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 real name Bellingham means ‘the water-meadow belonging to Beora’s people’, and was the name of the medieval manor in the region. The true name was preserved by the farm in the region, Bellingham Railway Station and the Bellingham Estate. Other historical names have already been preserved by the street brands 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 extracted from the brands of mills, houses and fields in the area.
Bellingham was mainly farmland until the Bellingham Estate was built, mostly between 1920 and 1923. London Town Council built about 2600 houses and flats in this time. Bellingham Estate was among the many large estates built by London City Council after the First World War to assist with slum clearance and alleviate overcrowding. As there was lots of land available most of the dwellings constructed were two-story houses, and there was lots of green, open space.
Today, Bellingham is a localised city centre. Its traditional is Randlesdown Road, which includes 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 famous past and present residents, including the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the previous Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.