Denmark Hill
Encyclopedia
Denmark Hill is an area and road in the London Borough of Southwark
. The road forms part of the A215
; north of Camberwell Green
it becomes Camberwell Road; south of Red Post Hill it becomes Herne Hill
. Its postcode is SE5. Nearby streets whose names refer to different aspects of the same topographical feature include Dog Kennel Hill, Champion Hill and Red Post Hill. It marks the edge of the Thames valley plain in this area — from here to the river the land is flat. There are good views across central London from vantage points (e.g. top storey windows) on the top of the hill.
In John Cary
's map of 1786 the area is shown as Dulwich Hill. The only building apparent is the "Fox under the Hill", on the site of today's "Fox on the Hill" pub. The name of the area was changed to Denmark Hill in honour of the husband of Queen Anne
, Prince George of Denmark, who lived there.
The area is home of the Maudsley Hospital
and King's College Hospital
, and also of Ruskin Park, named after John Ruskin
who once lived nearby. The Institute of Psychiatry
is based behind the Maudsley Hospital, a school of King's College London (University of London)
. The college also has a hall of residence in Champion Hill.
The Salvation Army
's William Booth Memorial Training College on Champion Park, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott
, was completed in 1932: it towers over South London. It has a similar monumental impressiveness to Gilbert Scott's other South London buildings, Battersea Power Station
and the Tate Modern
, although its simplicity is partly the result of repeated budget cuts during its construction: much more detail, including carved Gothic stonework surrounding the windows, was originally planned.
Famous residents include, or have included, BBC
news reporter Jeremy Bowen
, comedian/writer Jenny Eclair, actresses Lorraine Chase
and Jenny Agutter
and flying ace
Arthur Vigers
.
Denmark Hill railway station
, the only remaining railway station in Camberwell
, has services to London Blackfriars
, London Bridge
, and London Victoria as well as towards Dartford
and Sevenoaks
. Shepherd's Bush F.C.
played in the area as Old St Stephen's F.C.
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
. The road forms part of the A215
A215 road
The A215 is an A road in South London, from Elephant and Castle to Shirley. It runs through the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Croydon....
; north of Camberwell Green
Camberwell Green
Camberwell Green is a small area of common land in Camberwell, South London. It lies at the intersection of Camberwell Road and Camberwell New Road/Camberwell Church Street. At the North-East of the green is Camberwell Magistrate's Court, and at the North West is a home for the elderly...
it becomes Camberwell Road; south of Red Post Hill it becomes Herne Hill
Herne Hill
Herne Hill is located in the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London. There is a road of the same name which continues the A215 north of Norwood Road and was called Herne Hill Road.-History:...
. Its postcode is SE5. Nearby streets whose names refer to different aspects of the same topographical feature include Dog Kennel Hill, Champion Hill and Red Post Hill. It marks the edge of the Thames valley plain in this area — from here to the river the land is flat. There are good views across central London from vantage points (e.g. top storey windows) on the top of the hill.
In John Cary
John Cary
John Cary was an 18th century English cartographer.Cary served his apprenticeship as an engraver in London, before setting up his own business in the Strand in 1783...
's map of 1786 the area is shown as Dulwich Hill. The only building apparent is the "Fox under the Hill", on the site of today's "Fox on the Hill" pub. The name of the area was changed to Denmark Hill in honour of the husband of Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
, Prince George of Denmark, who lived there.
The area is home of the Maudsley Hospital
Maudsley Hospital
The Maudsley Hospital is a British psychiatric hospital in South London. The Maudsley is the largest mental health training institution in the country...
and King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital is an acute care facility in the London Borough of Lambeth, referred to locally and by staff simply as "King's" or abbreviated internally to "KCH"...
, and also of Ruskin Park, named after John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
who once lived nearby. The Institute of Psychiatry
Institute of Psychiatry
The Institute of Psychiatry is a research institution dedicated to discovering what causes mental illness and diseases of the brain. In addition, its aim is to help identify new treatments for them and ways to prevent them in the first place...
is based behind the Maudsley Hospital, a school of King's College London (University of London)
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. The college also has a hall of residence in Champion Hill.
The Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
's William Booth Memorial Training College on Champion Park, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott
Giles Gilbert Scott
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, OM, FRIBA was an English architect known for his work on such buildings as Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station and designing the iconic red telephone box....
, was completed in 1932: it towers over South London. It has a similar monumental impressiveness to Gilbert Scott's other South London buildings, Battersea Power Station
Battersea Power Station
Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames, in Battersea, South London. The station comprises two individual power stations, built in two stages in the form of a single building. Battersea A Power Station was built first in the...
and the Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
, although its simplicity is partly the result of repeated budget cuts during its construction: much more detail, including carved Gothic stonework surrounding the windows, was originally planned.
Famous residents include, or have included, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
news reporter Jeremy Bowen
Jeremy Bowen
Jeremy Francis John Bowen is a Welsh journalist and television presenter. He was the BBC's Middle East correspondent based in Jerusalem between 1995 and 2000, and has been its Middle East Editor since 2005.-Background:...
, comedian/writer Jenny Eclair, actresses Lorraine Chase
Lorraine Chase
Lorraine Chase is an English actress and model. She became well known for her strong cockney accent and frequent use of cockney slang, and found fame through a series of television commercials for Campari before embarking on an acting career.-Television:After initially working as a model, Chase...
and Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
and flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
Arthur Vigers
Arthur Vigers
Captain Arthur Whitehair Vigers was a World War I flying ace credited with 14 aerial victories. He was the third ranking of the 27 aces who flew the Sopwith Dolphin....
.
Denmark Hill railway station
Denmark Hill railway station is a railway station in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England, on the Inner South London Line. The station is managed by Southeastern and is served by trains of that company and Southern. It is in Travelcard Zone 2. It is located on Champion Park in the...
, the only remaining railway station in Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, has services to London Blackfriars
Blackfriars station
Blackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. Its platforms will eventually span the River Thames a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. The current entrance is located on the...
, London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
, and London Victoria as well as towards Dartford
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
and Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a commuter town situated on the London fringe of west Kent, England, some 20 miles south-east of Charing Cross, on one of the principal commuter rail lines from the capital...
. Shepherd's Bush F.C.
Shepherd's Bush F.C.
Shepherd's Bush Football Club were an English football club based in Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, although they originally played in central and south London.-History:...
played in the area as Old St Stephen's F.C.
Further reading
- Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman L. R.; Guest, Russell. Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920, Grub Street, 1990. ISBN 978-0948817199