Sydenham
Encyclopedia
Sydenham is an area and electoral ward
in the London Borough of Lewisham
; although some streets towards Crystal Palace Park, Forest Hill and Penge
are outside the ward and in the London Borough of Bromley
, and some streets off Sydenham Hill
are in the London Borough of Southwark
. Sydenham was in Kent
until 1889 when the County of London
was created. The population of the ward in was , Upper Sydenham is included in Forest Hill ward.
Sydenham is most famous as the location where the Crystal Palace
from the Great Exhibition was relocated. Famous people who have lived here include Ernest Shackleton
, the Antarctic explorer; George Grove
of musical dictionary fame; John Logie Baird
, the television
inventor; Jason Statham
, an actor; and Dame Cicely Saunders
, founder of the modern hospice movement.
In the 1640s, springs of water in what is now Wells Park
were discovered to have medicinal properties, attracting crowds of people to the area. Sydenham grew rapidly in the 19th century after the introduction of the canal in 1801. Potential gas companies began to consider the Sydenham area in the 1840s after the opening of the railway.
In 1851 the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park was housed in an immense glass building, called the Crystal Palace
. In 1854 the building was bought by a private company, dismantled and re-erected in Sydenham Park (Now called Crystal Palace Park). Exhibitions, concerts, conferences and sporting events were held at the Crystal Palace (until it burned down in 1936), and Sydenham became a fashionable area; many new houses were built. They could be supplied with gas from the Crystal Palace and District Gas Company's works at Bell Green, which continued in production until 1969. A large Sainsburys store now occupies part of the site.
Sydenham today is a bustling town centre with an active and engaged community, excellent public transport, schools, parks, shops and restaurants. The town centre is home to 185 small and medium-sized businesses, many independently owned and offering a wide range of goods. The town centre has a very community and villagey feel making Sydenham a well connected location where there are many independent run businesses as opposed to a more vast and informal environment with branded chain stores that neighbouring Croydon, Bromley and Lewisham home.
. Both of these schools are exclusively girls' schools.
Primary schools in Sydenham are four non-religious schools (Adamsrill Primary School, Eliot Bank Primary, Haseltine School and Kelvin Grove Primary School) and three religious schools (St. Michael's Primary School
, St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School
) and St. Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School. The former includes children of other faiths.
Nearby to Sydenham are secondary schools which include residents of Sydenham in their catchment area. These include Forest Hill
, Harris, Cator Park School for Girls and Sedgehill Schools.
Sydenham is the over all area but the central part is just referred as Sydenham. The central area includes Sydenham Road or Sydenham High Street by locals and is the main shopping area. The main railway station is called Sydenham which links to Croydon
, Penge
, Forest Hill
, New Cross
, Shoreditch
, Dalston
and the major terminii London Bridge and London Victoria. Sydenham is served by bus routes 75
, 122, 176
, 194
, 197
, 202 & 450. Sydenham is also home to a Co-operative
, formally Somerfield
supermarket on Sydenham Road.
Sydenham Hill
Sydenham Hill
is to the north of Sydenham and there is also road called Sydenham Hill. It includes three postcodes (SE26, SE23 and SE21) and is partly in the London Borough of Southwark
and the London Borough of Lewisham
. The London Borough of Southwark area is part of the "College ward". Sydenham Hill
has direct links to Herne Hill
, London Victoria, Bromley
and Orpington
. The area is served by bus routes 202, 356
, 363 and the 450. Local amenities include Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Golf Club and Sydenham Woods.
Upper Sydenham
Upper Sydenham is North West of Sydenham. It has the same postcode of SE26 and in the London Borough of Lewisham
, but is included in the Forest Hill ward. Upper Sydenham is served by bus routes 122, 176, 197, 202 & 356. Local Parks are Wells Park
and Baxters field. A Tesco
Express Store opened in June 2009 on Kirkdale. There was a former station in the area called Upper Sydenham railway station
.
Lower Sydenham
Lower Sydenham is in the East of the area. It has the same postcode and is in the London Borough of Lewisham
and a small part in the London Borough of Bromley
. The Crystal Palace District Gas Company was founded in Lower Sydenham in 1854, supplied with coal by newly opened railway. The Company supplied gas to the relocated Crystal Palace and defined Lower Sydenham as a working class area. Gas production stopped in 1969, but the South Eastern Gas Board continued to be based there and gas holders still remain. Most of the site was redeveloped in 1996 as a Savacentre (as this was its original name) by locals, Sainsburys 'Sydenham' is one of the largest Sainsbury's store in the UK. Lower Sydenham has its own railway station Lower Sydenham
which links to Hayes
, Lewisham
, Catford
, London Bridge and Charing Cross
. It also has Home Park which boasts an Adventure playground and is situated next to Sydenham Library, funded by Andrew Carnegie in 1904. Further down towards Bell Green is The Old Bathhouse (now an antiques reclamation yard). The area is served by bus routes 181, 194, 202, 352, 356 & 450.
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
in the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
; although some streets towards Crystal Palace Park, Forest Hill and Penge
Penge
Penge is a suburb of London in the London Borough of Bromley. It is located south east of Charing Cross.-History:Penge was once a small town, which was recorded under the name Penceat in a Saxon deed dating from 957...
are outside the ward and in the London Borough of Bromley
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
, and some streets off Sydenham Hill
Sydenham Hill
For other uses of 'Sydenham', see Sydenham .Sydenham Hill is a hill or ridge and a locality in South-East London and the name of a road which runs along the northern eastern part of the ridge and forms the boundary between the London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Lewisham. The...
are in the London Borough of Southwark
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:...
. Sydenham was in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
until 1889 when the County of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
was created. The population of the ward in was , Upper Sydenham is included in Forest Hill ward.
Sydenham is most famous as the location where the Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
from the Great Exhibition was relocated. Famous people who have lived here include Ernest Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
, the Antarctic explorer; George Grove
George Grove
Sir George Grove, CB was an English writer on music, known as the founding editor of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians....
of musical dictionary fame; John Logie Baird
John Logie Baird
John Logie Baird FRSE was a Scottish engineer and inventor of the world's first practical, publicly demonstrated television system, and also the world's first fully electronic colour television tube...
, the television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
inventor; Jason Statham
Jason Statham
Jason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
, an actor; and Dame Cicely Saunders
Cicely Saunders
Dame Cicely Mary Saunders, was a prominent Anglican, nurse, physician and writer, involved with many international universities...
, founder of the modern hospice movement.
Brief history
Sydenham started out as a small settlement, a few cottages among the woods, whose inhabitants grazed their animals and collected wood.In the 1640s, springs of water in what is now Wells Park
Sydenham Wells Park
Sydenham Wells Park is located in Sydenham, south east London. The park is owned by the London Borough of Lewisham and maintained by Glendale. Wells Park is named after medicinal springs which were found in Sydenham in the seventeenth century, when Sydenham was still in Kent. This attracted crowds...
were discovered to have medicinal properties, attracting crowds of people to the area. Sydenham grew rapidly in the 19th century after the introduction of the canal in 1801. Potential gas companies began to consider the Sydenham area in the 1840s after the opening of the railway.
In 1851 the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park was housed in an immense glass building, called the Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
. In 1854 the building was bought by a private company, dismantled and re-erected in Sydenham Park (Now called Crystal Palace Park). Exhibitions, concerts, conferences and sporting events were held at the Crystal Palace (until it burned down in 1936), and Sydenham became a fashionable area; many new houses were built. They could be supplied with gas from the Crystal Palace and District Gas Company's works at Bell Green, which continued in production until 1969. A large Sainsburys store now occupies part of the site.
Sydenham today is a bustling town centre with an active and engaged community, excellent public transport, schools, parks, shops and restaurants. The town centre is home to 185 small and medium-sized businesses, many independently owned and offering a wide range of goods. The town centre has a very community and villagey feel making Sydenham a well connected location where there are many independent run businesses as opposed to a more vast and informal environment with branded chain stores that neighbouring Croydon, Bromley and Lewisham home.
Notable buildings and structures
- Sydenham is the home of St Bartholomew's church, (1827–1832), at the end of Lawrie Park Avenue, featured in Camille PissarroCamille PissarroCamille Pissarro was a French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter born on the island of St Thomas . His importance resides in his contributions to both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, as he was the only artist to exhibit in both forms...
's painting of 1871. The building was designed by Lewis VulliamyLewis VulliamyLewis Vulliamy was an English architect belonging to the Vulliamy family of clockmakers.-Life:Lewis Vulliamy was the son of the clockmaker Benjamin Vulliamy. He was born in Pall Mall, London on 15 March 1791, and articled to Sir Robert Smirke...
. - Park Court Sydenham, (1936), by Frederick GibberdFrederick GibberdSir Frederick Ernest Gibberd was an English architect and landscape designer.Gibberd was born in Coventry, the eldest of the five children of a local tailor, and was educated at the city's King Henry VIII School...
, pioneering modernist development of residential flats on the estate on Lawrie Park Road adjacent to the famous Crystal Palace Park. - Six Pillars, (1934–35), by Berthold LubetkinBerthold LubetkinBerthold Romanovich Lubetkin was a Russian émigré architect who pioneered modernist design in Britain in the 1930s. His work includes the Highpoint housing complex, London Zoo penguin pool, Finsbury Health Centre and Spa Green Estate.-Early years:Berthold Lubetkin was born in Tiflis into a Jewish...
, on Crescent Wood Road, a villa strongly in the spirit of Le CorbusierLe CorbusierCharles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
with eponymous six pillars at street level. - Cobbs Corner, takes its name from a draper’s shop at 291-307 Kirkdale run by Walter Cobb. The shop grew into a large department store catering to the gentry of the area. Interesting imposing dome where you can find the date on the building.
- 180 and 182 Kirkdale, built in the 1850s in Gothic style, with Tudor doorcases.
- 168–178 Kirkdale, three pairs of Italianate houses built around 1862. Number 174 was briefly the home of the conductor August Manns.
- Memorial to Queen Victoria, (1897) baroque-style memorial celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Restored for Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee and designed by Alexander Hennell, a Sydenham resident and architect.
- Jews Walk, it is believed that a wealthy Jewish resident planted a row of trees to define the boundary of his walk from the Common. Numbers 2,4 and 6 are classical villas dating from the 1840s. Karl MarxKarl MarxKarl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
's daughter EleanorEleanor MarxJenny Julia Eleanor "Tussy" Marx , also known as Eleanor Marx Aveling, was the English-born youngest daughter of Karl Marx. She was herself a socialist activist, who sometimes worked as a literary translator...
lived on Jews Walk. On 9 September 2008 a blue English Heritage plaque was placed on the house to commemorate this fact. - Halifax Street, beautifully preserved street with houses dating from the 1840s. Of notice are in particular the closeness of the houses, the length of the street and the size of the gardens.
- The Kirkdale Building, previously the Sydenham Public Lecture Hall, it was built in 1861 by Sydenham resident Henry Dawson.
- Mayow Park, originally named Sydenham Recreation Ground, this is the borough’s oldest municipal park. The park is home to the Mayow Park Bowls Club, has two tennis courts and a refurbished children’s playground.
Beast of Sydenham
The Beast of Sydenham, as of 25 March 2005, is a large, panther-like black animal which has been spotted around the area, and attacked a man. The beast was said to be 6 ft in length and 3 ft in height.Sydenham Children's Hospital
Sydenham Children's Hospital lasted from 1872 until its closure in 1991.Education
Sydenham contains two secondary schools, Sydenham High School - a private school - and Sydenham SchoolSydenham School
Sydenham School is a comprehensive girls' school located on Dartmouth Road in Sydenham, London.-History:...
. Both of these schools are exclusively girls' schools.
Primary schools in Sydenham are four non-religious schools (Adamsrill Primary School, Eliot Bank Primary, Haseltine School and Kelvin Grove Primary School) and three religious schools (St. Michael's Primary School
St. Michael's Primary School
St. Michael's Primary School may refer to:*St. Michael's Primary School, Finnis, Finnis, County Down, Northern Ireland*St. Michael's Primary School, Mowhan, Mowhan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland*St...
, St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School
St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School
St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School is in Dunston in Gateshead. The school motto is 'A joyous heart is more easily made perfect than one which is cast down'....
) and St. Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School. The former includes children of other faiths.
Nearby to Sydenham are secondary schools which include residents of Sydenham in their catchment area. These include Forest Hill
Forest Hill School
Forest Hill School is a comprehensive boys school located on Dacres Road, Forest Hill in the London Borough of Lewisham. It opened in 1956. The school has very close ties with the girls' secondary, Sydenham School, which is located close by...
, Harris, Cator Park School for Girls and Sedgehill Schools.
Famous residents
- John Logie BairdJohn Logie BairdJohn Logie Baird FRSE was a Scottish engineer and inventor of the world's first practical, publicly demonstrated television system, and also the world's first fully electronic colour television tube...
— the inventor of the televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
- Thomas Campbell — poet
- Connie FisherConnie FisherConnie Fisher is a Welsh actress and singer, who won the BBC One talent contest, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?...
— singer and actress, winner of the BBC TV program "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? was a British television talent series, that was broadcast on Saturday evenings on BBC One between 29 July and 16 September 2006. It documented the search for a new, undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the 2006 Andrew...
" - Wilfrid de GlehnWilfrid de GlehnWilfrid Gabriel de Glehn , RA was an Impressionist British painter, elected to the Royal Academy in 1932.Wilfried Von Glehn was born in Sydenham in south-east London...
— painter, was born in Sydenham - W. G. GraceW. G. GraceWilliam Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
— England's greatest cricketer - George GroveGeorge GroveSir George Grove, CB was an English writer on music, known as the founding editor of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians....
— of musical dictionary fame - Rolf HarrisRolf HarrisRolf Harris, CBE, AM is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, painter and television personality.Born in Perth, Western Australia, Harris was a champion swimmer before studying art. He moved to England in 1952, where he started to appear on television programmes on which he drew the...
— was a key figure in the Sydenham Society - Sean James Cameron Author, Television & Film Producer. Creator of The Horticultural Channel.tv
- Norman HunterNorman Hunter (author)Norman George Lorimer Hunter was a British children's author, best known for his novels' character Professor Branestawm.-Career:Hunter wrote popular books on writing for advertising, brain-teasers and conjuring among many others...
— writer and creator of Professor BranestawmProfessor BranestawmProfessor Branestawm is a series of thirteen books written by the English author Norman Hunter. Written over a 50 year period, between 1933 and 1983, the children's books feature as protagonist the eponymous inventor, Professor Theophilus Branestawm, who is depicted throughout the books as the... - Shivani KapoorShivani KapoorShivani Kapoor in London, England is a British model.Shivani Kapoor attended school in Sydenham, South London, until the age of 14, when she moved to India to pursue a career in modelling. While at school, she trained as a classical singer. Her secret passion: "To sing. I have trained for four...
— Indian model, cousin of famous Bollywood sister actresses Karisma & Kareena Kapoor - Linda LudgroveLinda LudgroveLinda Ludgrove was an English backstroke swimmer.Raised in Sydenham, Ludgrove won individual gold medals at 110 yards backstroke and 220 yards backstroke at both the 1962 and 1966 Commonwealth Games...
— Commonwealth gold medallist swimmer - Eleanor MarxEleanor MarxJenny Julia Eleanor "Tussy" Marx , also known as Eleanor Marx Aveling, was the English-born youngest daughter of Karl Marx. She was herself a socialist activist, who sometimes worked as a literary translator...
— daughter of Karl Marx - John Scott RussellJohn Scott RussellJohn Scott Russell was a Scottish naval engineer who built the Great Eastern in collaboration with Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and made the discovery that gave birth to the modern study of solitons.-Personal life:John Scott Russell was born John Russell on 9 May 1808 in Parkhead, Glasgow, the son of...
— naval architect who built the SS Great EasternSS Great EasternSS Great Eastern was an iron sailing steam ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and built by J. Scott Russell & Co. at Millwall on the River Thames, London. She was by far the largest ship ever built at the time of her 1858 launch, and had the capacity to carry 4,000 passengers around the...
- Dame Cicely SaundersCicely SaundersDame Cicely Mary Saunders, was a prominent Anglican, nurse, physician and writer, involved with many international universities...
— founder of the modern hospice movement - Ernest ShackletonErnest ShackletonSir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
— the Antarctic explorer - Jason StathamJason StathamJason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
— famous actor - David WiffenDavid WiffenDavid Wiffen is a Canadian folk music singer-songwriter. Two of his songs, "Driving Wheel" and "More Often Than Not", have become cover standards.- Career :...
— Canadian singer/songwriter was born in Sydenham in 1942 - Bill WymanBill WymanBill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
— member of The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, grew up in Sydenham - Tsakane Valentine Maswanganyi — Opera singer, she first came to public notice as a member of the world-famous opera band Amici ForeverAmici ForeverAmici Forever is a band of four classically trained singers who mix opera with pop music . The band's first album, The Opera Band , reached number one on the Australian classical charts, number two on the United States classical charts and the top 5 in the United Kingdom classical...
- Lionel LogueLionel LogueLionel George Logue CVO was an Australian speech therapist and stage actor who successfully treated, among others, King George VI, who had a pronounced stammer.-Early life and family:...
CVO, an Australian speech therapist and stage actor who successfully treated, among others, King George VI. He lived in a villa named Beechgrove from 1933-1941
Geography
SydenhamSydenham is the over all area but the central part is just referred as Sydenham. The central area includes Sydenham Road or Sydenham High Street by locals and is the main shopping area. The main railway station is called Sydenham which links to Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, Penge
Penge
Penge is a suburb of London in the London Borough of Bromley. It is located south east of Charing Cross.-History:Penge was once a small town, which was recorded under the name Penceat in a Saxon deed dating from 957...
, Forest Hill
Forest Hill, London
Forest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
, New Cross
New Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
, Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, Dalston
Dalston
Dalston is a district of north-east London, England, located in the London Borough of Hackney. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
and the major terminii London Bridge and London Victoria. Sydenham is served by bus routes 75
London Buses route 75
London Buses route 75 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metrobus.-History:...
, 122, 176
London Buses route 176
London Buses route 176 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:...
, 194
London Buses route 194
London Buses route 194 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:...
, 197
London Buses route 197
London Buses route 197 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London....
, 202 & 450. Sydenham is also home to a Co-operative
The Co-operative brand
The Co-operative is a common branding used by a variety of co-operatives based in the United Kingdom.Many in the UK mistakenly consider the Co-op to be a single national business, however each Co-operative is actually a franchise selling branded goods produced by the Co-operative Group The...
, formally Somerfield
Somerfield
Somerfield was a chain of small to medium sized supermarkets operating in the United Kingdom. The company was taken over by the Co-operative Group on 2 March 2009 in a £1.57 billion deal, creating the UK's fifth largest food retailer. The name is currently being phased out and replaced by the...
supermarket on Sydenham Road.
Sydenham Hill
Sydenham Hill
Sydenham Hill
For other uses of 'Sydenham', see Sydenham .Sydenham Hill is a hill or ridge and a locality in South-East London and the name of a road which runs along the northern eastern part of the ridge and forms the boundary between the London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Lewisham. The...
is to the north of Sydenham and there is also road called Sydenham Hill. It includes three postcodes (SE26, SE23 and SE21) and is partly in the London Borough of Southwark
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:...
and the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
. The London Borough of Southwark area is part of the "College ward". Sydenham Hill
Sydenham Hill railway station
Sydenham Hill railway station is in the London Borough of Southwark in south London. The station serves Sydenham Hill and parts of Sydenham and Dulwich. It is in Travelcard Zone 3, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern...
has direct links to 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:...
, London Victoria, Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
and Orpington
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. The area is served by bus routes 202, 356
London Buses route 356
London Buses route 356 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:The first route 356 ran from Tatsfield and Biggin Hill directly into Croydon....
, 363 and the 450. Local amenities include Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Golf Club and Sydenham Woods.
Upper Sydenham
Upper Sydenham is North West of Sydenham. It has the same postcode of SE26 and in the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
, but is included in the Forest Hill ward. Upper Sydenham is served by bus routes 122, 176, 197, 202 & 356. Local Parks are Wells Park
Sydenham Wells Park
Sydenham Wells Park is located in Sydenham, south east London. The park is owned by the London Borough of Lewisham and maintained by Glendale. Wells Park is named after medicinal springs which were found in Sydenham in the seventeenth century, when Sydenham was still in Kent. This attracted crowds...
and Baxters field. A Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
Express Store opened in June 2009 on Kirkdale. There was a former station in the area called Upper Sydenham railway station
Upper Sydenham railway station
The Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway was authorised to build a line from Peckham Rye railway station to a terminus at Crystal Palace in 1862, in order to serve the attraction of the Crystal Palace.- History :...
.
Lower Sydenham
Lower Sydenham is in the East of the area. It has the same postcode and is in the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
and a small part in the London Borough of Bromley
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
. The Crystal Palace District Gas Company was founded in Lower Sydenham in 1854, supplied with coal by newly opened railway. The Company supplied gas to the relocated Crystal Palace and defined Lower Sydenham as a working class area. Gas production stopped in 1969, but the South Eastern Gas Board continued to be based there and gas holders still remain. Most of the site was redeveloped in 1996 as a Savacentre (as this was its original name) by locals, Sainsburys 'Sydenham' is one of the largest Sainsbury's store in the UK. Lower Sydenham has its own railway station Lower Sydenham
Lower Sydenham railway station
Lower Sydenham railway station is just to the north of the boundary between the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Bromley in south east London, in Travelcard Zone 4...
which links to Hayes
Hayes, Bromley
Hayes is a place in the London Borough of Bromley, south-east London, England. It has two main areas of activity: the ancient village and suburban Hayes.-The ancient village of Nimrods :...
, Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, Catford
Catford
Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
, London Bridge and Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
. It also has Home Park which boasts an Adventure playground and is situated next to Sydenham Library, funded by Andrew Carnegie in 1904. Further down towards Bell Green is The Old Bathhouse (now an antiques reclamation yard). The area is served by bus routes 181, 194, 202, 352, 356 & 450.
The future
- The High Street Plans for TfL to fund major improvements to the high street are available at
Nearest places
- PengePengePenge is a suburb of London in the London Borough of Bromley. It is located south east of Charing Cross.-History:Penge was once a small town, which was recorded under the name Penceat in a Saxon deed dating from 957...
- Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace, LondonCrystal Palace is a residential area in south London, England named from the former local landmark, The Crystal Palace, which occupied the area from 1854 to 1936. The area is located approximately 8 miles south east of Charing Cross, and offers impressive views over the capital...
- DulwichDulwichDulwich is an area of South London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth...
- BellinghamBellingham, LondonBellingham is a neighbourhood and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham, and consists mainly of social/council housing built in the 1920s on what was then farm land. Many houses have been bought by the tenants under the Right to Buy Scheme. However, the majority are still rented out to...
- Forest HillForest Hill, LondonForest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
- BrockleyBrockleyBrockley is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross.It is covered by the London postcode districts SE4 and SE14.-History:...
- Crofton ParkCrofton ParkCrofton Park is a vibrant, mainly residential suburb and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is the original site of the former agricultural hamlet of Brockley. It is located 5.3 miles south east of Charing Cross, and is south of Brockley and north of Honor Oak...
- CatfordCatfordCatford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
- BeckenhamBeckenhamBeckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross and 1.75 miles west of Bromley town...
- BromleyBromleyBromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
Nearest railway stations
- Penge East railway stationPenge East railway stationPenge East railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. It is in Travelcard Zone 4, and the station and nearly all trains are operated by Southeastern...
- Sydenham railway station (London)
- Sydenham Hill railway stationSydenham Hill railway stationSydenham Hill railway station is in the London Borough of Southwark in south London. The station serves Sydenham Hill and parts of Sydenham and Dulwich. It is in Travelcard Zone 3, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern...
- Lower Sydenham railway stationLower Sydenham railway stationLower Sydenham railway station is just to the north of the boundary between the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Bromley in south east London, in Travelcard Zone 4...
- Upper Sydenham railway stationUpper Sydenham railway stationThe Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway was authorised to build a line from Peckham Rye railway station to a terminus at Crystal Palace in 1862, in order to serve the attraction of the Crystal Palace.- History :...
(closed in 1958) - Penge West railway stationPenge West railway stationPenge West railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. The station is operated by London Overground, with London Overground and Southern trains serving the station. First Capital Connect and some Southern services pass through the station. It is located in Travelcard Zone...
- Forest Hill railway stationForest Hill railway stationForest Hill railway station is situated in Forest Hill, part of the London Borough of Lewisham. The station is located on the South Circular Road ....
- New Beckenham railway stationNew Beckenham railway stationNew Beckenham railway station serves Beckenham in the London Borough of Bromley in south east London, in Travelcard Zone 4. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern.- Services :The typical off peak train service per hour is:...
- Kent House railway stationKent House railway stationKent House railway station serves an area between Penge and Beckenham in the London Borough of Bromley in south London: it takes its name from Kent House farm nearby, historically the first house in Kent after crossing the Surrey border. It is in Travelcard Zone 4, and the station and all trains...
External links
- Sydenham.org.uk Community website and forum.
- Sydenham Society Local community group.
- Virtual Sydenham
- Historical images of Sydenham