Borough

Lewisham

About:

The London Borough of Lewisham is in south east London and forms part of Inner London.

In Saxon times, Lewisham began its humble beginnings as Oleofsa's village. In 862, Lewisham was referred to as LIofshema mearc and in 918 as Lieuesham.

The borough comprises three old administrative parishes, St Mary Lewisham, St Margaret Lee, and St Paul Deptford. Lewisham and Lee had similar histories as farming villages turning gradually into fairly affluent suburbs, though Lewisham also had some industry in the eighteenth century, based upon the water power of the Ravensbourne. Lewisham and Lee were combined in 1900 to form the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham.

Spike Milligan was brought up in the Borough and never lost his connection with the area, he was once famously quoted when asked about heaven: "I'd like to go there. But if Jeffrey Archer is there I want to go to Lewisham."

Routes that go through Lewisham:

Capital Ring:

Section 2 (Falconwood to Grove Park)

Section 3 (Grove Park to Crystal Palace Park)

Green Chain Walk:

Section 8 (Mottingham to Beckenham Place Park)

Section 9 (Mottingham or Chislehurst to Beckenham Place Park)

Thames Path National Trail:

Section 3 (Tower Bridge to Greenwich and the Thames Barrier)

Jubilee Greenway:

Section 7 (Greenwich to Tower Bridge)

Interesting places on or near the route:

Greenland Pier

Population:

248,922 which is 3.5% of the total London population (2001 Census)

Area:

35 square kilometres

Tube:

Tube services to the north of the borough are run on the East London line. The East London line will close in December 2007 to allow the development of the East London Railway, which is due to open in 2010. Visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/ for more information. The Docklands Light Railway terminates at Lewisham. Visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr/ for more information.

Rail:

Rail services in the borough are run by Southeastern and Southern Trains.

Bus:

Lewisham is served by a comprehensive network of bus routes. Visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/ for more information.

Green space:

Lewisham has many parks and open spaces within its boundary ranging from small local spaces to metropolitan parks. The borough has three sites of major ecological importance in London - Beckenham Place Park, Blackheath and the Thames/Deptford Creek - plus countless other conservation areas (railside land, ponds, woods and wastelands). In all, 474 hectares (13% of the borough) are defined as 'sites of nature conservation importance'.

Local Authority:

Lewisham London Borough Council