Bellingham
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, also to the west and east it is bordered by railway lines jogging 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 area. The real 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 road names 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 titles of mills, houses and areas in the certain 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. 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 lots of land available the majority of the dwellings constructed were two-story houses, and there was plenty of green, open space.
Today, Bellingham is a localised town centre. Its traditional 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 recent and present residents, like the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.
