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 middle of Bellingham, and to the west and east it is bordered by railway lines jogging south from Catford.
The real name Bellingham means ‘the water-meadow belonging to Beora’s people’, and was the real name of the medieval manor in the region. The real name was preserved by the farm in the area, Bellingham Railway Station and the Bellingham Estate. Additional historical names have been preserved by the road titles of the estate, which are linked with King Alfred, who was thought to have already been god, the father of the manor of Lewisham, and were taken from the real names of mills, houses and areas in the certain region.
Bellingham was mainly farmland before 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 huge estates built by London City Council following the First World War to aid with slum clearance and alleviate overcrowding. As there was lots of land available the majority 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 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 recent and present residents, including the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.