Blackheath, London
Blackheath | |
---|---|
All Saints' Church, designed by Benjamin Ferrey, dates from 1857 | |
Location within Greater London | |
Population | 26,914 (2011 Census. Lewisham Ward: 14,039)[1] (2011 Census. Blackheath Westcombe Ward: 12,875)[2] |
OS grid reference | TQ395765 |
• Charing Cross | 6.4 mi (10.3 km) WNW |
London borough | |
Ceremonial county | Greater London |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LONDON |
Postcode district | SE3, SE12, SE13 |
Dialling code | 020 |
Police | Metropolitan |
Fire | London |
Ambulance | London |
UK Parliament | |
London Assembly | |
Blackheath is an area in Southeast London, straddling the border of the
The area southwest of its station and in its
History
Etymology
- Records and meanings
The name is from
- Formal name for estates around the heath
By 1848 Blackheath was noted as a place with two
- Etymological myth
An
Archaeology
A key
Royal setting
Certain monarchs passed through and their senior courtiers kept residences here and in Greenwich. Before the
On the north side of the heath,
The Pagoda is a notably exquisite home, built in 1760 by Sir William Chambers in the style of a traditional Chinese pagoda. It was later leased to the Prince Regent, principally used as a summer home by Caroline of Brunswick.
Meeting point
Blackheath was a rallying point for
In 1400, Henry IV of England met here with Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos who toured western royalty to seek support to oppose Bayezid I (Bajazet), the Ottoman Sultan. In 1415, the lord mayor and aldermen of London, in their robes of state, attended by 400 of the principal citizens, clothed in scarlet, came hither in procession to meet Henry V of England on his triumphant return from the Battle of Agincourt.[5]
Blackheath was, along with
With Watling Street carrying stagecoaches across the heath, en route to north Kent and the
Mineral extraction
The Vanbrugh Pits, known locally as the Dips,
Vanbrugh Park
The remains of the pits and adjoining neighbourhood Vanbrugh Park, a north-east projection of Blackheath with its own church, so also termed St John's Blackheath,[23] are named after Sir John Vanbrugh, architect of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard, who had a house with very large grounds adjoining the heath and its continuation Greenwich Park. The house which was originally built around 1720 remains, remodelled slightly, Vanbrugh Castle. In his estate he had 'Mince Pie House' built for his family, which survived until 1911.[24]
Its church, St John the Evangelist's, was designed in 1853 by Arthur Ashpitel.[25] The Blackheath High School buildings on Vanbrugh Park include the Church Army Chapel.
Blackheath Park
Blackheath Park occupies almost all of former 0.4-square-mile (1.0 km2) Wricklemarsh Manor.
Its church (St Michael & All Angels) is dubbed the Needle of Kent in honour of its tall, thin spire (it is also nicknamed the Devil's Pick or the Devil's Toothpick).
Other churches
The Church of the Ascension (see local II* listed buildings) was founded by Susannah Graham late in the 17th century.[28] Its rebuilding was arranged about 1750 by her descendant, the 1st Earl of Dartmouth.[28] Further rebuilding took place in the 1830s leaving at least parts of the east end from the earlier rebuild. At this time galleries for worshippers overlooked three sides.[28]
Ownership and management of the heath
In 1871 the management of the heath passed by statute to the
Sport
In 1608, according to tradition, Blackheath was the place where
In the 18th century, Blackheath was the home of Greenwich Cricket Club and a venue for cricket matches. The earliest known senior match was Kent v London in August 1730. A contemporary newspaper report said "the Kentish champions would have lost their honours by being beat at one innings if time had permitted".[30] The last recorded match was Kent v London in August 1769, Kent winning by 47 runs.[31]
Cricket continued to be played on the 'Heath' but at a junior level. By 1890, London County Council was maintaining 36 pitches. Blackheath Cricket Club[32] has been part of the sporting fabric of the area, joining forces with Blackheath Rugby Club in 1883 to purchase and develop the Rectory Field as a home ground in Charlton. Blackheath Cricket Club hosted 84 first-class Kent County matches between 1887 and 1971.
Along with neighbouring Greenwich Park, Blackheath is the start point of the London Marathon.[34] This maintains a connection with athletics dating back to the establishment of the Blackheath Harriers (now Blackheath and Bromley Harriers Athletic Club) in 1869. One of the Marathon start routes runs past the entrance to Blackheath High School for Girls, home of Blackheath Fencing Club.[35]
There is also a long history of
Geography
Blackheath is one of the largest areas of common land in Greater London, with 85.58 hectares (211.5 acres) of protected commons.[36] The heath is managed by Lewisham and Greenwich councils.[37] Highlights on the Greenwich side include the Long Pond (also known as Folly Pond), close to the main entrance of Greenwich Park.[38] On the Lewisham side are three ponds, with Hare and Billet pond considered to be the most natural and probably the best wildlife habitat.[39][40] Lewisham retains important areas of acid grassland that support locally rare wild plants such as Common stork's bill, Fiddle dock and Spotted medick. Key areas are to the east of Granville Park between South Row and Morden Row and on the cricket field east of Golfers Road.[41][42]
The heath's habitat was well known to early botanists. In the 18th century
Extensive mineral extraction in the 18th and early 19th centuries, when gravel, sand and chalk were extracted left the heath transformed. This left large pits in many parts. In 1945 pits were filled with bomb rubble from
Culture and community
Two clusters of amenities vie for retail and leisure: the "Village" around Blackheath railway station to the south of the heath and the "Standard" in the north of St Johns/Vanburgh Park i.e. beyond the A2 road, named after the Royal Standard pub[44] (in Greenwich). The north of the green is in the Westcombe Park neighbourhood, which has its own railway station about 400 metres north – part of East Greenwich.[12] The total 0.35-hectare (0.9-acre) green and fountain sub-green was at first one village green, known during the 18th century as Sheepgate Green, beside a crossroads of what was the London-Dover road. Around 1885 local philanthropist William Fox Batley had it refurbished and it became known as Batley Green or Batley Park;[45][46] Batley's contribution is recorded in an inscription on a memorial fountain.
Just south of the railway station is the
The heath was host to an annual fireworks display on the Saturday in November closest to Guy Fawkes Night. This was jointly organised and financed by the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham, but Greenwich Council withdrew its share of the funding in 2010.[48] The event was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and central government funding cuts forced its suspension in 2021[49] and again in 2022.[50]
In September 2014, the inaugural On Blackheath festival was hosted on the heath. The line-up included Massive Attack, Frank Turner and Grace Jones.[51] The festival was repeated in September in 2015 (included Elbow, Madness and Manic Street Preachers),[52] 2016 (included Primal Scream, James and Squeeze), 2017 (included The Libertines, Travis and Metronomy),[53] and 2018 (included Squeeze, De La Soul and Paloma Faith)[54] then moved to July in 2019 (included Jamiroquai, Grace Jones, Soul II Soul).[55] The event was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Transport
Rail
Buses
Blackheath is served by
See also
- List of people from Greenwich
- List of people from Lewisham
References
- ^ "Lewisham Ward population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Blackheath Westcombe Demographics (Greenwich, England)". blackheath-westcombe.localstats.co.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ "Area guide for Blackheath". Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward.
- ^ ISBN 978-0199566785.
- ^ a b c d A Topographical Dictionary of England, ed. S. Lewis (London, 1848), pp. 270-275. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-dict/england/pp270-275, accessed 11 August 2019.
- ^ se3.org.uk St Michael and All Angels community website
- ^ St John's, Blackheath showing as offshoot E.P. of Greenwich E.P. since 1854 Vision of Britain (website), © 2009-2017, the University of Portsmouth
- ^ All Saints, Blackheath E.P. an offshoot E.P. of Lewisham E.P. since 1859 Vision of Britain (website), © 2009-2017, the University of Portsmouth and others
- ^ The Ascension, Blackheath – an offshoot E.P. of Lewisham E.P. since 1883 Vision of Britain (website), © 2009-2017, the University of Portsmouth and others.
- ^ Blackheath Park (St Michael and All Angels, formerly St Peter's) – an offshoot E.P. of Charlton E.P., Kidbrooke Liberty and Lee E.P. since 1886 Vision of Britain (website), © 2009-2017, the University of Portsmouth and others.
- ^ a b Units covering this area Vision of Britain (website), © 2009-2017, the University of Portsmouth and others
- ^ a b Parish locator and church information by grid reference, A Church Near You, Church of England, retrieved 2019-08-11
- ^ Boundaries of Boundary Map of Kidbrooke Pariochial Liberty/Civil Parish Vision of Britain (website), © 2009-2017, the University of Portsmouth and others.
- ^ Dartford Grammar School. "Roman and Saxon Roads and Transport". dartfordarchive.org.uk. Kent County Council.
- ISBN 978-0198605614.
- ^ "Wat Tyler and the Peasants Revolt". Historic UK. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ Lucy Forney Bittinger, The Germans in Colonial Times (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1901), p.67
- ^ 'Blackheath and Charlton', Old and New London: Volume 6 (1878), pp. 224-236 accessed: 4 November 2009
- ^ By Elizabeth Crawford, ed. The Women's Suffrage Movement: a reference guide, 1866-1928, s.v. "Blackheath"
- ^ "History | Friends of Westcombe Woodlands". Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "London Gardens Online". London Gardens Online. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ "Vanbrugh Pits on Blackheath". Lewisham.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ St John's Blackheath: Parish locator and church information by grid reference, A Church Near You, Church of England, retrieved 2019-08-11
- ^ "Mince Pie House, Vanbrugh Fields, Blackheath, c. 1910 | Lewisham Galleries". Ideal Homes. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ISBN 0-85033-466-7.
- Sir Gregory Page-Turner, 3rd Baronetfor £22,000 to John Cator.
- ^ Howard Colvin, Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840, 3rd ed. 1995, s.v. "Searles, Michael".
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Church of The Ascension (1192114)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ "Our History: Royal Blackheath Golf Club – The Oldest Golf Club in the world". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ Buckley, p. 4.
- ^ Buckley, p. 52.
- ^ "blackheathcc.com". blackheathcc.com. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- ^ "The Elders – the world's oldest Rugby Clubs – WhereToPlayRugby News". Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "Course History". virginmoneylondonmarathon.com. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "blackheathfencing.org.uk". blackheathfencing.org.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- ^ "Common Land and the Commons Act 2006". Defra. 13 November 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ "Lewisham Council - Local parks - Blackheath". Lewisham.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 31 August 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ "Blackheath - Greenwich". Royalgreenwich.gov.uk. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ "Lewisham Council - Local parks - Ponds on Blackheath". Lewisham.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 3 July 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ "Hare and Billet Pond". Nature Conservation Lewisham. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ "Lewisham Council - Local Parks - Grasslands on Blackheath". Lewisham.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Lewisham Council - Local parks - Habitat changes and ecological decline of Blackheath". Lewisham.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ISBN 9781108037235.
- ^ TfL http://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/blackheath-royal-stand.pdf
- ^ Westcombe Park Conservation Area: Character Appraisal, March 2010. Accessed: 20 July 2015
- ^ Rimel, Diana (2006), "History of the Standard", Westcombe News Archived 13 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine, February 2006, p.6. Accessed: 20 July 2015.
- ^ "Mary Evans Picture Library – Client Update". maryevans.com. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "BLACKHEATH: Greenwich Council pulls out of fireworks display". Newsshopper.co.uk. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
- ^ Uyal, Berk (2 November 2022). "Blackheath Fireworks 2022: Lewisham Council confirms cancelled event". News Shopper. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ "Blackheath fireworks". Lewisham Council. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ Saturday, 13 September 2014 – Sunday, 14 September 2014, On Blackheath. Retrieved: 24 August 2015.
- ^ 2015 Headliners[usurped], On Blackheath. Retrieved: 24 August 2015.
- ^ Ellis, David (6 September 2017). "OnBlackheath Festival 2017 tickets, line up and everything you need to know". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ Trenaman, Calum; Fletcher, Harry (7 September 2018). "OnBlackheath: Tickets, line-up and everything you need to know". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ Embley, Jochan (10 July 2019). "OnBlackheath festival 2019: Tickets, line-up, stage times, food and more". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
Further reading
- Barker, Felix. Greenwich and Blackheath Past (Historical Publications, 1993)
- Henderson, Ian T. & David I. Stirk. Royal Blackheath (1981)
- Rhind, Neil. Blackheath Centenary 1871-1971: A Short History of Blackheath from Earliest Times (GLC, 1971)