Bellingham is an area in south east London, in the London Borough of Lewisham. Its neighbouring districts are Catford, Downham and Sydenham. The Ravensbourne River runs through the centre of Bellingham, and to the east and west it is bordered by railway lines running south from Catford.
The true name Bellingham means ‘the water-meadow owned by Beora’s people’, and was the true name of the medieval manor in the region. The name was preserved by the farm in the region, Bellingham Railway Station and the Bellingham Estate. Various other historical names have already been preserved by the street titles of the estate, which are connected with King Alfred, who was thought to have already been god, the father of the manor of Lewisham, and were extracted from the real names of mills, houses and fields in the certain region.
Bellingham was farmland until the Bellingham Estate was built, between 1920 and 1923. London City Council built about 2600 houses and flats during this time. Bellingham Estate was one of many large estates constructed by London City Council following the First World War to assist with slum clearance and relieve overcrowding. As there was plenty of land available the majority of the dwellings built were two-story homes, and there was plenty of green, open space.
Today, Bellingham is a localised city centre. Its high street 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 former and present residents, including the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.