Bellingham is an area 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 owned by Beora’s people’, and was the real name of the medieval manor in the region. The name was preserved by the farm in the area, Bellingham Railway Station and the Bellingham Estate. Various other historical names have been preserved by the street titles of the estate, which are connected with King Alfred, who was simply thought to have been the lord of the manor of Lewisham, and were extracted from the titles of mills, houses and fields in the certain area.
Bellingham was mainly 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 among the many large estates built by London City Council following the First World War to aid with slum clearance and relieve overcrowding. As there was plenty of land available the majority of the dwellings constructed 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 includes a supermarket, a gym, hairdressers and multiple restaurants and food outlets. It also has a sixth form college, and a church and a library. Bellingham boasts many well-known former and present residents, like the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.