Lewisham () is an area of southeast London, England, south of

Charing Cross Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Clockwise from north these are: the east side of Trafalgar Square leading to St Martin's Place and then Charing Cross Road; the Strand leading to the City; ...

. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London, with a large shopping centre and street market. Lewisham was a small village until the development of passenger railways in the 19th century. Lewisham had a population of 60,573 in 2011.

History

John Cleveley Junior - A View at Lewisham (print) - Lewisham

The earliest written reference to Lewisham — or Saxon ''‘liofshema’ '' - is from a charter from 862 which established the boundaries with neighbouring Bromley Lewisham is sometimes said to have been founded, according to Bede, by a

pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...

Jute Jute is a long, soft, shiny bast fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', which is in the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ''Corchorus olit ...

, Leof, who settled (by burning his boat) near

St Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

's Church ( Ladywell) where the ground was drier, in the 6th century, but there seems to be no solid source for this speculation, and there is no such passage in Bede's history. As to the etymology of the name,

Daniel Lysons Daniel Lysons may refer to: *Daniel Lysons (antiquarian) (1762–1834), English antiquarian and topographer *Daniel Lysons (British Army officer) General Sir Daniel Lysons (1 August 1816 – 29 January 1898) was a British Army general who achieve ...

(1796) wrote: :"In the most ancient

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

records this place is called ''Levesham'', that is, the house among the meadows; ''leswe'', ''læs'', ''læse'', or ''læsew'', in the Saxon, signifies a meadow, and ham, a dwelling. A Latin legal record, dated 1440, mentions a place in Kent as ''Levesham'' which may refer to Lewisham. It is now written, as well in parochial and other records as in common usage, Lewisham." "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. Church of St Stephen, Lewisham

King Alfred was Lord of the Manor of Lewisham, as is celebrated by a plaque in Lewisham Library. The Manor of Lewisham, with its appendages of Greenwich and Combe, was given by Elthruda, King Alfred's niece, to the Saint Peter's Abbey, Ghent in a Charter dated 18th September around 918, of which Lewisham then became a cell, or an

alien priory Alien priories were religious establishments in England, such as monasteries and convents, which were under the control of another religious house outside England. Usually the mother-house was in France.Coredon ''Dictionary of Medieval Terms'' p. ...

. This grant is said to have been confirmed by King Edgar in 964, and by

Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ; la, Eduardus Confessor , ; ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings. Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex, he ruled from 1042 to 1066. Edward was the son of Æth ...

in 1044, with the addition of many privileges. In the mid-17th century, the then vicar of Lewisham,

Abraham Colfe Abraham Colfe (died 1657) was vicar of Lewisham from 1610 to 1657 and a notable English philanthropist, founding Colfe's School, a reading (primary) or Latin school and five almshouses for the inhabitants of Lewisham (today, part of south-east Lon ...

, built a grammar school, a primary school and six

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...

s for the inhabitants. In the 17th century the Manor of Lewisham was purchased by George Legge, later

Baron Dartmouth Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher th ...

. His son William was raised by Queen Anne to several positions of honour and trust, and was a member of her

privy council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...

; and on 5 September 1711, was ennobled as Viscount Lewisham, and

Earl of Dartmouth Earl of Dartmouth is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1711 for William Legge, 2nd Baron Dartmouth. History The Legge family descended from Edward Legge, Vice-President of Munster. His eldest son William Legge was a ...

. His grandson George, Lord Dartmouth, obtained the privilege of holding a fair twice a year, and a market twice a week, upon Blackheath in the parish. The fair used to be held on 12 May and 11 October, but in 1772 it was discontinued, (except for the sale of cattle) by the Earl of Dartmouth, as lord of the manor. The village of Lewisham had its nucleus in its southern part, 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 line to

Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames estuary, is Thurrock in ...

in 1849, encouraging commuter housing. The ''Official Illustrated Guide to South-Eastern and North and Mid-Kent Railways'' of June 1863, by George Measom, describes Lewisham as follows: "Lewisham Station, situated on the slope of an eminence amidst picturesque scenery, beautiful green meadows rising abruptly to the summit of the hill on the left, dotted with handsome residences and gardens, while the Common is seen intersected by various crossroads and studded with country inns and houses on the low ground or valley to the right. The area of the parish is 5,789 acres... Lord of the manor, the Earl of Dartmouth to whom it gives the title Viscount." Lewisham was administratively part of Kent until 1889, and then formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham in the County of London until 1965. Lewisham Clock Tower (I)

The town centre was hit by a V-1 flying bomb in 1944: there were over 300 casualties including 51 fatalities, and it devastated the high street, which was fully restored by the mid-1950s. This horrific event is commemorated by a plaque outside the Lewisham Shopping Centre (opened in 1977). The plaque was on the pavement outside the Marks & Spencer store in the main shopping precinct. However, suffering wear and tear, the local authority arranged for it to be mounted to the façade. In 1955 Sainsbury's opened a store in Lewisham which was reported to be Europe's largest self-service supermarket, with 7,500 square feet of retail space, although the one now incorporated in the 1977 shopping centre is much smaller. The area at the north end of the High Street was

pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...

ised in 1994. It is home to a daily street market and a local landmark, the

clock tower Clock towers are a specific type of structure which house a turret clock and have one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also adjoin or be located on top of another buildi ...

, completed in 1900 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The police station, opened in 2004 to replace the station in Ladywell, is one of the largest in Europe. Lewisham Cricket Club was one of the most prestigious London sides during the Victorian era. From 1864 they played at Lewisham Cricket Ground, which lay north of Ladywell Road, until its closure later in the 19th century. Lewisham Swimming Club was also very successful, with several of its members representing England at water polo and other gymkhana events. During the First World War, Lewisham Hospital's infirmary became the Lewisham Military Hospital, and during the Second World War the hospital was hit by a V-1 flying bomb, which destroyed two wards, injured 70 people and killed one nurse. Lewisham is also the site of one of the worst disasters on the British railway network in the 20th century. On 4 December 1957 a crowded steam-hauled passenger express headed for the Kent coast overran signals at danger in thick

fog Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. Reprint from Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus, and is heavily influ ...

near St Johns station and crashed into a stationary electric train for the Hayes branch line. The force of the impact brought down an overhead railway bridge onto the wreckage below. An electric multiple unit about to cross the bridge towards Nunhead managed to pull up in time. Ninety passengers and crew died in the accident. In 1977, the Battle of Lewisham saw 500 members of the National Front, who were attempting to hold march through the area, and their police escort, attacked by more than 4000 counter-demonstrators. The Docklands Light Railway was extended to Lewisham in 1999. Molesworth Street widened to create a bypass around the shopping area as part of the "Lewisham 2000" project, including sculptures by John Maine. This saw the demolition of the 1932 art deco Lewisham Odeon which had also provided a live music venue hosting artists from Johnny Cash to the Rolling Stones. The 2010s and early 2020s saw the construction of many high-rise residential buildings around Loampit Vale and Molesworth Street. The former roundabout by Lewisham station was replaced with an "H" junction to release land for further private development. This was to be supported by the cancelled Bakerloo Line extension to Lewisham.

In 2013 the Glass Mill Leisure Centre opened opposite Lewisham station with its façade defined by a large scale embedded kinetic artwork "Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie" by the artist Phil Coy. The project was awarded the Best Built Project – Community Scale Scheme in the London Planning Awards 2013/14.

Governance

The parish of Lewisham was governed by a vestry; and from 1855 until 1900 by the Lewisham District Board of Works, in combination with Penge. Following the London Government Act 1899, the County of London was split into 28 metropolitan boroughs in 1900. Lewisham, with the parish of Lee, became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham. In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, the current 32 London boroughs were formed and today Lewisham is part of the London Borough of Lewisham. Lewisham London Borough Council is based in Catford. The current directly elected mayor is Damien Egan. In the

London Assembly The London Assembly is a 25-member elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds super-majority, to amend the Mayor's annual budget and to reject ...

, the London Borough of Lewisham is joined with the Royal Borough of Greenwich to form the Greenwich and Lewisham constituency, with the current Assembly Member being Len Duvall. For Westminster elections, Lewisham is covered by the

Lewisham Deptford Lewisham Deptford is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Vicky Foxcroft of the Labour Party. History This seat was created in 1974. It has remained largely urban in its consti ...

constituency, whose Member of Parliament (MP) is Vicky Foxcroft.

Commercial area and amenities

University Hospital Lewisham Riverside02

Lewisham House, 25 Molesworth Street, SE13 7EX - geograph

Lewisham's commercial area is one of the largest in south-east London. Lewisham Shopping Centre, opened in 1977, has 70 stores and is over 330,000 square feet. Shops include Marks & Spencer, W H Smith, Sainsbury's, H&M, TK Maxx,

JD Sports JD Sports Fashion plc, more commonly known as JD Sports or JD, is a British sports-fashion retail company based in Bury, Greater Manchester, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Pentlan ...

, SportsDirect.com, Argos and Boots. The centre is between Molesworth Street (a dual carriageway section of the A21) and Lewisham High Street. Lewisham Market and the Central Library are outside the shopping centre in the High Street. Also part of the complex is the Lewisham House office tower, the tallest building in the borough and formerly occupied by

Citibank Citibank, N. A. (N. A. stands for " National Association") is the primary U.S. banking subsidiary of financial services multinational Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, and later became First National City ...

. There are proposals to convert this brutalist skyscraper to flats. Lewisham has a bowling alley and the Glassmill Swimming pool and Gym. Lewisham has a number of parks, such as Hilly Fields and Lewisham Park. For 14 years between 2001 and 2015, Lewisham was the only London Borough not to have a cinema. Lewisham once had many cinemas, such as the Lewisham Odeon. In 1930 there were 30 venues showing films. As of 2022, there is only one cinema operating in the borough: Catford Mews. Opened in 1894, University Hospital Lewisham is a National Health Service, acute hospital run by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust serving the whole London Borough of Lewisham as well as some surrounding areas. In July 2012 the government recommended that Lewisham's Accident & Emergency ward should be closed, with emergency provision transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, London. However, there was a strong campaign in Lewisham against the proposed closure, including a march on 24 November 2012, and a successful legal challenge. In July 2013, the High Court ruled that the closure of Lewisham A&E could not go ahead. In October 2013, the

Court of Appeal A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...

ruled that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt did not have power to implement cuts at Lewisham Hospital.

Education

Secondary schools in Lewisham include: *

Addey and Stanhope School Addey and Stanhope School is a voluntary-aided, co-educational secondary school, located in Lewisham, London, England. It is a former grammar school and sixth form, with origins dating to 1606. The headmistress is currently Jan Shapiro. History ...

Bonus Pastor Catholic College Bonus Pastor Catholic College is a voluntary aided, Roman Catholic coeducational school for 900 pupils. The school was founded by the Catholic Church in September 1958 to provide education for children of Catholic families. The College toda ...

Conisborough College Conisborough College is a coeducational community secondary school, located in the Catford area of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. The school offers GCSEs and BTECs as programmes of study for pupils. Conisborough College has entered i ...

Deptford Green School Deptford Green School is a coeducational comprehensive secondary school in Deptford, Lewisham, England with approximately 1100 pupils. Deptford Green also has specialisms in Humanities, with English, Citizenship and Drama as flagship subjects. ...

Forest Hill School Forest Hill School is a boys' secondary school and sixth form located in Forest Hill, in the London Borough of Lewisham. The school is in federation with the girls' secondary, Sydenham School, which is nearby. In 2005 the school was given Per ...

(Boys only) * Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College *

Haberdashers' Knights Academy Haberdashers' Knights Academy (formerly Malory School and then Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy) is a secondary school with academy status located in the Downham area of the London Borough of Lewisham Lewisham () is a London borough in ...

Prendergast School Prendergast School is a girls' secondary school and sixth form located on Hilly Fields, Brockley, in the London Borough of Lewisham. It has an independent board of governors. The school motto is from Chaucer's Prologue to ''The Canterbury Ta ...

Prendergast Ladywell School Prendergast Ladywell School is a co-educational all-through school located in the Crofton Park area of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. Originally known as Crofton School, it was completely rebuilt between 2007 and 2008. In 2009 the sch ...

Prendergast Vale School Prendergast Vale School is a mixed all-through school located in the Lewisham area of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. The school was first established as Lewisham Bridge Primary School. The school was renamed Prendergast Vale School in ...

* St Matthew Academy *

Sedgehill School Sedgehill Academy, previously Sedgehill School, is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located in Lewisham, London, England. It is part of United Learning. History The school opened in 1957 as a flagship campus for the new compreh ...

Sydenham School Sydenham School (known as Sydenham Girls by locals) is a comprehensive girls' school located on Dartmouth Road ( A2216) in Sydenham, London. History The school was founded in 1917 as a girls' grammar school, known as Sydenham County Grammar Sch ...

Trinity Church of England School Trinity Church of England School is a coeducational Church of England all-through school based over two sites in the London Borough of Lewisham, England. Trinity is a voluntary aided school administered by the Anglican Diocese of Southwark and ...

Transport

National Rail

Lewisham station provides the area with Southeastern services to London Victoria,

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 Woolwich Arsenal, Dartford via

Bexleyheath Bexleyheath is a town in south-east London, England. It had a population of 31,929 as at 2011. Bexleyheath is located south-east of Charing Cross, and forms part of the London Borough of Bexley. It is identified in the London Plan as one of ...

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 ...

via Bexleyheath, Slade Green via Bexleyheath, Slade Green via Sidcup,

Hayes Hayes may refer to: * Hayes (surname), including a list of people with the name ** Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president of the United States * Hayes (given name) Businesses * Hayes Brake, an American designer and manufacturer of disc brakes * Ha ...

and Orpington.

DLR

Lewisham station also provides DLR services to Bank via Canary Wharf.

Buses

Lewisham is served by many

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. * 21 to Newington Green via New Cross,

London Bridge Several bridges named London Bridge have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark, in central London. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 1973, is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. It r ...

and Moorgate * 47 to Bellingham via Catford or to

Shoreditch Shoreditch is a district in the East End of London in England, and forms the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney. Neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets are also perceived as part of the area. In the 16th century, Shoreditch was an impor ...

via Canada Water and London Bridge (24 Hour service) * 54 to Elmers End via Catford and Beckenham or to Woolwich via

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 ...

* 75 to Croydon via Catford, Penge and South Norwood * 89 to Slade Green via Blackheath, Welling and

108 108 may refer to: * 108 (number) * AD 108, a year * 108 BC, a year * 108 (artist) (born 1978), Italian street artist * 108 (band), an American hardcore band * 108 (emergency telephone number), an emergency telephone number in several states in Ind ...

to Stratford via Blackheath, North Greenwich, Poplar and Bow (24 Hour service) *

122 122 may refer to: *122 (number), a natural number * AD 122, a year in the 2nd century AD * 122 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC * ''122'' (film), a 2019 Egyptian psychological horror film *"One Twenty Two", a 2022 single by the American rock band Bo ...

to Crystal Palace via Brockley,

Forest Hill Forest Hill or Forrest Hill may refer to: Places Australia * Forest Hill, New South Wales, a suburb of Wagga Wagga * Forrest Hill, New South Wales, a suburb of Albury * Forest Hill, Queensland * Forest Hill, Victoria ** Forest Hill Chase Sh ...

and Sydenham or to

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 ...

via Eltham and Woolwich *

136 136 may refer to: *136 (number) *AD 136 *136 BC 136 may refer to: *136 (number) *AD 136 Year 136 ( CXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 136th Year of the Common Era (C ...

to Elephant & Castle via New Cross and

Peckham Peckham () is a district in southeast London, within the London Borough of Southwark. It is south-east of Charing Cross. At the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 Census the Peckham ward had a population of 14,720. History "Peckham" is a Saxon p ...

or to Grove Park via Catford *

178 Year 178 ( CLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Scipio and Rufus (or, less frequently, year 931 ''Ab urbe cond ...

to Woolwich via Kidbrooke * 180 to Belvedere via Greenwich and Woolwich *

181 Year 181 ( CLXXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Burrus (or, less frequently, year 934 ''Ab urbe condit ...

to Grove Park via Catford *

185 Year 185 ( CLXXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Lascivius and Atilius (or, less frequently, year 938 '' Ab urbe co ...

to Victoria via Catford, Dulwich and

Camberwell Camberwell () is a district of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, southeast of Charing Cross. Camberwell was first a village associated with the church of St Giles and a common of which Goose Green is a remnant. This e ...

199 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 ''Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since the ...

to Bellingham via Catford or to Canada Water via Greenwich * 208 to Orpington via Catford and Bromley *

225 __NOTOC__ Year 225 ( CCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Fuscus and Domitius (or, less frequently, year 978 ''Ab ...

to Canada Water via New Cross or to Hither Green *

261 __NOTOC__ Year 261 ( CCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gallienus and Taurus (or, less frequently, year 1014 ''A ...

to Locksbottom via Grove Park and Bromley *

273 __NOTOC__ Year 273 ( CCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Tacitus and Placidianus (or, less frequently, year ...

to Petts Wood via Grove Park and

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 ...

284 __NOTOC__ Year 284 ( CCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Carinus and Numerianus (or, less frequently, year 1037 ...

to Grove Park via Catford * 321 to Foots Cray via Eltham and Sidcup or to New Cross (24 Hour service) *

380 Year 380 ( CCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Augustus (or, less frequently, year 1133 ''Ab urbe c ...

to Belmarsh Prison via Blackheath and Woolwich *

436 __NOTOC__ Year 436 ( CDXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Isodorus and Senator (or, less frequently, year 1189 ' ...

Battersea Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park. History Batter ...

via New Cross, Peckham and Camberwell * P4 to

Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th ce ...

via Brockley and Dulwich * N21 to Bexleyheath via Eltham or to Trafalgar Square via New Cross and London Bridge (Night Bus) * N89 to

Erith Erith () is an area in south-east London, England, east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historical county of Kent. Since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley. It lies nort ...

via Blackheath, Welling and Bexleyheath or to Trafalgar Square via New Cross, Peckham, Elephant & Castle and

Blackfriars Blackfriars, derived from Black Friars, a common name for the Dominican Order of friars, may refer to: England * Blackfriars, Bristol, a former priory in Bristol * Blackfriars, Canterbury, a former monastery in Kent * Blackfriars, Gloucester, a f ...

(Night Bus) * N136 to

Oxford Circus Oxford Circus is a road junction connecting Oxford Street and Regent Street in the West End of London. It is also the entrance to Oxford Circus tube station. The junction opened in 1819 as part of the Regent Street development under John Nash, ...

via New Cross, Peckham, Camberwell, Victoria and Trafalgar Square or to

via Catford and Grove Park (Night Bus) * N199 to

St Mary Cray St Mary Cray is an area of South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. Historically it was a market town in the county of Kent. It is located north of Orpington, and south-east of Charing Cross. History The name Cra ...

via Catford, Bromley and Petts Wood or to Trafalgar Square via Greenwich, Canada Water and London Bridge (Night Bus)

Redevelopment

Lewisham London Borough Council's local development plan was intended to improve Lewisham's town centre to become a metropolitan centre to rival Bromley, Croydon and Kingston upon Thames. There is a skyscraper adjacent to the shopping centre which used to be owned by

until they moved to the Docklands which may be converted to residential. There are four major development sites around on Loampit Vale: *The Renaissance development comprises flats in buildings from five to 24 storeys, including private and L&Q social housing, as well as the new Glass Mill

Leisure Centre A leisure centre in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia (also called aquatic centres), Singapore and Canada is a purpose-built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people ...

, which opened in 2013 and replaced the Ladywell leisure centre. *Lewisham Gateway is a much-delayed redevelopment site bounded by the DLR station, Lewisham High Street, the shopping centre and the railway to Blackheath. The highway layout has been changed from a roundabout to two signalised junctions, while the rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy have been re-routed. The development is intended to include shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, leisure facilities and up to 800 homes. The first phase of construction started in May 2014 with a 15 and 25-story residential building east of the DLR station. *Thurston Road industrial estate had planning consent granted in 2008; however, the development has been heavily delayed. The development was completed in 2016 and includes L&Q social housing. The scheme is a mixed used site, which includes residential and commercial buildings of between two and 17 storeys, as well a car park. *The former Sherwood Court industrial estate is now the Chapter student housing scheme.

Notable people

Among those who were born or have lived in Lewisham are: * D-Block Europe (hip hop collective) born and brought up in Lewisham * Russ Millions (rapper) born and brought up in Lewisham * Ginger Baker (drummer of Cream) born and brought up in Lewisham * Natasha Bedingfield (singer/songwriter) brought up in Lewisham *

Rosa May Billinghurst Rosa May Billinghurst (31 May 1875 – 29 July 1953) was a British suffragette and women's rights activist. She was known popularly as the "cripple suffragette" as she campaigned in a tricycle. Early life She was born in 1875 in Lewisham, Londo ...

(suffragette) lived in Lewisham. *

Yannick Bolasie Yannick Bolasie (born 24 May 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for TFF First League club Çaykur Rizespor. He has played in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle, Barnet, Bristol City, Crystal Palace, Everton and A ...

(footballer), brought up in Lewisham *

Herbert Burden Herbert Francis Burden (22 March 1898 – 21 July 1915) was a soldier in the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Born in 1898 in Lewisham, south-east London, Burden is generally accepted as having lied about his age in ord ...

youngest soldier to be executed by the British Army in World War I, born in Lewisham * Kate Bush (musician) lived in Brockley and Lewisham * Ann Batten Cristall (1769–1848), poet and schoolteacher * General Sir John Crocker (British Army general, service in World War I and World War II), born in Lewisham *

Leland Lewis Duncan Leland Lewis Duncan, (24 August 1862 – 26 December 1923) was an English public servant, antiquary and author. Biography Duncan was the eldest child and only son of Leland Crosthwait Duncan and Caroline Ellen Lewis. His father, a grandson of Lel ...

(photographer, writer) born in Lewisham * Franz Goedecker (merchant and artist), lived in Lewisham * Malcolm Hardee (comedian) lived in

and Lewisham * Danielle Harold (actress best known for playing Lola in ''Eastenders'') born and raised in Lewisham * Keeley Hazell (page-3 girl & model) born in Lewisham * Jessica Hynes (actress and comedian) born in Lewisham * Greg James (TV and radio presenter) born in Lewisham * Eman Kellam (TV presenter) born and brought up in Lewisham * Frank King (cricketer) born in Lewisham * Kwes (record music producer and

Warp Warp, warped or warping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books and comics * WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher * ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!'' * Warp (comics), a ...

recording artist) born and brought up in Lewisham * Elsa Lanchester (Anglo-American actress) born in Lewisham * Lillie Langtry (actress) lived in Wickham Way, Lewisham *

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 ...

(actor) lived in Lewisham * Neal Lawson (politician) was born in Lewisham * Angie Le Mar (comedian, radio broadcaster) was born and brought up in Lewisham *

Delroy Lindo Delroy George Lindo (born 18 November 1952) is an English-American actor. He is the recipient of such accolades as a NAACP Image Award, a Satellite Award, and nominations for a Drama Desk Award, a Helen Hayes Award, a Tony Award, two Critics' Cho ...

(actor) born in Lewisham * Marie Lloyd (entertainer) lived in Lewisham and New Cross * Ruben Loftus-Cheek (footballer) * Alexander McQueen (designer) born in Lewisham * Josh Maja (footballer), born in Lewisham * MNEK (musician) was born in Lewisham * Edith Nesbit (writer) lived in Blackheath, Grove Park and Lewisham * P Money ( Grime music artist) born and brought up in Lewisham *

Merky ACE Aisa Khan Sampson-Spencer (born 1 April 1992), known professionally as Merky ACE, is a British grime MC, rapper, songwriter and record producer from Lewisham, South London. He was a founding member of the grime collective Family Tree, and later ...

( Grime music artist) born and brought up in Lewisham * Novelist ( Grime music artist) born and brought up in Lewisham * Gary Oldman (actor) born and raised in New Cross * William Page (historian and general editor of the Victoria County History) lived in Lewisham from 1875 until he emigrated to Queensland in 1881 * Jonathan Palmer former Formula One driver and commentator * Mica Paris (musician) lived in Lewisham. *

Gladys Powers Gladys Stokes Luxford Powers (10 May 1899 – 15 August 2008) was thought to be, at age 109, the last female veteran of the First World War following the 27 March 2007 death of fellow 109-year-old Charlotte Winters from the US. However the subs ...

(centenarian), born in Lewisham * Maxi Priest (musician), born and raised in Lewisham * Luke Pritchard (musician), born in Lewisham * Louise Redknapp (singer, TV presenter and former wife of footballer Jamie Redknapp), born in Lewisham * Kieran Richardson (footballer) lived in Lewisham. * David Rocastle (footballer) born and raised in Lewisham and Brockley. Attended primary school in Brockley *

George Solomos George Paul Solomos (September 16, 1925 – November 8, 2010), also known as Themistocles Hoetis from 1948 to 1958, was an American publisher, poet, filmmaker and novelist. Family background G. P. Solomos was born in Detroit in 1925, the yo ...

(American writer) lived in Catford. *

Doris Stokes Doris May Fisher Stokes (6 January 1920 – 8 May 1987), born Doris Sutton, was a British Spiritualism, spiritualist, self-proclaimed Mediumship, medium, and author. Her professed ability to communicate with the dead, public performances, telev ...

(spirit-medium) lived in Lewisham. * Doveton Sturdee British Admiral of the Fleet, born in Lewisham * David Sylvian (musician) lived in Lewisham. * Kae Tempest (spoken word performer, poet, recording artist, novelist and playwright) grew up in Brockley * Eamonn Walker (TV and film actor, husband of Sandra Walker), born in Lewisham * Richard Walsh (actor), born in Lewisham * Ian Wright (footballer) lived in Lewisham and Brockley. *

Shaun Wright-Phillips Shaun Cameron Wright-Phillips (born 25 October 1981) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. He played in the Premier League and Football League for Manchester City, Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers, in Major Leagu ...

(footballer and son of Ian Wright) grew up in Brockley * Conrad Williams Commonwealth Games 2014 gold medalist * Sid Vicious (musician), born in Lewisham * Troy von Scheibner (magician), born in Lewisham * Henry Williamson (author), born and raised in Lewisham *

Bill Wyman William George Wyman (né Perks; born 24 October 1936) is an English musician who achieved international fame as the bassist for the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1993. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member ...

, bass player of the Rolling Stones, born in Lewisham Hospital * Eddie Nketiah (footballer), born in lewisham

Geography

Almost all of the SE13 postcode district, which is associated with Lewisham is within the London Borough of Lewisham, except for the Coldbath Estate and part of the Orchard Estate along Lewisham Road, which are covered by the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The town includes areas such as St Johns and Hither Green, as well as Lee and Ladywell to the south and east.

Climate

The nearest Met Office climate station is based in Greenwich Park: