East Dulwich is an area of
South East London, England in the
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark ( ) in South London forms part of Inner London and is connected by bridges across the River Thames to the City of London and London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It was created in 1965 when three smaller council areas ...
. It forms the eastern part of
Dulwich
Dulwich (; ) is an area in south London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark, with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth, and consists of Dulwich Village, East Dulwich, West Dulwich, and the Southwark half ...
, with
Peckham to the east and
Camberwell to the north. This
South London suburb was first developed in the nineteenth century on land owned by the
College of God's Gift
The College of God's Gift, often referred to as the Old (Dulwich) College, was a historic charity founded in 1619 by the Elizabethan actor and businessman Edward Alleyn who endowed it with the ancient Manor of Dulwich in south London. In 1857 it ...
.
It was originally part of the much larger, historic
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
of Camberwell, which later became the
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in south London, England. Camberwell was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey, governed by an administrative vestry from 1674. The parish was included in the area of responsibility of ...
, and included Camberwell, Peckham, Dulwich,
Nunhead
Nunhead is a suburb in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England.Southwark Council Nunhead and Peckham Rye Community Council It is an inner-city suburb located southeast of Charing Cross. It is the location of the Nunhead Cemetery.BB ...
, and other London districts.
History
Saxon Dulwich
The earliest record of East Dulwich comes from 967 when
Edgar the Peaceful
Edgar ( ang, Ēadgār ; 8 July 975), known as the Peaceful or the Peaceable, was King of the English from 959 until his death in 975. The younger son of King Edmund I and Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury, he came to the throne as a teenager followin ...
granted Dilwihs to a
thane
Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven taluk ...
named Earl Aelfheah. Dilwihs meant "meadow where the dill grew".
At the time East Dulwich was likely just a hamlet or group of small farms centered around what is today known as Goose Green.
Medieval East Dulwich
In 1066 King
William I of England
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...
conquered England and Dulwich became property of the new Norman dynasty after taking the land from King
Harold II of England
Harold Godwinson ( – 14 October 1066), also called Harold II, was the last crowned Anglo-Saxon English king. Harold reigned from 6 January 1066 until his death at the Battle of Hastings, fighting the Norman invaders led by William the C ...
and the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom. During the Middle Ages many new roads were likely constructed nearby such as what is today known as
Lordship Lane which became the boundary separating Dulwich Manor with Friern Manor. In 1340 The hamlet of "Est Dilewissh" was sold to John Leverich by William Mabuhs.
Tudor Dulwich
In 1538 with the establishment of the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...
Dulwich was no longer the property of
Bermondsey Abbey, which was dissolved in 1537. In 1544 Dulwich was granted to goldsmith Thomas Calton for £609 by
Henry VIII making the area no longer property of the crown. Nearby Dulwich, a vast forest known as the
Great North Wood
The Great North Wood was a natural oak woodland that started south-east of central London and scaled the Norwood Ridge. At its full extent, the wood's boundaries stretched almost as far as Croydon and as far north as Camberwell. It had occa ...
, began to be used by local colliers and vast portions of the woodland were cut down in order to build ships.
Stuart East Dulwich
During the Stuart era a fresh water spring was found on the edge of
Dulwich Wood
Dulwich Wood, together with the adjacent Sydenham Hill Wood, is the largest extant part of the ancient Great North Wood in the London Borough of Southwark. on the corner of Lordship Lane and
College Road. Francis Cox built a
Public House
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and wa ...
which attracted travellers to the well built at the site of the spring. In 1705 Cox constructed a new road, linking his business to the towns of
Croydon
Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensi ...
and
Beckenham
Beckenham () is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley, in Greater London. Until 1965 it was part of the historic county of Kent. It is located south-east of Charing Cross, situated north of Elmers End and E ...
to the south, today the road is a pathway known as
Cox's Walk.
Georgian Dulwich
In
John Rocques 1761 map of the cities of London and Westminster, small farms and buildings occupy the modern location of East Dulwich at Goose Green, the modern
Grove Vale
Grove may refer to:
* Grove (nature), a small group of trees
Places
England
*Grove, Buckinghamshire, a village
* Grove, Dorset
* Grove, Herefordshire
* Grove, Kent
*Grove, Nottinghamshire, a village
* Grove, Oxfordshire, a village and civil ...
road is referred to as Dog Kennel Lane. South of Goose Green a settlement referred to as Fryum Farm is present, this probably represents the modern Frein Farm.
In 1805 (+1814) Dulwich Common was enclosed and in 1826 East Dulwich Chapel was built at the start of Lordship Lane opposite Goose Green.
Victorian Dulwich
In 1851 Dulwich's population was recorded at 1,632 and in 1863 the
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR or LC&DR) was a railway company in south-eastern England created on 1 August 1859, when the East Kent Railway was given parliamentary approval to change its name. Its lines ran through London and no ...
was built. In 1865 St John's Church built amidst green fields and in 1868 East Dulwich railway station opened as Champion Hill Station, in the same year Old village green is bought for public use. In 1871 Lordship Lane station was built near modern-day
Dulwich Wood
Dulwich Wood, together with the adjacent Sydenham Hill Wood, is the largest extant part of the ancient Great North Wood in the London Borough of Southwark. .
Between 1871 and 1881 over 5,000 houses were built in East Dulwich as the small hamlet became part of the rapidly expanding London suburbs. The Upper Middle class migrated to the area building "Villas" (large houses with bespoke gardens) nearby, many of which had tennis courts. In 1872 Adys Road School was built of Adys road replacing the St Johns vicaridge and Forest Oak Villa (both of which can be observed on 1860s
ordance survey maps). In 1874 St Peter's Church was built and in 1877 Emmanuel Congregational Church opened on Barry Road. In 1882 Heber Road School opened and in 1885 horse-drawn trams arrived providing transport into london.
In 1887
Dulwich Hospital opened and in 1890 Dulwich Grove Congregational Church opened on Melbourne Grove.
In the early 1890s Dulwich Park and
Peckham Rye Park
Peckham Rye is an open space and road in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England. The roughly triangular open space lies to the south of Peckham town centre. It is managed by Southwark Council and consists of two contiguous areas, wit ...
opened to the public as the area became more urban and densely populated, the old villas disappeared being replaced by smaller houses. In 1892
Dulwich Public Baths
Dulwich Public Baths (also Dulwich Leisure Centre) is a swimming pool and gym in Dulwich, South London. It opened in 1892, and is London's oldest public baths to have remained in continuous operation. The baths are listed Grade II on the Natio ...
opened on East Dulwich Road and in 1893 Dulwich Fire Station opened on Lordship Lane (closed 1947 after war damage). Dulwich Library also opened in the 1890s.
1897 - Dulwich Library opened.
1897 -
Enid Blyton
Enid Mary Blyton (11 August 1897 – 28 November 1968) was an English children's writer, whose books have been worldwide bestsellers since the 1930s, selling more than 600 million copies. Her books are still enormously popular and have b ...
was born on Lordship Lane.
Modern East Dulwich
It is a residential area which has undergone
gentrification
Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the ec ...
in recent years.
There is a shopping area along
Lordship Lane which, in addition to several independent shops, has a variety of restaurants, butcher, fishmonger. On Saturdays there is a small market on North Cross Road with antiques, crafts and specialist food stalls. Some of the
public houses
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
in the area have been converted to
gastropub
A gastropub or gastro pub is a pub that serves gourmet comfort food. The term was coined in the 1990s, though similar brewpubs existed during the 1980s.
Etymology
The term ''gastropub'' (derived from gastronomy) was coined in 1991, when David ...
s.
Dateline
1900 - Part of the
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in south London, England. Camberwell was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey, governed by an administrative vestry from 1674. The parish was included in the area of responsibility of ...
. Grove Vale School opened.
1901 - Dulwich's Population: 10,376
1902 - Imperial Hall opened in Grove Vale.
1906 - Horse-drawn trams were replaced by electrical ones. The route ran Dog Kennel Hill, Lordship Lane and East Dulwich Road.
1912 - Dulwich Hamlet FC moved to Dog Kennel Hill. Aquarius Golf Club opened.
1923 - Imperial Hall became Pavilion. Grove Tavern rebuilt.
1931 - New Dulwich Hamlet FC stadium opened.
1935 -
St Thomas More Catholic Church officially named.
1938 - East Dulwich Odeon opened.
1940s -
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
:
the Blitz
The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'.
The Germa ...
and the V1 &
V-2 rocket
The V-2 (german: Vergeltungswaffe 2, lit=Retaliation Weapon 2), with the technical name ''Aggregat 4'' (A-4), was the world’s first long-range guided ballistic missile. The missile, powered by a liquid-propellant rocket engine, was develop ...
flying bombs caused widespread damage to East Dulwich.
1952 - End of electric
trams
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport ar ...
.
1965 - Became part of new London Borough of Southwark.
1972 - East Dulwich Odeon closed. Later became London House.
1973 -
Dawson's Heights
Dawson's Heights (also known as Dawson Heights) is a large social housing estate in East Dulwich, London Borough of Southwark, London.
It was designed by Kate Macintosh and built in between 1964 and 1972. The estate is built on top of a spoil t ...
by
Kate Macintosh
Catherine Ailsa "Kate" Macintosh MBE (born 1937) is a Scottish architect known for her work for local authorities. She designed Dawson's Heights in Southwark and 269 Leigham Court Road, a Grade II listed building in Lambeth.
Career
Macinto ...
1977 - East Dulwich Police Station opened.
1980 -
AC/DC singer
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott (9 July 1946 – 19 February 1980) was an Australian singer and songwriter. He was the lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980.
Born in Forfar in Angus, Scotlan ...
died in a car parked outside of an East Dulwich house.
1994 - St John's & St Clements school moved to Adys Road.
1998 - Commemorative blue plaque added to 36 Forest Hill Road, birthplace of
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...
(William Henry Pratt)
2003 - London House (old East Dulwich Odeon) demolished.
2015 - East Dulwich Picturehouse opened.
Geography
Dulwich Plough
One area of East Dulwich is called Dulwich the Plough. This was named after a
pub
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
, "The Plough" which had been there since 1830. The pub was taken over by Bass Taverns
pub chain
A pub chain is a group of pubs or bars operating under a unified brand image. Pubs within a chain are tied houses and can, generally, only sell products which the chain owner sanctions. Pubs in a chain normally display their chain branding prom ...
and changed its name in 1996 to the ''Goose and Granite''. Despite the efforts of a "Save Dulwich Plough" campaign the new name was kept for almost ten years. The name reverted to The Plough in 2005.
Dulwich Library, which opened on 24 November 1897 is nearby.
549 Lordship Lane: the "Concrete House"
One of the most
architecturally
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...
interesting buildings in the area is at
549 Lordship Lane. The so-called "Concrete House" is a former derelict grade II
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
, now restored and back in use, and is an example of 19th-century
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...
house. It is believed that it is the only surviving example in England.
The Concrete House was built in 1873 by Charles Drake of the Patent Concrete Building Company. In 1867 the builder had patented the use of iron panels for
shuttering rather than timber.
It was on the Heritage at Risk Register from 1994 to 2013 when it was removed following its successful repair and conversion. Having fallen vacant in the 1980s and developing serious structural problems, it has been fully restored and converted to five flats in shared ownership. It then won an award from English Heritage, the Angel Commendation.
Local Government Elections
Sport and leisure
East Dulwich is home to the
non-league football club
Dulwich Hamlet
Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in East Dulwich in south-east London, England. They are currently members of and play at Champion Hill.
History
The club was formed in 1893, by Lorraine 'Pa' Wilson. T ...
, who play at Champion Hill.
Transport
The area is served by
East Dulwich railway station
East Dulwich railway station is in the London Borough of Southwark in East Dulwich, south London. The station, and the trains which serve it are operated by Southern, and it is in Travelcard Zone 2, down the line from . The station was named ...
, for
Southern train services between
London Bridge and local South London destinations.
See also
*
List of people from Southwark
The list of people from the London Borough of Southwark includes residents who were either born or dwelt for a substantial period within the borders of this modern London borough. It does not comprise notable individuals who only studied at edu ...
*
Southwark London Borough Council
Southwark London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London.
History
There have previously been a numbe ...
References
;Notes
;Bibliography
*
*
*
*, page 220.
External links
History of the Lordship Lane areaEast Dulwich Forum
{{Authority control
Areas of London
Districts of the London Borough of Southwark
Dulwich
Articles containing video clips