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 west and east 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 area. The real name was preserved by the farm in the region, Bellingham Railway Station and the Bellingham Estate. Various other historical names have already been preserved by the road brands of the estate, which are connected with King Alfred, who was simply thought to have been the lord of the manor of Lewisham, and were extracted from the titles of mills, houses and fields in the certain area.
Bellingham was farmland until the Bellingham Estate was built, mostly between 1920 and 1923. London Town Council built about 2600 houses and flats during this time. Bellingham Estate was among the many huge estates built by London City Council following the First World War to aid with slum clearance and relieve overcrowding. As there is 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 city 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 past and present residents, including the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.