 were (Ralph) Stanley Hoath and Doris Viney Hoath. They were from farming families and had previously lived at Greycote in Manor Drive. In 1931 Mr Hoath was living at Littlebrook Manor in Dartford, so may have had to move when the land was acquired for the power station there. As they approached retirement age in 1961 they considered developing Billings Hill Shaw. Mr and Mrs Hoath were told not yet, although it was clearly envisaged the site would one day be developed. 1958 town plan had earmarked the land as a potential site for the new Hartley Primary School which eventually went to Round Ash Way. In 1968 Mrs Hoath signed an agreement to sell with the builders George Wimpey. In the same year another attempt was made to develop the site. This went to appeal; the planning inspector said the 5 acres of the future Billings Hill Shaw was acceptable for development, but the rest of Hartley Grange was not. Finally in 1973 George Wimpey got the green light and three years later, Billings Hill Shaw came into being. As part of the planning permission part of the land was transferred to the parish council to become a recreation ground, largely used by dog walkers today. However it does contain a faint echo of the old smallholding, because a few of the orchard trees were retained. It is uncertain whether the builders realised that they had also conveyed Hartley Grange Cottage with the land, but for many years the parish council let it out to tenants. They originally didn't want to sell the cottage because they thought they might need it one day for a groundsman, but eventually sold it in 1995.
Billings Hill Shaw Recreation Ground
Statistics about the road
Subject | Details |
| Length of Roads | St John's Lane 0.23 miles (365 metres) Billings Hill Shaw 0.31 miles (493 metres) Grange Way 0.07 miles (115 metres) |
| KCC Reference: | St John's Lane U1123 Unclassified single carriageway Billings Hill Shaw U14735 Unclassified single carriageway Grange Way U12965 Unclassified single carriageway |
| Acreage (Magic Map): | St John's Lane 4.1 acres (1.7 ha) Billings Hill Shaw 7.0 acres (2.8 ha) Grange Way 2.3 acres (0.9 ha) |
| Houses: | St John's Lane 22 Billings Hill Shaw 47 Grange Way 9 |
| Density: | St John's Lane 5.4 houses/acre (12.9 houses/ha) Billings Hill Shaw 6.7 houses/acre (16.8 houses/ha) Grange Way 3.9 houses/acre (10.0 houses/ha) Hartley average 4.9 houses/acre |
| Population (2021): | St John's Lane 57 (2011 - 59) Billings Hill Shaw 113 (2011 - 105) Grange Way 19 (2011 - 21) |
| Energy Consumption (2023) Figures are median annual consumption per household | St John's Lane Electricity: 3,575 KWh (48th of 99 Hartley postcodes) Gas: 16,957 KWh (28th of 81 Hartley postcodes) Billings Hill Shaw 20,947 KWh/annum (31st / 62 roads in Hartley) Electricity: 3,357 KWh (56th of 99 Hartley postcodes) Gas: 16,091 KWh (49th of 81 Hartley postcodes) Grange Way Electricity: 3,070 KWh (68th of 99 Hartley postcodes) Gas: 18,792 KWh (22nd of 81 Hartley postcodes) |
| Companies Registered Here (2025) | St John's Lane 1 Billings Hill Shaw 3 Grange Way 1 |
Information about the houses
Last updated 7.6.2025
Explanation:
This is information collected from various sources about the houses, divided as follows:
(1) Description - this has mostly been drawn from sale adverts and observation from the road. Names of properties are included if the road is not numbered or the name appears as well as the number in the offical Royal Mail address. Changes of name and the date, where known, are also included here.
(2) Building History - the date of construction is sometimes approximate as it is based on the property appearing in the electoral register or the subject of a planning permission etc.
(3) Rates and Council Tax - the rates registers for 1956, 1963 and 1972 are held by Sevenoaks Council. I have included the gross rateable value, that is the amount it was thought the property could be rented out for. For some reason the 1956 valuation is actually what the rental would have been in 1939. The rateable value was then subject to certain statutory deductions and this figure is what people paid rates upon. Council tax was introduced in 1993, the value was (and still is) what it was believed the property would have sold for on 1 April 1991. However significant building works means it can be increased when the property is next sold and this is shown by "improvement indicator".
(4) Sales and Rents - mostly from property adverts and Land Registry records. Of course those based on adverts may not be the price it actually sold for. There are some cases of property valuations for mortgages from Dartford Rural District Council. House price data 1995 to date produced by Land Registry © Crown copyright 2023. To report an error, go to Change a sales record form.
(5) Site history - this contains a selection of records which demonstrate which farm and field the property stands upon.
I have tried to make sure the information is accurate, but no responsibility can be taken for any errors. If you plan to rely on the information, you should check the source data to be sure. If you spot an error, please let me know via the contact form.
St John's Lane (North Side)
1 (Glebe House) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house (5 bedrooms, 325.1 sq m + outbuilding 37.4 sq m)
Building History
1913 First Built
1930 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1930/Meeting 1930-12-02 alterations and new larder (Bundoran, Ash Road)
1953 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1953/7089 Private garage
2013 Planning Application: (REFUSED) 2013/1497 Replace car port with 3 bay garage with games room above
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £471
1993 Council Tax: G (£160-320K)
Sales and Rents
1912 Sale Price: £140 (18 Mar 1912) Land only
1918 Sale Price: £1350 (18 Sep 1918) Annual percentage change since 1912: +42%
1927 Sale Price: £1675 (5 Mar 1927) Annual percentage change since 1918: +3%
1930 Sale Price: £1750 (9 Oct 1930) Annual percentage change since 1927: +1%
1935 Sale Price: £1760 (15 Jan 1935) Annual percentage change since 1930: +%
2001 Sale Price: £420000 (20 Jul 2001) Annual percentage change since 1935: +9%
2010 Sale Price: £570000 (4 Jun 2010) Annual percentage change since 2001: +3%
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
3 (The Rectory) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1967 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £320
1993 Council Tax: G (£160-320K)
Sales and Rents
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
5 (Brecklands) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house (3 bedroom, 100.4 sq m + garage 11.8 sq m)
Building History
1968 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £389
1993 Council Tax: E (£88-120K) Formerly Band F (1993)
Sales and Rents
2020 Sale Price: £474000 (9 Jul 2020)
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
7 (Bracenhurst) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1967 First Built
1970 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1970/643 2 storey dining room and bedroom extension
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £389
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
9 (Ralmar) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1967 First Built
1976 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1976/1102 Rear Extension To Dwelling
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £389
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
11 (Foxbury) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1967 First Built
1979 Planning Application: (REFUSED) 1979/485 EXTENSION TO FRONT OF EXISTING GARAGE AND CARPORT AT FRONT OF DWELLING
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £416
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
13 (Silver Springs) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Former Name(s): Fairway (1967-1974)
Building History
1967 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £389
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
2002 Sale Price: £249995 (21 Jun 2002)
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
15 (Aspen Chance) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1967 First Built
1977 Planning Application: (NOT KNOWN) 1977/438 Extension To Side And Rear Of Dwelling
2000 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 2000/696 Demolish rear extension, replace with 2 storey rear extension
2004 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 2004/2922 Side extension
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £416
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K) With improvement indicator (2020)
Sales and Rents
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
17 (Rebalie) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached bungalow (4 bedroom, 125.6 sq m)
Building History
1976 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
2019 Sale Price: £525000 (28 Jul 2019)
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
19 (Orchard Cottage) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached bungalow
Building History
1921 First Built
1967 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1967/289 Erect garden shed / domestic workshop
Rates and Council Tax
1956 Gross Rateable Value: £39
1963 Gross Rateable Value: £115
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £269
1993 Council Tax: E (£88-120K)
Sales and Rents
1972 Sale Price: £13250 (8 Sep 1972)
1998 Sale Price: £140000 (2 Apr 1998) Annual percentage change since 1972: +10%
Site History
1604 Part of field called Harries Hawe (Fairby Farm)
1912 Part of Bundoran (Glebe House, 1 St Johns Lane) smallholding
21 (Petramuir) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house (4 bedroom)
Building History
1964 First Built
1966 Planning Application: (REFUSED) 1966/413 demolish and rebuild garage with bedroom over
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £484
1993 Council Tax: G (£160-320K)
Sales and Rents
1970 Sale Price: £9500 (1 Apr 1970)
1980 Sale Price: £62500 (22 Sep 1980) Advertised in 1979 at £68,000 ono Annual percentage change since 1970: +20%
Site History
1495 Part of field called Basedeane (Blue House Farm)
1920 Part of Cherry Orchard Farm smallholding
23 (Feldberg) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house (3 bedroom, 117 sq m)
Building History
1964 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
1964 Sale Price: £1250 (1 Jan 1964) Land only
2018 Sale Price: £500000 (26 Jan 2018) Annual percentage change since 1964: +12%
Site History
1495 Part of field called Basedeane (Blue House Farm)
1920 Part of Cherry Orchard Farm smallholding
25 (Casa Girassol) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1964 First Built
1962 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1962/462.2 Amended details of garage - plot 30
1976 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1976/1545 Erection Of 6' High Approx Enclosure And Boundary Fence Fronting Church Road
1987 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1987/1048 Extension
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: G (£160-320K)
Sales and Rents
Site History
1495 Part of field called Basedeane (Blue House Farm)
1920 Part of Cherry Orchard Farm smallholding
St John's Lane (South Side)
2 (Kemnal) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house (4 bedroom, 125.6 sq m)
Building History
1978 First Built
1970 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1970/662 Additional garage and toolshed
Rates and Council Tax
1972 Gross Rateable Value: £484
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K) Formerly Band G (1993)
Sales and Rents
2011 Sale Price: £350000 (8 Aug 2011)
2017 Sale Price: £570000 (3 Jun 2017) Advertised price Annual percentage change since 2011: +9%
Site History
1604 Part of field called Parrys Croft (Fairby Farm)
1920 Part of Hartley Grange, Church Road smallholding
4 (Retamar) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house (5 bedroom)
Building History
Building History
1976 First Built
1978 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: G (£160-320K)
Sales and Rents
Sales and Rents
1976 Sale Price: £29750 (24 Nov 1976)
1996 Sale Price: £157000 (14 Jun 1996) Annual percentage change since 1976: +9%
2001 Sale Price: £320000 (30 Aug 2001) Annual percentage change since 1996: +15%
2024 Sale Price: £750000 (16 Sep 2024) Advertised at £779,000 Annual percentage change since 2001: +4%
Site History
Site History
1604 Part of field called Parrys Croft (Fairby Farm)
1920 Part of Hartley Grange, Church Road smallholding
6 St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1976 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
2004 Sale Price: £390000 (8 Oct 2004)
Site History
1604 Part of field called Parrys Croft (Fairby Farm)
1920 Part of Hartley Grange, Church Road smallholding
8 St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1976 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
2000 Sale Price: £279995 (21 Dec 2000)
Site History
1604 Part of field called Parrys Croft (Fairby Farm)
1920 Part of Hartley Grange, Church Road smallholding
10 (Heathwood) St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1976 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: G (£160-320K)
Sales and Rents
2023 Sale Price: £700000 (26 May 2023)
2023 Sale Price: £710000 (22 Aug 2023) Annual percentage change since 1900: +6%
Site History
1604 Part of field called Parrys Croft (Fairby Farm)
1920 Part of Hartley Grange, Church Road smallholding
12 St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1978 First Built
2005 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 2005/2940 Front extension and alterations
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: G (£160-320K) With improvement indicator (2020)
Sales and Rents
1996 Sale Price: £160000 (19 Apr 1996)
Site History
1604 Part of field called Parrys Croft (Fairby Farm)
1920 Part of Hartley Grange, Church Road smallholding
14 St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1978 First Built
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: F (£120-160K)
Sales and Rents
Site History
1624 Part of field called Haydings (Middle Farm)
1920 Part of Hartley Grange, Church Road smallholding
16 St Johns Lane DA3 8ET
Detached house
Building History
1978 First Built
1987 Planning Application: (GRANTED) 1987/62 2 storey side extension and porch
Rates and Council Tax
1993 Council Tax: G (£160-320K)
Sales and Rents
Site History
1624 Part of field called Haydings (Middle Farm)
1920 Part of Hartley Grange, Church Road smallholding