Книга: Downham, Jenny «Before I Die»

Coordinates: 51°25′33″N 0°00′21″E / 51.4257°N 0.0058°E / 51.4257; 0.0058

The ward of Downham (red) shown within the London Borough of Lewisham (yellow)

Downham is a district occupying much of the boundary between the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Bromley; it is the name of an electoral ward covering much of the area on the Lewisham side. Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was chairman of the London County Council between 1919-20.

The Prime Meridian passes just to the west of Downham.

Downham estate

The dominant feature of the area is the Downham Estate built by the London County Council during the late 1920s. The first tenants of the estate were mainly former residents of inner city areas, such as Rotherhithe and the accommodation was spacious and luxurious compared to their former dwellings.

The Downham Estate provides an example of the programme of building council housing occurring in Britain between the first and second world wars. Among other similar developments around London (for example Becontree), it was developed to help alleviate the chronic shortage of housing in London, partly brought about by the complete cessation of building during WWI. It was intended to show what could be achieved by public-sector house-building: particularly in order to provide better housing for those who had lived in the slums of the city. The building of the Estate attracted subsidies from central government and was constructed under the auspices of the London County Council.

The estate covered an area of 522 acres (2.1 km²), of which 461 acres (1.9 km²) were in the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham, (from 1965 the London Borough of Lewisham) and 61 acres (0.2 km²) in the Municipal Borough of Bromley (from 1965 the London Borough of Bromley); altogether it covered a distance of 1.25 miles (2 km). The land had previously been mainly rural although around Grove Park railway station in the east of the area there had been some development; between Lewisham and Bromley was virtually the end of London at that time. 5659 houses were constructed of varying sizes; and there were also 408 flats (apartments) in blocks up to four storeys in height. Currently there is a problem with Lewisham Council trying to destroy some of the heritage of this estate. They want to demolish Pendragon Special school only to rebuild it as a modern 2to 3 storey block. It will destroy these brick built buildings with solid parquet floors throughout which have been built at the same time as the family houses that surround it.

Education

Downham has two secondary schools, Bonus Pastor Catholic College and Haberdasher's Askes' Knights Academy (formerly Malory School until 2005). Primary Schools include Launcelot Primary School, Downderry Primary School, Merlin Primary School, Good Shepherd Primary School, Rangefield Primary School and Pendragon Special School for students aged 11years to 16 years.

Nearest places

• Bellingham
• Catford
• Chinbrook
• Grove Park
• Bromley
• Beckenham
• Mottingham

Transport

Downham is close to Catford Bus Garage to the north, and Grove Park Bus Station to the east. The area is served by bus routes 124, 136, 181, 208, 284, 336, and night bus routes N36 and N47. National Rail stations in the area include Beckenham Hill and Grove Park with trains operated by Southeastern.

The main through-road (double carriageway for most parts) is the A21 Bromley Road, which if followed southbound would lead through Bromley Town Centre down to Hastings some 55 miles away on the East Sussex Coast.

External links

• Short history of the area