Lewisham

Lewisham
Coordinates: 51.461456° N 0.00537° W Image:Greater london outline map bw.png
OS grid reference	TQ385755
London borough	Lewisham
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	SE13
Dial code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Lewisham East
	Lewisham West and Penge
	Lewisham Deptford
London Assembly	Greenwich and Lewisham
European Parliament	London
List of places: UK • England • London

Lewisham is a district in south-east London, England and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Lewisham.

History

It is most likely to have been founded 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. '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. In the mid-seventeenth century the then vicar of Lewisham, Abraham Colfe, built a grammar school, primary school and six almshouses for the inhabitants.

The village of Lewisham was originally centred further south 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 railway line to Dartford in 1849, encouraging commuter housing. Lewisham was part of Kent until 1889 and formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham in the County of London until 1965.

Lewisham's High Street is particularly long and wide for a London suburb. The town centre was bombed in 1944, commemorated by a plaque outside the Lewisham shopping centre (opened in 1977). This 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. Maggie's Restaurant is a popular cafe where many go near to the railway station. It was once voted the best cafe in the world by local paper, The News Shopper.[1] One of the most promenient landmarks of Lewisham is the Citibank skyscraper which can be seen for miles around.

The police station, which was opened in 2004 to replace the station in Ladywell, and is officially the largest in Europe. There is also another large police station in nearby Catford. There is planned regeneration of Lewisham town centre.^[1]

In 1977, the Battle of Lewisham[2] (actually in New Cross) saw the biggest street battle against fascists since the Battle of Cable Street in 1936. Over 10000 people turned out to oppose a National Front march which was organised on the back of increasing electoral success at that time.

Education

Lewisham also boasts a large 6th form college called Christ The King College, which is designed to serve the London Borough of Lewisham.[3] Also, Lewisham College itself is in nearby Deptford Creek.

Transport

Lewisham is a major transport hub, lying on the A20 road towards Dover and at the start of A21 to Hastings, with its own bus station, railway station and the southern terminus of the Docklands Light Railway. A small area in the north of Lewisham, around the Orchard Estate, comes under the London Borough of Greenwich.

Notable former inhabitants

• Ginger Baker — drummer, musician
• Daniel Bedingfield — singer
• Natasha Bedingfield — singer
• Rosa May Billinghurst — Suffragette
• Kate Bush — singer
• Walter de la Mare — novelist
• Jazz Dhiman — actor
• James Elroy Flecker — poet
• Julian Gray — footballer
• Malcolm Hardee — Comedian and Compere
• Keeley Hazell — Model
• Billy Jenkins — jazz and blues guitarist and composer
• Frederick Lanchester — car manufacturer
• Jude Law — actor and Hollywood Film Star.
• Marie Lloyd — Music Hall performer (lived at 196 Wickham Terrace, Lewisham Way in the early 1890s)
• Ray Mears — Author and TV Presenter on the subject of Bushcraft
• Edith Nesbit — writer and Fabian
• Mica Paris — singer
• Doris Stokes — medium
• David Sylvian — singer
• Ian Wright — Former England football player
• Max Clarke A famous R&B singer.

Nearest places

• Brockley
• Greenwich
• Hither Green
• New Cross
• Blackheath
• Lee

Wikipedia information about Lewisham This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lewisham". It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer). Help contribute to Americola and edit this article.