Bellingham
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 centre of Bellingham, also to the east and west it is bordered by railway lines running south from Catford.
The real name Bellingham means ‘the water-meadow belonging to Beora’s people’, and was the true 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. Other historical names have already been preserved by the road names 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 taken from the brands of mills, houses and areas in the area.
Bellingham was mainly farmland before Bellingham Estate was built, mostly between 1920 and 1923. London City Council built about 2600 houses and flats in this time. Bellingham Estate was among the many large estates built by London City Council following the First World War to assist with slum clearance and relieve overcrowding. As there was plenty 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 high street is Randlesdown Road, which has 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, like the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the previous Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.