Bellingham
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, also to the west and east it is bordered by railway lines jogging 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 real name was preserved by the farm in the region, Bellingham Railway Station and the Bellingham Estate. Various other historical names have been preserved by the road titles 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 areas in the certain region.
Bellingham was mainly farmland until the Bellingham Estate was built, mostly between 1920 and 1923. London Town Council built about 2600 houses and flats during this time. Bellingham Estate was among the many huge estates constructed by London City Council after the First World War to aid with slum clearance and reduce overcrowding. As there is plenty of land available most of the dwellings built were two-story homes, and there was lots of green, open space.
Today, Bellingham is a localised town centre. Its high street is Randlesdown Road, which has a supermarket, a fitness center, hairdressers and multiple restaurants and food outlets. It also has a sixth form college, and a church and a library. Bellingham boasts many popular former and present residents, like the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.
