Bellingham
Bellingham is an area in south east London, in the London Borough of Lewisham. Its neighbouring districts are Catford, Downham and Sydenham. 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 real name Bellingham means ‘the water-meadow owned by Beora’s people’, and was the true name of the medieval manor in the area. 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 road names of the estate, which are connected with King Alfred, who was thought to have already been god, the father of the manor of Lewisham, and were extracted from the true names of mills, houses and areas in the certain area.
Bellingham was farmland until the Bellingham Estate was built, mostly between 1920 and 1923. London City Council built about 2600 houses and flats during this time. Bellingham Estate was one of many large estates built by London City Council following the First World War to assist with slum clearance and relieve overcrowding. As there is lots of land available the majority of the dwellings constructed were two-story houses, and there was lots of green, open space.
Today, Bellingham is a localised town centre. Its high street is Randlesdown Road, which has 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 popular recent and present residents, including the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the previous Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.