The station took its name from the nearby Kent House farm, the first house in the historic county of Kent after crossing the Surrey border. Kent House (which stood on Kent House Rd, near the junction with Lennard Road) was demolished in 1957.
The line was opened by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) on 1 July 1863, but the station was not opened until 1 October 1884 and was originally named Kent House (Beckenham). It lies above street level, where the booking office is situated; there is a subway and stairs to the platforms.
Parking is available near the cache.