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Lewisham

Lewisham (/ˈlɪʃəm/) is an area of southeast London, England, six miles (ten kilometres) south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London,[1] with a large shopping centre and street market.

Lewisham
Lewisham Central at night
Lewisham
Location within Greater London
Population60,573 (Ladywell, Lewisham Central, Lee Green and Blackheath wards 2011)
OS grid referenceTQ385755
London borough
Ceremonial countyGreater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLONDON
Postcode districtSE13
Dialling code020
PoliceMetropolitan
FireLondon
AmbulanceLondon
UK Parliament
London Assembly
List of places
UK
England
London
51°27′40″N 0°00′18″W / 51.461°N 0.005°W / 51.461; -0.005Coordinates: 51°27′40″N 0°00′18″W / 51.461°N 0.005°W / 51.461; -0.005

Lewisham was a small village until the development of passenger railways in the 19th century. Lewisham had a population of 60,573 in 2011.[2]

History

 
'A View of Lewisham' (1770) by John Cleveley Junior
 
The medieval Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in Lewisham

The earliest written reference to Lewisham – Old English: liofshema – is from a charter from 862 which established the boundaries with neighbouring Bromley[3]

Lewisham is sometimes said to have been founded, according to Bede, by a pagan Jute, Leof, who settled (by burning his boat) near St Mary's Church (Ladywell) where the ground was drier, in the 6th century,[4] but there seems to be no solid source for this speculation, and there is no such passage in Bede's history.[5]

As to the etymology of the name, Daniel Lysons (1796) wrote:

"In the most ancient Saxon records this place is called Levesham, that is, the house among the meadows; leswe, læs, læse, or læsew, in the Saxon, signifies a meadow, and ham, a dwelling. A Latin legal record, dated 1440, mentions a place in Kent as Levesham which may refer to Lewisham.[6] It is now written, as well in parochial and other records as in common usage, Lewisham."[7]

"Leofshema" was an important settlement at the confluence of the rivers Quaggy (from Farnborough) and Ravensbourne (Caesar's Well, Keston), so the village expanded north into the wetter area as drainage techniques improved.

 
The 19th-century Church of St Stephen in Lewisham

King Alfred was Lord of the Manor of Lewisham, as is celebrated by a plaque in Lewisham Library.

The Manor of Lewisham, with its appendages of Greenwich and Combe, was given by Elthruda, King Alfred's niece, to the Saint Peter's Abbey, Ghent in a Charter dated 18th September around 918,[8] of which Lewisham then became a cell, or an alien priory. This grant is said to have been confirmed by King Edgar in 964, and by Edward the Confessor in 1044, with the addition of many privileges.

In the mid-17th century, the then vicar of Lewisham, Abraham Colfe, built a grammar school, a primary school and six almshouses for the inhabitants.

In the 17th century the Manor of Lewisham was purchased by George Legge, later Baron Dartmouth. His son William was raised by Queen Anne to several positions of honour and trust, and was a member of her privy council; and on 5 September 1711, was ennobled as Viscount Lewisham, and Earl of Dartmouth. His grandson George, Lord Dartmouth, obtained the privilege of holding a fair twice a year, and a market twice a week, upon Blackheath in the parish. The fair used to be held on 12 May and 11 October, but in 1772 it was discontinued, (except for the sale of cattle) by the Earl of Dartmouth, as lord of the manor.[9]

The village of Lewisham had its nucleus in its southern part, around the parish church of St Mary, towards the present site of University Hospital Lewisham. The centre migrated north with the coming of the North Kent line to Dartford in 1849, encouraging commuter housing. The Official Illustrated Guide to South-Eastern and North and Mid-Kent Railways of June 1863, by George Measom, describes Lewisham as follows: "Lewisham Station, situated on the slope of an eminence amidst picturesque scenery, beautiful green meadows rising abruptly to the summit of the hill on the left, dotted with handsome residences and gardens, while the Common is seen intersected by various crossroads and studded with country inns and houses on the low ground or valley to the right. The area of the parish is 5,789 acres... Lord of the manor, the Earl of Dartmouth to whom it gives the title Viscount."

Lewisham was administratively part of Kent until 1889, and then formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham in the County of London until 1965.

 
The 19th-century clock tower in Lewisham

The town centre was hit by a V-1 flying bomb[10] in 1944: there were over 300 casualties including 51 fatalities, and it devastated the high street, which was fully restored by the mid-1950s. This horrific event is commemorated by a plaque outside the Lewisham Shopping Centre (opened in 1977). The plaque was on the pavement outside the Marks & Spencer store in the main shopping precinct. However, suffering wear and tear, the local authority arranged for it to be mounted to the façade.[11] In 1955 Sainsbury's opened a store in Lewisham which was reported to be Europe's largest self-service supermarket, with 7,500 square feet of retail space,[12] although the one now incorporated in the 1977 shopping centre is much smaller.[13] The area at the north end of the High Street was pedestrianised in 1994. It is home to a daily street market and a local landmark, the clock tower, completed in 1900 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The police station, opened in 2004 to replace the station in Ladywell, is one of the largest in Europe.[14]

Lewisham Cricket Club was one of the most prestigious London sides during the Victorian era. From 1864 they played at Lewisham Cricket Ground, which lay north of Ladywell Road, until its closure later in the 19th century. Lewisham Swimming Club was also very successful, with several of its members representing England at water polo and other gymkhana events. During the First World War, Lewisham Hospital's infirmary became the Lewisham Military Hospital, and during the Second World War the hospital was hit by a V-1 flying bomb, which destroyed two wards, injured 70 people and killed one nurse.

Lewisham is also the site of one of the worst disasters on the British railway network in the 20th century. On 4 December 1957 a crowded steam-hauled passenger express headed for the Kent coast overran signals at danger in thick fog near St Johns station and crashed into a stationary electric train for the Hayes branch line. The force of the impact brought down an overhead railway bridge onto the wreckage below. An electric multiple unit about to cross the bridge towards Nunhead managed to pull up in time. Ninety passengers and crew died in the accident.

In 1977, the Battle of Lewisham saw 500 members of the National Front, who were attempting to march through the area, and their police escort, attacked by more than 4000 counter-demonstrators.[15]

The Docklands Light Railway was extended to Lewisham in 1999.[16] Molesworth Street widened to create a bypass around the shopping area as part of the "Lewisham 2000" project, including sculptures by John Maine.[17] This saw the demolition of the 1932 art deco Lewisham Odeon which had also provided a live music venue hosting artists from Johnny Cash to the Rolling Stones.

The 2010s and early 2020s saw the construction of many high-rise residential buildings around Loampit Vale and Molesworth Street. The former roundabout by Lewisham station was replaced with an "H" junction to release land for further private development.[18] This was to be supported by the cancelled Bakerloo Line extension to Lewisham.

 
Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie by Phil Coy (2013), Lewisham. Ten colour sound reactive backlit glass façade, based on digital camouflage pattern.

In 2013 the Glass Mill Leisure Centre opened opposite Lewisham station with its façade defined by a large scale embedded kinetic artwork "Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie"[19][20] by the artist Phil Coy. The project was awarded the Best Built Project – Community Scale Scheme in the London Planning Awards 2013/14.[21]

Governance

 
Lewisham Town Hall, completed in 1932
 
A map showing the wards of Lewisham Metropolitan Borough as they appeared in 1916.

The parish of Lewisham was governed by a vestry; and from 1855 until 1900 by the Lewisham District Board of Works, in combination with Penge. Following the London Government Act 1899, the County of London was split into 28 metropolitan boroughs in 1900. Lewisham, with the parish of Lee, became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham. In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, the current 32 London boroughs were formed and today Lewisham is part of the London Borough of Lewisham.

Lewisham London Borough Council is based in Catford. The current directly elected mayor is Damien Egan. In the London Assembly, the London Borough of Lewisham is joined with the Royal Borough of Greenwich to form the Greenwich and Lewisham constituency, with the current Assembly Member being Len Duvall. For Westminster elections, Lewisham is covered by the Lewisham Deptford constituency, whose Member of Parliament (MP) As of 2021 is Vicky Foxcroft.[22]

Commercial area and amenities

 
University Hospital Lewisham, Riverside Building
 
Lewisham House, 25 Molesworth Street

Lewisham's commercial area is one of the largest in south-east London. Lewisham Shopping Centre, opened in 1977, has 70 stores and is over 330,000 square feet. Shops include Marks & Spencer, W H Smith, Sainsbury's, H&M, TK Maxx, JD Sports, SportsDirect.com, Argos and Boots.[23] The centre is between Molesworth Street (a dual carriageway section of the A21) and Lewisham High Street. Lewisham Market and the Central Library are outside the shopping centre in the High Street. Also part of the complex is the Lewisham House office tower, once the tallest building in the borough and formerly occupied by Citibank. There are proposals to convert this brutalist skyscraper to flats.[citation needed]

Lewisham has a bowling alley[24] and the Glassmill Swimming pool and Gym.

Lewisham has a number of parks, such as Hilly Fields and Lewisham Park.

For 14 years between 2001 and 2015, Lewisham was the only London Borough not to have a cinema. Lewisham once had many cinemas, such as the Lewisham Odeon. In 1930 there were 30 venues showing films.[25] As of 2022, there is only one cinema operating in the borough: Catford Mews.[26]

Opened in 1894, University Hospital Lewisham is a National Health Service, acute hospital run by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust serving the whole London Borough of Lewisham as well as some surrounding areas. In July 2012 the government recommended that Lewisham's Accident & Emergency ward should be closed, with emergency provision transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, London. However, there was a strong campaign in Lewisham against the proposed closure, including a march on 24 November 2012,[27] and a successful legal challenge. In July 2013, the High Court ruled that the closure of Lewisham A&E could not go ahead.[28] In October 2013, the Court of Appeal ruled that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt did not have power to implement cuts at Lewisham Hospital.[29]

Education

Secondary schools in Lewisham include:

Transport

 
Lewisham DLR entrance

National Rail

Lewisham station provides the area with Southeastern services to London Victoria, London Charing Cross, London Cannon Street, Dartford via Woolwich Arsenal, Dartford via Bexleyheath, Gravesend via Bexleyheath, Slade Green via Bexleyheath, Slade Green via Sidcup, Hayes and Orpington.

DLR

Lewisham station also provides DLR services to Bank via Canary Wharf.

Buses

Lewisham is served by many London Buses routes.

Redevelopment

 
Cornmill Gardens development around the River Ravensbourne, 2013

Lewisham London Borough Council's local development plan was intended to improve Lewisham's town centre to become a metropolitan centre to rival Bromley, Croydon and Kingston upon Thames.[30][31]

There is a skyscraper adjacent to the shopping centre which used to be owned by Citibank until they moved to the Docklands which may be converted to residential.

There are four major development sites around on Loampit Vale:

  • The Renaissance development comprises flats in buildings from five to 24 storeys, including private and L&Q social housing, as well as the new Glass Mill Leisure Centre, which opened in 2013 and replaced the Ladywell leisure centre.[32]
  • Lewisham Gateway[33] is a much-delayed redevelopment site bounded by the DLR station, Lewisham High Street, the shopping centre and the railway to Blackheath. The highway layout has been changed from a roundabout to two signalised junctions, while the rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy have been re-routed. The development is intended to include shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, leisure facilities and up to 800 homes. The first phase of construction started in May 2014 with a 15 and 25-story residential building east of the DLR station.[34]
  • Thurston Road industrial estate had planning consent granted in 2008; however, the development has been heavily delayed. The development was completed in 2016 and includes L&Q social housing.[35] The scheme is a mixed used site, which includes residential and commercial buildings of between two and 17 storeys, as well a car park.[36]
  • The former Sherwood Court industrial estate is now the Chapter student housing scheme.[37]

Notable people

Among those who were born or have lived in Lewisham are:

Geography

Almost all of the SE13 postcode district, which is associated with Lewisham is within the London Borough of Lewisham, except for the Coldbath Estate and part of the Orchard Estate along Lewisham Road, which are covered by the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The town includes areas such as St Johns and Hither Green, as well as Lee and Ladywell to the south and east.

Climate

The nearest Met Office climate station is based in Greenwich Park:


Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 17.2
(63.0)
21.2
(70.2)
24.5
(76.1)
29.4
(84.9)
32.8
(91.0)
35.6
(96.1)
40.2
(104.4)
38.1
(100.6)
35.0
(95.0)
29.5
(85.1)
21.1
(70.0)
17.4
(63.3)
40.2
(104.4)
Average high °C (°F) 8.4
(47.1)
9.0
(48.2)
11.7
(53.1)
15.0
(59.0)
18.4
(65.1)
21.6
(70.9)
23.9
(75.0)
23.4
(74.1)
20.2
(68.4)
15.8
(60.4)
11.5
(52.7)
8.8
(47.8)
15.7
(60.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.6
(42.1)
5.8
(42.4)
7.9
(46.2)
10.5
(50.9)
13.7
(56.7)
16.8
(62.2)
19.0
(66.2)
18.7
(65.7)
15.9
(60.6)
12.3
(54.1)
8.4
(47.1)
5.9
(42.6)
11.7
(53.1)
Average low °C (°F) 2.7
(36.9)
2.7
(36.9)
4.1
(39.4)
6.0
(42.8)
9.1
(48.4)
12.0
(53.6)
14.2
(57.6)
14.1
(57.4)
11.6
(52.9)
8.8
(47.8)
5.3
(41.5)
3.1
(37.6)
7.8
(46.0)
Record low °C (°F) −16.1
(3.0)
−13.9
(7.0)
−8.9
(16.0)
−5.6
(21.9)
−3.1
(26.4)
−0.6
(30.9)
3.9
(39.0)
2.1
(35.8)
1.4
(34.5)
−5.5
(22.1)
−7.1
(19.2)
−17.4
(0.7)
−17.4
(0.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 58.8
(2.31)
45.0
(1.77)
38.8
(1.53)
42.3
(1.67)
45.9
(1.81)
47.3
(1.86)
45.8
(1.80)
52.8
(2.08)
49.6
(1.95)
65.1
(2.56)
66.6
(2.62)
57.1
(2.25)
615.0
(24.21)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 11.5 9.5 8.5 8.8 8.0 8.3 7.9 8.4 7.9 10.8 11.2 10.8 111.7
Average relative humidity (%) 80 77 70 65 67 65 65 69 73 78 81 81 73
Average dew point °C (°F) 3
(37)
2
(36)
2
(36)
4
(39)
7
(45)
10
(50)
12
(54)
12
(54)
10
(50)
9
(48)
6
(43)
3
(37)
7
(44)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 61.1 78.8 124.5 176.7 207.5 208.4 217.8 202.1 157.1 115.2 70.7 55.0 1,674.8
Percent possible sunshine 23 28 31 40 41 41 42 45 40 35 27 21 35
Average ultraviolet index 1 1 2 4 5 6 6 5 4 2 1 0 3
Source 1: Met Office[42][43][44] Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute[45][46]
Source 2: Weather Atlas (percent sunshine and UV Index)[47] CEDA Archive[48] TORRO[49] Time and Date[50]

See Climate of London for additional climate information.

  1. ^ Averages are taken from Heathrow, and extremes are taken from stations across London.


See also

References

  1. ^ Mayor of London (February 2008). (PDF). Greater London Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2010.
  2. ^ . Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  3. ^ "St Mary's Church Lewisham- 1100 Years at the Centre of Lewisham". Our Hither Green. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  4. ^ "A Brief History Of The Lewisham Borough". Lewisham Card. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England". www.gutenberg.org. Project Gutenberg. 17 December 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; National Archives; CP 40/717; second entry; Walter Wheler, husbandman, as defendant in a plea of debt". Documents from Medieval and Early Modern England from the National Archives in London. 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Lewisham", The Environs of London: volume 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent. 1796. pp. 514–536. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  8. ^ Barratt, Nick (2012). Greater London – The Story of the Suburbs. Vauxhall Bridge Road, London: Random House. p. 512. ISBN 9781847945327.
  9. ^ "Legge, William, first Earl of Dartmouth". Personalia. 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  10. ^ "Lewisham, V1 Site High Street, Marks & Spencer". Lewisham War Memorials. 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  11. ^ Chandler, Mark (22 February 2011). "Lewisham council to replace plaque commemorating the lives lost in wartime bombing". News Shopper. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  12. ^ "Sainsburys". Company Histories.
  13. ^ "Self Service Expansion". Museum of London.
  14. ^ "South East London Police Stations". Laing. 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  15. ^ "1977: Violent clashes at NF march". 13 August 1977. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  16. ^ "Lewisham Station | Trains to Lewisham". Trainline. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Lewisham Public Art". Lewisham Council.
  18. ^ "Overcoming barriers linking Lewisham". Future of London. 14 August 2018.
  19. ^ "Public art in Lewisham". Lewisham Council. 12 June 2013.
  20. ^ "Phil Coy, Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie". FutureCity. 23 July 2015.
  21. ^ "The Glass Mill". RIBA. 21 February 2015.
  22. ^ "Lewisham Deptford parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  23. ^ Lewisham Shopping Centre: Shops Retrieved 12 March 2014
  24. ^ "Lewisham – Eating, Drink, Bowling, Rock & Rolling…". mfabowl.com.
  25. ^ "Lewisham's lost cinemas". 28 January 2011.
  26. ^ Magazine, Wallpaper* (27 March 2022). "Watch Oscar-worthy movies in fine contemporary cinema design". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  27. ^ "Thousands march to save Lewisham A&E and maternity unit". BBC News. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  28. ^ Ross Lydall (31 July 2013). "Lewisham hospital campaigners win court battle to save A&E from downgrade". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  29. ^ "BBC News – Lewisham Hospital: Appeal Court overrules Jeremy Hunt". BBC News. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  30. ^ London Borough of Lewisham. "Lewisham Shopping Centre". LB Lewisham. Accessed 30 June 2013
  31. ^ London Borough of Lewisham. "Regenerating Lewisham town centre". LB Lewisham. Accessed 30 June 2013
  32. ^ "'Renaissance' at Loampit Vale". London Borough of Lewisham. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  33. ^ "Lewisham Gatway". London Borough of Lewisham. LB Lewsiham. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  34. ^ "Lewisham Gateway". Lewisham Council. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  35. ^ Mark, Chandler (26 July 2011). "Long-delayed development at Lewisham's Thurston Road Industrial Estate granted extra time". News Shopper. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  36. ^ "Thurston Rd industrial estate". London Borough of Lewisham. LB Lewisham. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  37. ^ "Sherwood Court". Mayor of London. 17 December 2019.
  38. ^ Marton, Andrew (6 October 2019). "Ginger Baker, rock drumming colossus of Cream, dies at 80". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  39. ^ ”GOEDECKER Franz Caspar Hugo” in Probate Calendar for England and Wakes (1885), p. 367
  40. ^ "Brockley conservation area, character appraisal, LB Lewisham" (PDF).
  41. ^ Larkin, Collin (2016) [Print publication 2006; published online 2009]. "Sidi Bou Said". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195313734 – via Oxford Reference.
  42. ^ "London Heathrow Airport". Met Office. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  43. ^ "Station Data". Met Office. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  44. ^ "UK Climate Extremes". Met Office. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  45. ^ "Heathrow Airport Extreme Values". KNMI. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  46. ^ "Heathrow 1981–2010 mean maximum and minimum values". KNMI. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  47. ^ "London, United Kingdom – Climate data". Weather Atlas. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  48. ^ "MIDAS Open: UK daily temperature data, v202007". CEDA Archive. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  49. ^ "Maximum temperature date records". TORRO. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  50. ^ "Climate & Weather Averages in London, England, United Kingdom". Time and Date. Retrieved 9 January 2022.

External links

  • Lewisham Local History Society
  • The Battle of Lewisham – an article on london based website libcom.org
  • London Borough of Lewisham
  • Lewisham Councillor Mike Harris

lewisham, larger, local, government, district, london, borough, other, uses, disambiguation, area, southeast, london, england, miles, kilometres, south, charing, cross, principal, area, london, borough, within, historic, county, kent, until, 1889, identified, . For the larger local government district see London Borough of Lewisham For other uses see Lewisham disambiguation Lewisham ˈ l uː ɪ ʃ em is an area of southeast London England six miles ten kilometres south of Charing Cross It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham and was within the historic county of Kent until 1889 It is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London 1 with a large shopping centre and street market LewishamLewisham Central at nightLewishamLocation within Greater LondonPopulation60 573 Ladywell Lewisham Central Lee Green and Blackheath wards 2011 OS grid referenceTQ385755London boroughLewishamCeremonial countyGreater LondonRegionLondonCountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townLONDONPostcode districtSE13Dialling code020PoliceMetropolitanFireLondonAmbulanceLondonUK ParliamentLewisham DeptfordLewisham EastLewisham West and PengeLondon AssemblyGreenwich and LewishamList of places UK England London 51 27 40 N 0 00 18 W 51 461 N 0 005 W 51 461 0 005 Coordinates 51 27 40 N 0 00 18 W 51 461 N 0 005 W 51 461 0 005Lewisham was a small village until the development of passenger railways in the 19th century Lewisham had a population of 60 573 in 2011 2 Contents 1 History 2 Governance 3 Commercial area and amenities 4 Education 5 Transport 5 1 National Rail 5 2 DLR 5 3 Buses 6 Redevelopment 7 Notable people 8 Geography 8 1 Climate 9 See also 10 References 11 External linksHistory Edit A View of Lewisham 1770 by John Cleveley Junior The medieval Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in Lewisham The earliest written reference to Lewisham Old English liofshema is from a charter from 862 which established the boundaries with neighbouring Bromley 3 Lewisham is sometimes said to have been founded according to Bede by a pagan Jute Leof who settled by burning his boat near St Mary s Church Ladywell where the ground was drier in the 6th century 4 but there seems to be no solid source for this speculation and there is no such passage in Bede s history 5 As to the etymology of the name Daniel Lysons 1796 wrote In the most ancient Saxon records this place is called Levesham that is the house among the meadows leswe laes laese or laesew in the Saxon signifies a meadow and ham a dwelling A Latin legal record dated 1440 mentions a place in Kent as Levesham which may refer to Lewisham 6 It is now written as well in parochial and other records as in common usage Lewisham 7 Leofshema was an important settlement at the confluence of the rivers Quaggy from Farnborough and Ravensbourne Caesar s Well Keston so the village expanded north into the wetter area as drainage techniques improved The 19th century Church of St Stephen in Lewisham King Alfred was Lord of the Manor of Lewisham as is celebrated by a plaque in Lewisham Library The Manor of Lewisham with its appendages of Greenwich and Combe was given by Elthruda King Alfred s niece to the Saint Peter s Abbey Ghent in a Charter dated 18th September around 918 8 of which Lewisham then became a cell or an alien priory This grant is said to have been confirmed by King Edgar in 964 and by Edward the Confessor in 1044 with the addition of many privileges In the mid 17th century the then vicar of Lewisham Abraham Colfe built a grammar school a primary school and six almshouses for the inhabitants In the 17th century the Manor of Lewisham was purchased by George Legge later Baron Dartmouth His son William was raised by Queen Anne to several positions of honour and trust and was a member of her privy council and on 5 September 1711 was ennobled as Viscount Lewisham and Earl of Dartmouth His grandson George Lord Dartmouth obtained the privilege of holding a fair twice a year and a market twice a week upon Blackheath in the parish The fair used to be held on 12 May and 11 October but in 1772 it was discontinued except for the sale of cattle by the Earl of Dartmouth as lord of the manor 9 The village of Lewisham had its nucleus in its southern part around the parish church of St Mary towards the present site of University Hospital Lewisham The centre migrated north with the coming of the North Kent line to Dartford in 1849 encouraging commuter housing The Official Illustrated Guide to South Eastern and North and Mid Kent Railways of June 1863 by George Measom describes Lewisham as follows Lewisham Station situated on the slope of an eminence amidst picturesque scenery beautiful green meadows rising abruptly to the summit of the hill on the left dotted with handsome residences and gardens while the Common is seen intersected by various crossroads and studded with country inns and houses on the low ground or valley to the right The area of the parish is 5 789 acres Lord of the manor the Earl of Dartmouth to whom it gives the title Viscount Lewisham was administratively part of Kent until 1889 and then formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham in the County of London until 1965 The 19th century clock tower in Lewisham The town centre was hit by a V 1 flying bomb 10 in 1944 there were over 300 casualties including 51 fatalities and it devastated the high street which was fully restored by the mid 1950s This horrific event is commemorated by a plaque outside the Lewisham Shopping Centre opened in 1977 The plaque was on the pavement outside the Marks amp Spencer store in the main shopping precinct However suffering wear and tear the local authority arranged for it to be mounted to the facade 11 In 1955 Sainsbury s opened a store in Lewisham which was reported to be Europe s largest self service supermarket with 7 500 square feet of retail space 12 although the one now incorporated in the 1977 shopping centre is much smaller 13 The area at the north end of the High Street was pedestrianised in 1994 It is home to a daily street market and a local landmark the clock tower completed in 1900 to commemorate Queen Victoria s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 The police station opened in 2004 to replace the station in Ladywell is one of the largest in Europe 14 Lewisham Cricket Club was one of the most prestigious London sides during the Victorian era From 1864 they played at Lewisham Cricket Ground which lay north of Ladywell Road until its closure later in the 19th century Lewisham Swimming Club was also very successful with several of its members representing England at water polo and other gymkhana events During the First World War Lewisham Hospital s infirmary became the Lewisham Military Hospital and during the Second World War the hospital was hit by a V 1 flying bomb which destroyed two wards injured 70 people and killed one nurse Lewisham is also the site of one of the worst disasters on the British railway network in the 20th century On 4 December 1957 a crowded steam hauled passenger express headed for the Kent coast overran signals at danger in thick fog near St Johns station and crashed into a stationary electric train for the Hayes branch line The force of the impact brought down an overhead railway bridge onto the wreckage below An electric multiple unit about to cross the bridge towards Nunhead managed to pull up in time Ninety passengers and crew died in the accident In 1977 the Battle of Lewisham saw 500 members of the National Front who were attempting to march through the area and their police escort attacked by more than 4000 counter demonstrators 15 The Docklands Light Railway was extended to Lewisham in 1999 16 Molesworth Street widened to create a bypass around the shopping area as part of the Lewisham 2000 project including sculptures by John Maine 17 This saw the demolition of the 1932 art deco Lewisham Odeon which had also provided a live music venue hosting artists from Johnny Cash to the Rolling Stones The 2010s and early 2020s saw the construction of many high rise residential buildings around Loampit Vale and Molesworth Street The former roundabout by Lewisham station was replaced with an H junction to release land for further private development 18 This was to be supported by the cancelled Bakerloo Line extension to Lewisham Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie by Phil Coy 2013 Lewisham Ten colour sound reactive backlit glass facade based on digital camouflage pattern In 2013 the Glass Mill Leisure Centre opened opposite Lewisham station with its facade defined by a large scale embedded kinetic artwork Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie 19 20 by the artist Phil Coy The project was awarded the Best Built Project Community Scale Scheme in the London Planning Awards 2013 14 21 Governance Edit Lewisham Town Hall completed in 1932 A map showing the wards of Lewisham Metropolitan Borough as they appeared in 1916 The parish of Lewisham was governed by a vestry and from 1855 until 1900 by the Lewisham District Board of Works in combination with Penge Following the London Government Act 1899 the County of London was split into 28 metropolitan boroughs in 1900 Lewisham with the parish of Lee became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham In 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 the current 32 London boroughs were formed and today Lewisham is part of the London Borough of Lewisham Lewisham London Borough Council is based in Catford The current directly elected mayor is Damien Egan In the London Assembly the London Borough of Lewisham is joined with the Royal Borough of Greenwich to form the Greenwich and Lewisham constituency with the current Assembly Member being Len Duvall For Westminster elections Lewisham is covered by the Lewisham Deptford constituency whose Member of Parliament MP As of 2021 update is Vicky Foxcroft 22 Commercial area and amenities Edit University Hospital Lewisham Riverside Building Lewisham House 25 Molesworth Street Lewisham s commercial area is one of the largest in south east London Lewisham Shopping Centre opened in 1977 has 70 stores and is over 330 000 square feet Shops include Marks amp Spencer W H Smith Sainsbury s H amp M TK Maxx JD Sports SportsDirect com Argos and Boots 23 The centre is between Molesworth Street a dual carriageway section of the A21 and Lewisham High Street Lewisham Market and the Central Library are outside the shopping centre in the High Street Also part of the complex is the Lewisham House office tower once the tallest building in the borough and formerly occupied by Citibank There are proposals to convert this brutalist skyscraper to flats citation needed Lewisham has a bowling alley 24 and the Glassmill Swimming pool and Gym Lewisham has a number of parks such as Hilly Fields and Lewisham Park For 14 years between 2001 and 2015 Lewisham was the only London Borough not to have a cinema Lewisham once had many cinemas such as the Lewisham Odeon In 1930 there were 30 venues showing films 25 As of 2022 there is only one cinema operating in the borough Catford Mews 26 Opened in 1894 University Hospital Lewisham is a National Health Service acute hospital run by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust serving the whole London Borough of Lewisham as well as some surrounding areas In July 2012 the government recommended that Lewisham s Accident amp Emergency ward should be closed with emergency provision transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital London However there was a strong campaign in Lewisham against the proposed closure including a march on 24 November 2012 27 and a successful legal challenge In July 2013 the High Court ruled that the closure of Lewisham A amp E could not go ahead 28 In October 2013 the Court of Appeal ruled that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt did not have power to implement cuts at Lewisham Hospital 29 Education EditSecondary schools in Lewisham include Addey and Stanhope School Bonus Pastor Catholic College Conisborough College Deptford Green School Forest Hill School Boys only Haberdashers Aske s Hatcham College Haberdashers Knights Academy Prendergast School Prendergast Ladywell School Prendergast Vale School St Matthew Academy Sedgehill School Sydenham School Trinity Church of England SchoolTransport Edit Lewisham DLR entrance National Rail Edit Lewisham station provides the area with Southeastern services to London Victoria London Charing Cross London Cannon Street Dartford via Woolwich Arsenal Dartford via Bexleyheath Gravesend via Bexleyheath Slade Green via Bexleyheath Slade Green via Sidcup Hayes and Orpington DLR Edit Lewisham station also provides DLR services to Bank via Canary Wharf Buses Edit Lewisham is served by many London Buses routes 21 to Newington Green via New Cross London Bridge and Moorgate 47 to Bellingham via Catford or to Shoreditch via Canada Water and London Bridge 24 Hour service 54 to Elmers End via Catford and Beckenham or to Woolwich via Blackheath 75 to Croydon via Catford Penge and South Norwood 89 to Slade Green via Blackheath Welling and Bexleyheath 108 to Stratford via Blackheath North Greenwich Poplar and Bow 24 Hour service 122 to Crystal Palace via Brockley Forest Hill and Sydenham or to Plumstead via Eltham and Woolwich 136 to Elephant amp Castle via New Cross and Peckham or to Grove Park via Catford 178 to Woolwich via Kidbrooke 180 to Belvedere via Greenwich and Woolwich 181 to Grove Park via Catford 185 to Victoria via Catford Dulwich and Camberwell 199 to Bellingham via Catford or to Canada Water via Greenwich 208 to Orpington via Catford and Bromley 225 to Canada Water via New Cross or to Hither Green 261 to Locksbottom via Grove Park and Bromley 273 to Petts Wood via Grove Park and Chislehurst 284 to Grove Park via Catford 321 to Foots Cray via Eltham and Sidcup or to New Cross 24 Hour service 380 to Belmarsh Prison via Blackheath and Woolwich 436 to Battersea via New Cross Peckham and Camberwell P4 to Brixton via Brockley and Dulwich N21 to Bexleyheath via Eltham or to Trafalgar Square via New Cross and London Bridge Night Bus N89 to Erith via Blackheath Welling and Bexleyheath or to Trafalgar Square via New Cross Peckham Elephant amp Castle and Blackfriars Night Bus N136 to Oxford Circus via New Cross Peckham Camberwell Victoria and Trafalgar Square or to Chislehurst via Catford and Grove Park Night Bus N199 to St Mary Cray via Catford Bromley and Petts Wood or to Trafalgar Square via Greenwich Canada Water and London Bridge Night Bus Redevelopment Edit Cornmill Gardens development around the River Ravensbourne 2013 Lewisham London Borough Council s local development plan was intended to improve Lewisham s town centre to become a metropolitan centre to rival Bromley Croydon and Kingston upon Thames 30 31 There is a skyscraper adjacent to the shopping centre which used to be owned by Citibank until they moved to the Docklands which may be converted to residential There are four major development sites around on Loampit Vale The Renaissance development comprises flats in buildings from five to 24 storeys including private and L amp Q social housing as well as the new Glass Mill Leisure Centre which opened in 2013 and replaced the Ladywell leisure centre 32 Lewisham Gateway 33 is a much delayed redevelopment site bounded by the DLR station Lewisham High Street the shopping centre and the railway to Blackheath The highway layout has been changed from a roundabout to two signalised junctions while the rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy have been re routed The development is intended to include shops restaurants bars cafes leisure facilities and up to 800 homes The first phase of construction started in May 2014 with a 15 and 25 story residential building east of the DLR station 34 Thurston Road industrial estate had planning consent granted in 2008 however the development has been heavily delayed The development was completed in 2016 and includes L amp Q social housing 35 The scheme is a mixed used site which includes residential and commercial buildings of between two and 17 storeys as well a car park 36 The former Sherwood Court industrial estate is now the Chapter student housing scheme 37 Notable people EditThis article s list of residents may not follow Wikipedia s verifiability policy Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are residents or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations November 2018 Among those who were born or have lived in Lewisham are Joe Absolom actor born and brought up in Lewisham Merky ACE grime music artist born and brought up in Lewisham Ginger Baker drummer of Cream born and brought up in Lewisham 38 Natasha Bedingfield singer songwriter brought up in Lewisham Rosa May Billinghurst suffragette lived in Lewisham D Block Europe hip hop collective born and brought up in Lewisham Yannick Bolasie footballer brought up in Lewisham Herbert Burden youngest soldier to be executed by the British Army in World War I born in Lewisham Kate Bush musician lived in Brockley and Lewisham Ann Batten Cristall 1769 1848 poet and schoolteacher General Sir John Crocker British Army general service in World War I and World War II born in Lewisham Leland Lewis Duncan photographer writer born in Lewisham Franz Goedecker merchant and artist lived in Lewisham 39 Malcolm Hardee comedian lived in Blackheath and Lewisham Danielle Harold actress best known for playing Lola in Eastenders born and raised in Lewisham Keeley Hazell page 3 girl amp model born in Lewisham Jessica Hynes actress and comedian born in Lewisham Greg James TV and radio presenter born in Lewisham Eman Kellam TV presenter born and brought up in Lewisham Frank King cricketer born in Lewisham Kwes record music producer and Warp recording artist born and brought up in Lewisham Elsa Lanchester Anglo American actress born in Lewisham Lillie Langtry actress lived in Wickham Way Lewisham 40 Jude Law actor lived in Lewisham citation needed Neal Lawson politician was born in Lewisham Angie Le Mar comedian radio broadcaster was born and brought up in Lewisham Delroy Lindo actor born in Lewisham Marie Lloyd entertainer lived in Lewisham and New Cross Ruben Loftus Cheek footballer Alexander McQueen designer born in Lewisham Josh Maja footballer born in Lewisham Russ Millions rapper born and brought up in Lewisham MNEK musician was born in Lewisham Edith Nesbit writer lived in Blackheath Grove Park and Lewisham P Money Grime music artist born and brought up in Lewisham Eddie Nketiah footballer born in Lewisham Novelist Grime music artist born and brought up in Lewisham Gary Oldman actor born and raised in New Cross William Page historian and general editor of the Victoria County History lived in Lewisham from 1875 until he emigrated to Queensland in 1881 Jonathan Palmer former Formula One driver and commentator Mica Paris musician lived in Lewisham Gladys Powers centenarian born in Lewisham Maxi Priest musician born and raised in Lewisham Luke Pritchard musician born in Lewisham Louise Redknapp singer TV presenter and former wife of footballer Jamie Redknapp born in Lewisham Kieran Richardson footballer lived in Lewisham David Rocastle footballer born and raised in Lewisham and Brockley Attended primary school in Brockley George Solomos American writer lived in Catford citation needed Sidi Bou Said band consists of four women from Lewisham 41 Doris Stokes spirit medium lived in Lewisham Doveton Sturdee British Admiral of the Fleet born in Lewisham David Sylvian musician lived in Lewisham Kae Tempest spoken word performer poet recording artist novelist and playwright grew up in Brockley Eamonn Walker TV and film actor husband of Sandra Walker born in Lewisham Richard Walsh actor born in Lewisham Conrad Williams Commonwealth Games 2014 gold medalist Ian Wright footballer lived in Lewisham and Brockley Shaun Wright Phillips footballer and son of Ian Wright grew up in Brockley Sid Vicious musician born in Lewisham Troy von Scheibner magician born in Lewisham Henry Williamson author born and raised in Lewisham Bill Wyman bass player of the Rolling Stones born in Lewisham HospitalGeography EditAlmost all of the SE13 postcode district which is associated with Lewisham is within the London Borough of Lewisham except for the Coldbath Estate and part of the Orchard Estate along Lewisham Road which are covered by the Royal Borough of Greenwich The town includes areas such as St Johns and Hither Green as well as Lee and Ladywell to the south and east Climate Edit The nearest Met Office climate station is based in Greenwich Park vteClimate data for London LHR a elevation 25 m 82 ft 1991 2020 normalsMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 17 2 63 0 21 2 70 2 24 5 76 1 29 4 84 9 32 8 91 0 35 6 96 1 40 2 104 4 38 1 100 6 35 0 95 0 29 5 85 1 21 1 70 0 17 4 63 3 40 2 104 4 Average high C F 8 4 47 1 9 0 48 2 11 7 53 1 15 0 59 0 18 4 65 1 21 6 70 9 23 9 75 0 23 4 74 1 20 2 68 4 15 8 60 4 11 5 52 7 8 8 47 8 15 7 60 3 Daily mean C F 5 6 42 1 5 8 42 4 7 9 46 2 10 5 50 9 13 7 56 7 16 8 62 2 19 0 66 2 18 7 65 7 15 9 60 6 12 3 54 1 8 4 47 1 5 9 42 6 11 7 53 1 Average low C F 2 7 36 9 2 7 36 9 4 1 39 4 6 0 42 8 9 1 48 4 12 0 53 6 14 2 57 6 14 1 57 4 11 6 52 9 8 8 47 8 5 3 41 5 3 1 37 6 7 8 46 0 Record low C F 16 1 3 0 13 9 7 0 8 9 16 0 5 6 21 9 3 1 26 4 0 6 30 9 3 9 39 0 2 1 35 8 1 4 34 5 5 5 22 1 7 1 19 2 17 4 0 7 17 4 0 7 Average precipitation mm inches 58 8 2 31 45 0 1 77 38 8 1 53 42 3 1 67 45 9 1 81 47 3 1 86 45 8 1 80 52 8 2 08 49 6 1 95 65 1 2 56 66 6 2 62 57 1 2 25 615 0 24 21 Average precipitation days 1 0 mm 11 5 9 5 8 5 8 8 8 0 8 3 7 9 8 4 7 9 10 8 11 2 10 8 111 7Average relative humidity 80 77 70 65 67 65 65 69 73 78 81 81 73Average dew point C F 3 37 2 36 2 36 4 39 7 45 10 50 12 54 12 54 10 50 9 48 6 43 3 37 7 44 Mean monthly sunshine hours 61 1 78 8 124 5 176 7 207 5 208 4 217 8 202 1 157 1 115 2 70 7 55 0 1 674 8Percent possible sunshine 23 28 31 40 41 41 42 45 40 35 27 21 35Average ultraviolet index 1 1 2 4 5 6 6 5 4 2 1 0 3Source 1 Met Office 42 43 44 Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute 45 46 Source 2 Weather Atlas percent sunshine and UV Index 47 CEDA Archive 48 TORRO 49 Time and Date 50 See Climate of London for additional climate information Averages are taken from Heathrow and extremes are taken from stations across London See also EditLondon Borough of Lewisham Lewisham Shopping Centre University Hospital Lewisham Lewisam Lewisham Sydney named after Lewisham Lewisham Station Battle of Lewisham Lewisham Rail CrashReferences Edit Mayor of London February 2008 London Plan Consolidated with Alterations since 2004 PDF Greater London Authority Archived from the original PDF on 2 June 2010 Lewisham is made up of four wards Central Ladywell and Blackheath Archived from the original on 11 September 2017 Retrieved 24 April 2016 St Mary s Church Lewisham 1100 Years at the Centre of Lewisham Our Hither Green Retrieved 23 September 2021 A Brief History Of The Lewisham Borough Lewisham Card Retrieved 17 November 2022 Bede s Ecclesiastical History of England www gutenberg org Project Gutenberg 17 December 2011 Retrieved 17 November 2022 Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas National Archives CP 40 717 second entry Walter Wheler husbandman as defendant in a plea of debt Documents from Medieval and Early Modern England from the National Archives in London 2013 Retrieved 19 December 2014 Lewisham The Environs of London volume 4 Counties of Herts Essex amp Kent 1796 pp 514 536 Retrieved 19 December 2014 Barratt Nick 2012 Greater London The Story of the Suburbs Vauxhall Bridge Road London Random House p 512 ISBN 9781847945327 Legge William first Earl of Dartmouth Personalia 2014 Retrieved 19 December 2014 Lewisham V1 Site High Street Marks amp Spencer Lewisham War Memorials 2014 Retrieved 19 December 2014 Chandler Mark 22 February 2011 Lewisham council to replace plaque commemorating the lives lost in wartime bombing News Shopper Retrieved 5 April 2013 Sainsburys Company Histories Self Service Expansion Museum of London South East London Police Stations Laing 2014 Retrieved 19 May 2021 1977 Violent clashes at NF march 13 August 1977 Retrieved 23 February 2020 Lewisham Station Trains to Lewisham Trainline Retrieved 8 May 2020 Lewisham Public Art Lewisham Council Overcoming barriers linking Lewisham Future of London 14 August 2018 Public art in Lewisham Lewisham Council 12 June 2013 Phil Coy Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie FutureCity 23 July 2015 The Glass Mill RIBA 21 February 2015 Lewisham Deptford parliamentary constituency Election 2019 BBC News Retrieved 11 April 2020 Lewisham Shopping Centre Shops Retrieved 12 March 2014 Lewisham Eating Drink Bowling Rock amp Rolling mfabowl com Lewisham s lost cinemas 28 January 2011 Magazine Wallpaper 27 March 2022 Watch Oscar worthy movies in fine contemporary cinema design Wallpaper Retrieved 12 April 2022 Thousands march to save Lewisham A amp E and maternity unit BBC News 24 November 2012 Retrieved 29 October 2013 Ross Lydall 31 July 2013 Lewisham hospital campaigners win court battle to save A amp E from downgrade London Evening Standard Retrieved 29 October 2013 BBC News Lewisham Hospital Appeal Court overrules Jeremy Hunt BBC News Retrieved 29 October 2013 London Borough of Lewisham Lewisham Shopping Centre LB Lewisham Accessed 30 June 2013 London Borough of Lewisham Regenerating Lewisham town centre LB Lewisham Accessed 30 June 2013 Renaissance at Loampit Vale London Borough of Lewisham Retrieved 19 March 2014 Lewisham Gatway London Borough of Lewisham LB Lewsiham Retrieved 19 March 2014 Lewisham Gateway Lewisham Council Retrieved 13 December 2017 Mark Chandler 26 July 2011 Long delayed development at Lewisham s Thurston Road Industrial Estate granted extra time News Shopper Retrieved 19 March 2014 Thurston Rd industrial estate London Borough of Lewisham LB Lewisham Retrieved 19 March 2014 Sherwood Court Mayor of London 17 December 2019 Marton Andrew 6 October 2019 Ginger Baker rock drumming colossus of Cream dies at 80 The Washington Post Retrieved 1 March 2023 GOEDECKER Franz Caspar Hugo in Probate Calendar for England and Wakes 1885 p 367 Brockley conservation area character appraisal LB Lewisham PDF Larkin Collin 2016 Print publication 2006 published online 2009 Sidi Bou Said The Encyclopedia of Popular Music 4 ed Oxford University Press ISBN 9780195313734 via Oxford Reference London Heathrow Airport Met Office Retrieved 17 December 2021 Station Data Met Office Retrieved 8 May 2020 UK Climate Extremes Met Office Retrieved 3 July 2021 Heathrow Airport Extreme Values KNMI Retrieved 29 November 2015 Heathrow 1981 2010 mean maximum and minimum values KNMI Retrieved 28 December 2017 London United Kingdom Climate data Weather Atlas Retrieved 11 March 2020 MIDAS Open UK daily temperature data v202007 CEDA Archive Retrieved 3 July 2021 Maximum temperature date records TORRO Retrieved 3 July 2021 Climate amp Weather Averages in London England United Kingdom Time and Date Retrieved 9 January 2022 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lewisham Lewisham Local History Society The Battle of Lewisham an article on london based website libcom org Lewisham Law Centre Lewisham cctv Lewisham at Surbubia Lewisham Photographs Lewisham Voices London Borough of Lewisham Lewisham Forum 90 Years of Life in Lewisham Lewisham Councillor Mike Harris Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lewisham amp oldid 1151540331, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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