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 middle 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 belonging to Beora’s people’, and was the 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. Other historical names have been preserved by the road brands of the estate, which are connected with King Alfred, who was thought to have already been the lord of the manor of Lewisham, and were extracted from the real names of mills, houses and areas in the area.
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 period. Bellingham Estate was among the many large estates constructed by London City Council after the First World War to aid with slum clearance and relieve overcrowding. As there is plenty of land available most of the dwellings constructed were two-story homes, and there was plenty 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 well-known past and present residents, including the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the previous Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.