Lee, also known as Lee Green, is an area of South East London, England, straddling the border of the London Borough of Lewisham and the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is located northwest of Eltham and southeast of Lewisham. It is within the historic county of Kent. The churchyard of St Margaret's Church (current church rebuilt 1839–41, architect:

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

) is the burial place of three Astronomers Royal: Edmond Halley, Nathaniel Bliss and John Pond.

History

Early history

The Manor of Lee was a historic parish of the

Blackheath Blackheath may refer to: Places England *Blackheath, London, England ** Blackheath railway station **Hundred of Blackheath, Kent, an ancient hundred in the north west of the county of Kent, England *Blackheath, Surrey, England ** Hundred of Blackh ...

hundred and existed up to 1900 when it was merged with the parish of Lewisham to create the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham. While modern Lee is centred on Lee railway station and the road of

Burnt Ash Hill List of A roads in zone 2 in Great Britain starting south of the River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest r ...

, the parish was based around Lee High Road which today stretches into the town centre of Lewisham. The River Quaggy formed much of the boundary between the two parishes, though at Lee Bridge (at the western end of Lee High Road) it is now almost completely hidden. The Lee Manor Society have produced a comprehensive history of the area. The Domesday Book of 1086 describes Lee as a small area of cultivation set in extensive woodland. The earliest map available ( Rocque's '' Country Near Ten Miles Round'' map of 1746) shows a cluster of about a dozen houses around a triangular village green. This hamlet was then largely surrounded by fields, with the Wricklemarsh estate of Sir Gregory Page to the north, and a manor house (Lee Place) to the north-west, with St Margaret's Church just beyond. Lee Green Farm occupied the south-east quadrant from the 1660s (roughly on the site of the present Leegate shopping centre). The farm was demolished in the 1840s and rebuilt as Tudor House further east. The Old Tiger's Head and the New Tiger's Head pubs are important and striking features of the crossroads. Confusingly, the original (Old) Tiger's Head is thought to have been built on the site currently occupied by the New Tiger's Head. The original pub is thought to have been built before 1730. It was rebuilt on its present site, the north-west quadrant, in 1750–1770 and then rebuilt (in its third incarnation) in 1896 – the date carried on its frontage. It became an important mail and coaching inn. The New Tiger's Head started life as a beer shop known as the Tiger Tavern in the 1830s. It was situated in the end of four cottages known as Prospect Terrace, built around the same time. Three of these cottages remain, housing a post office/newsagent and a hairdresser. In 1868 it is referred to as the Tiger's Head Inn. The present building is thought to have replaced the original cottage a few years after 1896 – the date of the rebuilding of the Old Tiger's Head. The New Tiger's Head has now closed down.

19th century

In 1815 cavalry and foot regiments passed through Lee Green on their way to the Battle of Waterloo: :"The space in front of the Tiger's Head and the Green were very commodious for the transfer of baggage to the waggons of the farmers from the other side of London to those of the farmers in this neighbourhood which were pressed for that purpose, to convey them 15 miles further on the journey to Dover." Lee is where, in 1837, Robert Cocking died in the first

parachute A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...

accident.

In the early nineteenth century boxing matches took place at the Old Tiger's Head. Horse racing and (human) foot racing took place in the 1840s but the police put a stop to these events, probably under pressure from local citizens. At that time the green was the centre of village life with

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

matches, bare knuckle boxing and other entertainments. In the 1850s further housebuilding prompted the installation of proper sewers and the Lee Green

horse pond A horse pond is a body of water used, and generally created, for the welfare of horses. Horses can drink water and wash their legs in these ponds. While horse ponds were once important for the welfare of horses, they are less common in the age of p ...

was filled in. In the 1860s John Pound, a developer, erected houses in the south-east quadrant, Orchard Terrace on Eltham Road and Crown Terrace on Burnt Ash Lane (now Road). The opening of Lee station in 1866 prompted more housebuilding at the crossroads. The site of Lee Green Farm was built on as Carston Mews. In the same year Charles Henry Reed, a linen draper, moves into 1 Orchard Terrace and established a department store. Reed died in 1895 and in 1903 the business was taken over by Griffith & Co. In the south-west quadrant the Prince Arthur pub was built at 422 Lee High Road in 1870 (closed 2005). It was originally one of a row of early nineteenth-century cottages of which three – nos 424–428 – survived behind modern shop fronts. In 1898 No 345 Lee High Road was built in front of the former Old Tiger's Head stables. It incorporated a fire station but the London County Council built a replacement in 1906 in Eltham Road. It is still in use. A police station was built at 418 Lee High Road in 1904, replacing one built before 1860. It was converted to apartments in 2003.

20th century to now

In the early 1960s the south-east quadrant, including Carston Mews, was demolished to make way for Leegate shopping centre. This declined following the opening of Sainsbury's on the opposite side of Burnt Ash Road in the late 1980s. Owners of the centre,

St. Modwen Properties St. Modwen Properties limited is a British-based property investment and development business specialising in the regeneration and remediation of brownfield land and urban environments. It is headquartered in Birmingham and has a network of four ...

have recently proposed a £40m regeneration plan for the centre, including the demolition of the current shopping precinct to be replaced with an Asda supermarket as well as the conversion of the existing office block into a hotel.

Notable residents

* Sir Francis Baring, founder of

Baring Brothers Barings Bank was a British merchant bank based in London, and one of England's oldest merchant banks after Berenberg Bank, Barings' close collaborator and German representative. It was founded in 1762 by Francis Baring, a British-born member ...

Bank (now defunct), bought the Manor House (attributed to architect Richard Jupp) in Manor Lane (now a library and its grounds a public park,

Manor House Gardens Manor House Gardens is a 3.34-hectare public park and gardens situated in Lee, in south east London. The park features a walled flower garden, ornamental pond, fountain, ice-house, cafeteria, children's playground, community garden, dog-walking ar ...

) in 1796. * Henry Thomas Buckle, historian and author of the ''History of Civilization in England'', was born in Lee. * Poet Ernest Dowson was born in Lee. * Poet U A Fanthorpe was born in Lee. * Actor James Robertson Justice was born in Lee in 1907. * Actor

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Césa ...

* Musician Manfred Mann lived in Southbrook Road in Lee. * Philosopher, sociologist and economic historian Karl Marx lived at Lee for a short period during the 19th century *

John Mayall John Mayall, OBE (born 29 November 1933) is an English blues singer, musician and songwriter, whose musical career spans over sixty years. In the 1960s, he was the founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band that has counted among it ...

lived in Lee Green.

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

stayed with him during the recording sessions of the album

Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton ''Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton'', colloquially known as ''The Beano Album'', is the debut studio album by the English blues rock band John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Produced by Mike Vernon and released in 1966 by Decca Records (UK) and ...

* Schoolboy murder victim Jimmy Mizen * Sir Gregory Page built a large mansion house (demolished in 1787) at Wricklemarsh in Lee. * Mechanical engineer John Penn died at his home, The Cedars, Lee on 23 September 1878, and was subsequently buried at nearby St Margaret's Church. * Reggie Schwarz, South African

er, was born in Lee. * Comedian Arthur Smith briefly lived in Lee while he attended Roan Boys' Grammar School *

Stanley Unwin Stanley Unwin may refer to: * Stanley Unwin (comedian) (1911–2002), South African-born comedic writer and performer * Stanley Unwin (publisher) Sir Stanley Unwin, KCMG (19 December 1884 – 13 October 1968) was a British publisher, who founde ...

, publisher, lived in Handen Road. *

Max Wall Max Wall (12 March 1908 – 21 May 1990) was an English actor and comedian whose performing career covered music hall, films, television and theatre. Early years Wall was born Maxwell George Lorimer, son of the successful music hall entert ...

, actor and comedian * Estelle Winwood, English stage and screen actress who later lived in the USA; at the time of her death at 101, she was the oldest member in the history of the Screen Actors Guild.

Gallery

Lee village history board.jpg, History board of the village of Lee Old St Margaret's Churchyard, Lee.jpg, The old church yard and ruins of Old St Margaret's Church in Lee. The ruins of the old church are thought to be at least eight centuries old Old St Margaret's Church, Lee.jpg, Ruins of Old St Margaret's Church in Lee. The ruins are thought to be at least eight centuries old Merchant Taylor's Almshouses, Lee.jpg, Merchant Taylor's Almshouses in Lee Merchant Taylor's Almshoueses history board, Lee.jpg, History board for Merchant Taylor's Almshouses in Lee

Transport

Road

Lee High Road is the major road through the area and forms part of the

A20 road This is a list of roads designated A20. Roads entries are sorted in the countries alphabetical order. * ''A20 road (Australia)'' may refer to: ** Sturt Highway, a road in South Australia & New South Wales ** Gawler Bypass, a road in South Austral ...

Rail

Lee station Lee may refer to: Name Given name * Lee (given name), a given name in English Surname * Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee: ** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname ** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese s ...

serves the area with National Rail services to

London Charing Cross Charing Cross railway station (also known as London Charing Cross) is a central London railway terminus between the Strand and Hungerford Bridge in the City of Westminster. It is the terminus of the South Eastern Main Line to Dover via Ashf ...

London Cannon Street Cannon Street station, also known as London Cannon Street, is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Travelcard zone 1 located on Cannon Street in the City of London and managed by Network Rail. It is ...

via Lewisham, Woolwich Arsenal &

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Ro ...

Buses

Lee is served by

London Buses London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL) that manages most bus services in London, England. It was formed following the Greater London Authority Act 1999 that transferred control of London Regional Transport (LRT) bus se ...

routes 122, 160, 178, 202, 261, 273, 321, 621, 660 & N21. These connect it with areas including

, Bromley, Catford,

Chislehurst Chislehurst () is a suburban district of south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies east of Bromley, south-west of Sidcup and north-west of Orpington, south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater L ...

, Crystal Palace, Eltham, Grove Park, Kidbrooke, Lewisham, New Cross, Petts Wood,

Plumstead Plumstead is an area in southeast London, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, England. It is located east of Woolwich. History Until 1965, Plumstead was in the historic counties of England, historic county of Kent and the detail of mu ...

, Sidcup, Sydenham & Woolwich.

Nearby areas

External links

Lee Green Assembly website

References

{{Authority control Districts of the London Borough of Lewisham Areas of London Former civil parishes in the London Borough of Lewisham District centres of London