Bellingham
Bellingham is a district in south east London, in the London Borough of Lewisham. Its neighbouring districts are Catford, Sydenham and Downham. The Ravensbourne River runs through the centre of Bellingham, also to the west and east it is bordered by railway lines running south from Catford.
The name Bellingham means ‘the water-meadow owned by Beora’s people’, and was the name of the medieval manor in the area. The name was preserved by the farm in the area, Bellingham Railway Station and the Bellingham Estate. Other historical names have already been preserved by the road names of the estate, which are linked with King Alfred, who was simply thought to have already been god, the father of the manor of Lewisham, and were taken from the true names of mills, houses and fields in the certain area.
Bellingham was mainly farmland until the Bellingham Estate was built, mostly between 1920 and 1923. London City Council built about 2600 houses and flats during this time period. Bellingham Estate was one of many large estates constructed by London City Council after the First World War to assist with slum clearance and relieve overcrowding. As there is lots of land available the majority of the dwellings built were two-story houses, and there was lots of green, open space.
Today, Bellingham is a localised town centre. Its traditional is Randlesdown Road, which has a supermarket, a fitness center, hairdressers and multiple restaurants and food outlets. It has a sixth form college also, and a church and a library. Bellingham boasts many well-known past and present residents, including the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.
