Charlton, London
Charlton | |
---|---|
Location within Greater London | |
Population | 14,385 (2011 census for Charlton ward)[1] |
OS grid reference | TQ415785 |
• Charing Cross | 7.2 mi (11.6 km) WNW |
London borough | |
Ceremonial county | Greater London |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LONDON |
Postcode district | SE7 |
Dialling code | 020 |
Police | Metropolitan |
Fire | London |
Ambulance | London |
UK Parliament | |
London Assembly | |
Charlton is an area of southeast London, England, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is east of Greenwich and west of Woolwich, on the south bank of the River Thames, 7.2 miles (11.6 km) southeast of Charing Cross. An ancient parish in the county of Kent, it became part of the metropolitan area of London in 1855 and is home to Charlton Athletic F.C. and Charlton House.
History
Toponymy
Charlton is recorded in the 1086
Middle Ages
Charlton is assessed in the
In 1093, the manor of Charlton was given to Bermondsey Abbey by Bishop Robert Bloet of Lincoln. In 1268, the Abbey was granted a Monday market at Charlton, as well as an annual fair of three days, centred on Trinity Sunday, the eighth Sunday after Easter.[5]
Renaissance
Between 1607 and 1612,
Early Modern
The manor was subsequently acquired by the colonial administrator Sir William Langhorne, 1st Baronet, who is buried in the parish church. Upon his death without issue in 1715, his possessions in Charlton and Hampstead passed to the Conyers baronets, and subsequently to the Maryon-Wilson baronets.
In the early 18th century, Charlton was described by Daniel Defoe as:
a village famous, or rather infamous for the yearly collected rabble of mad-people, at Horn-Fair; the rudeness of which I cannot but think, is such as ought to be suppressed, and indeed in a civiliz'd well govern'd nation, it may well be said to be unsufferable. The mob indeed at that time take all kinds of liberties, and the women are especially impudent for that day; as if it was a day that justify'd the giving themselves a loose to all manner of indecency and immodesty, without any reproach, or without suffering the censure which such behaviour would deserve at another time. (from
A Tour through Great Britain)
In the early nineteenth century,
Industrialisation
The flat land adjoining the Thames at
20th century
From 1903 to 1913, the Italian writer Italo Svevo lived in a house on Charlton Church Lane which now bears a blue plaque in his honour. He had arrived there in his capacity as a director in a Trieste firm selling high-quality underwater paint for ships, on whose behalf he established a factory in Charlton's Anchor and Hope Lane, fulfilling a big contract with the British Royal Navy.[14]
The non-ferrous foundry of
The estates surrounding Charlton House were gradually broken up, and once the Maryon-Wilson family died out in 1925, the surviving open spaces were converted into public parks, two of which bear the family name. The house itself became the property of the local authority (currently the Royal Borough of Greenwich) and is used as a library and community centre. Maryon Park was used as the filming location for the pivotal murder scene in Michelangelo Antonioni's film Blow-Up (1966).[19]
Local government
Charlton has formed part of the London Borough of Greenwich (now the Royal Borough of Greenwich) since its formation in 1965. Prior to that it was the easternmost part of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich, which succeeded the Lee, formerly Plumstead, District in 1900. Before the passage of the Metropolis Management Act 1855, Charlton was a civil parish in its own right.[20]
Within the borough, Charlton is mainly covered by the ward of the same name. Charlton's riverside areas are part of the Woolwich Riverside ward, which also includes Woolwich Dockyard and Arsenal. Charlton has had only Labour councillors since 1971, while Woolwich Riverside has been Labour-controlled since its creation in 2002.
In the Westminster parliament, Charlton is covered by the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency, which has been represented by Matthew Pennycook since 2015. In the London Assembly, Charlton falls within the Greenwich and Lewisham constituency, which has been represented by Labour's Len Duvall since its creation in 2000.
Geography
The centre of Charlton, known as Charlton Village, lies on the edge of high ground about 7 miles east-south-east of central London, on the
Charlton is also home to several parks of varying features, namely Maryon Park, Maryon Wilson Park, Hornfair Park, named in reference to the old Horn Fair, and Charlton Park, which is largely made up of sports pitches or playing fields. Adjoining Maryon Park is the Gilbert's Pit Site of Special Scientific Interest, which was formerly a major site of sand extraction.[24] Most of the parks lie in the area once covered by Hanging Wood.
The architecture of Charlton is diverse, offering an insight into how different parts of the area were built up, as it evolved from a Thames-side village into the London suburb that it is today. Charlton gave its name to
New Charlton is the site of the southern end of the Thames Barrier, including the Barrier's main operational area and visitor centre. In 2013, a university technical college named Royal Greenwich UTC opened its campus nearby, under the auspices of the University of Greenwich.[26] It is now a free school called Royal Greenwich Trust School.
The nearest areas are Blackheath, Eltham, Greenwich, Kidbrooke, Maze Hill, North Greenwich, Plumstead, Welling, Westcombe Park and Woolwich.
Demography
According to the 2011 UK census, the population of the Charlton ward was 14,385.[1] 52.4% of the population was White and from a mainland British or Northern Irish background; the next largest ethnic groups were Black African (10.6%) and White (Other) (9.3%).[1] The population included people of every British and Irish national identity except Cornish.[1] 81.8% of residents spoke English as a first language; of the remainder, the greatest proportion spoke Nepalese.[27] 47.2% of the population were Christians and 29.1% had no religion; 8.4% stated no religion, and the next largest religious group was Muslims with 6.8% of the population.[1]
Of 5,739 households in the ward, 1,796 (31.3%) contained no adults in employment.[1] Out of an active workforce of 6,698 people, 11.8% worked in wholesale, retail or auto repair; 11.4% in education, and 11.4% in health and social care.[1] 22.8% of those employed worked in professional occupations[27] 42.95 of people in the ward were aged 20–44.[27]
Economy
Charlton Village retains a number of traditional businesses including an ironmonger. However, a much larger shopping area is located in New Charlton, to the north, including the Greenwich Shopping Park,[28] the Peninsula Retail Park and Stone Lake Retail Park.[29] A new Sainsbury's superstore opened in 2015 between Woolwich Road and Bugsby's Way. This new store replaced the Greenwich Peninsula branch, itself less than 15 years old and hailed at the time of its opening as a 'supermarket of the future'.[30][31] Sainsbury's also has a large distribution centre in New Charlton; it was rebuilt and expanded in 2012 and re-opened by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in 2013.[32]
New Charlton is also home to the area's surviving heavy industry. In the 19th century the area was dominated by a large ropewalk[10] and other maritime businesses. In recent years marine aggregates have predominated, including the major facility at Angerstein Wharf which incorporates the former Christie's Wharf site.[33]
Until the 19th century, mineral extraction was a major local industry.
Religious sites
The first recorded place of worship in Charlton is St Luke's Church, originally a chalk and flint building known to have existed in the 11th century. Rebuilt in the Jacobean style in 1630, it is now the parish church of a Church of England parish in the Modern Catholic tradition. The building was expanded with a new organ chamber and chancel in 1840, and new vestries in 1956. The church is listed as grade 2*, indicating a structure of 'more than special interest'.[34] It is the burial place of several generations of the lords of the manor of Charlton, and of murdered British prime minister Spencer Perceval.
A second Anglican church, dedicated to St Thomas, and known as St Thomas Old Charlton, was built in 1848–50. Designed in the Romanesque style by architect Joseph Gwilt and his son John Sebastian Gwilt, it was consecrated on 31 July 1850.[35] It is currently shared between the Anglican parish based at St Lukes and the British Orthodox Church congregation of St Thomas the Apostle;[36] the building is grade II listed.[35] A third Anglican church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was built in New Charlton in 1894, designed by John Rowland. It was listed in 1973, but was declared redundant in 1974 and demolished in 1975 to be replaced by a block of flats.[37]
The Roman Catholic church of Our Lady of Grace was established by the Assumptionists Order. They settled in Charlton in 1903 after being expelled from France in 1900 due to suppression of Holy Orders. The first nuns moved into Highcombe and set up a mission in Charlton. The current church was built in 1905 and celebrated its centenary on 17 September 2005 with a concelebrated ecumenical mass, led by Archbishop Kevin McDonald and parish priest, Fr. Michael Leach.[38] The church has strong historic links with the Irish community in south east London which are evident in the statue of Saint Patrick on display inside. The current presbytery was once the home of William Henry Barlow (1812–1902), the eminent 19th century engineer, who designed St Pancras railway station and for whom English Heritage have erected a blue plaque in recognition; it is also grade II listed.[39]
Other churches in the area include Charlton Tabernacle of the New Testament Church of God on Charlton Church Lane;
Transport
London Buses
Charlton is served by
London Underground
The nearest station is North Greenwich on the Jubilee line.
National Rail
The nearest station is
Road network
Charlton is located between the
A Metropolitan Police car pound is located in west Charlton, off Eastcombe Avenue.[44]
Sport
- Charlton is best known as the home of The Valley(a former chalk pit) situated to the north of the village, close to the main road and railway line.
- The Rectory Field, until 2016 home of Blackheath Rugby Club, is on the border of Blackheathand Charlton.
- Charlton Lido is south of Charlton village, at the western end of Hornfair Park.
- The London Marathon course, which starts on Blackheath, loops eastwards through Charlton to Woolwich before turning west along Woolwich Road.
See also
- List of people from Greenwich
- List of schools in Greenwich
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Office for National Statistics: Neighbourhood Statistics". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ a b Mills, D. (2000). Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names. Oxford.
- ISBN 9781445616087. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ a b St Luke's Church - Greenwich Archived 28 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Annales Monastici, Luard, H.R. (ed., 5 vols., Rolls Series), 3, 1866.
- ^ A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies of England, John Burke (1838), 385
- ^ "Charlton Fair". Morning Post. 19 October 1833. p. 3. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ "Charlton Fair". Morning Chronicle. 29 October 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ "Town and Country Talk". Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper. 31 March 1872. p. 11. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Tremendous Fire at Charlton". Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper. 30 May 1858. p. 2. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ "Destructive Fire at Charlton". London Standard. 16 August 1864. p. 7. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ A Visit to the Works of Messrs. Siemens Bros, The Telegraphist, 2 June 1884.
- ^ Saint & Guillery, The Survey of London vol. 48: Woolwich, Yale, 2012 (online PDF, pp. 44-53).
- Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1988, Ch. 40 "The Factory in Charlton".
- ^ ISBN 9781473822269.
- ^ "Type-23 frigate propeller". National Maritime Museum Collections. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ "About us". Stone Foundries. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ "About the company". Stone Fasteners. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ISBN 978-0-713-49062-6.
- ISBN 0-901050-67-9.
- ^ Google Maps
- ^ Historic England. "K2 Telephone Kiosk at junction with Charlton Road (1213332)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ Charlton Riverside Masterplan – Downloads – Greenwich
- ^ a b Gilbert's Pit noticeboard Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Historic England. "Bugle Horn Inn (1079068)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ University Technical College, Royal Borough of Greenwich
- ^ a b c Charlton ward profile - Ward profiles - Downloads - Greenwich
- ^ Greenwich Shopping Park :: Home
- ^ Stone Lake Retail Park, Greenwich, Greater London, South East - Aberdeen Portfolio - Scheme on Completely Retail
- ^ Greenwich Sainsbury’s store plans move to Charlton | The Charlton Champion
- ^ Row over demolition of £13m 'supermarket of the future' in Greenwich - London - News - London Evening Standard
- ^ "J Sainsbury plc / Sainsbury's opens Thameside Distribution Centre". Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ "Greenwich Industrial History: A major timber importer on the Charlton riverside". Greenwichindustrialhistory.blogspot.co.uk. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ "Church of St Luke with Holy Trinity". Historic England. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Church of St Thomas (1078939)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ London: St Thomas the Apostle Orthodox Parish - Charlton - The British Orthodox Church
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Charlton celebrates Church Centenary". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Presbytery to East of Church of Our Lady of Grace (1079067)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ N.T.C.G. - (www)| Charlton (Charlton Tabernacle) Archived 28 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "St Richard, Charlton - London | Diocese of Southwark". Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
- ^ Home | Charlton United Reformed Church
- ^ Charlton Mosque (Charlton, Greenwich) - Comprehensive Complete Directory Search Listings of Muslim Mosques in the United Kingdom
- ^ Charlton and Perivale pounds Archived 22 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Metropolitan Police. Retrieved: 1 July 2021.