It is located east of Sidcup and south of Bexleyheath and is 12.6 miles (20.3 km) south-east of Charing Cross, the traditional centre of London in the Metropolitan Green Belt.

North Cray was previously a civil parish in the Hundred of Ruxley, Sutton-at-Hone Lathe.

The nearest National Rail stations to North Cray are Sidcup and Bexley, which both provide services to London Charing Cross, Dartford and Gravesend.

North Cray briefly became the centre of international attention in August 1822 when Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, the Foreign Secretary, committed suicide at his country home Loring Hall.

Other notable people associated with the area include geologist Joshua Trimmer,[3] colonial administrator Harry Ord,[4] and cricketer John Gosling,[5] all of whom were born in North Cray.