Lewisham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lewisham
Lewisham Central at night
Lewisham
Population	60,573 (Ladywell, Lewisham Central, Lee Green and Blackheath wards 2011)
OS grid reference	TQ385755
London borough	Lewisham
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	SE13
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Lewisham Deptford Lewisham East Lewisham West and Penge
London Assembly	Greenwich and Lewisham
List of places UK England London 51°27′40″N 0°00′18″W / 51.461°N 0.005°W / 51.461; -0.005

Lewisham (ⁱ/ˈluːɪʃəm/ loo-ISH-əm) is a busy area in southeast London, England. It's about 6 miles (10 km) south of Charing Cross, a famous spot in central London. Lewisham is the main part of the London Borough of Lewisham. It used to be part of the historic county of Kent until 1889.

Today, Lewisham is known as one of the 35 major centres in Greater London. It has a large shopping centre and a lively street market. In 2011, about 60,573 people lived in Lewisham.

Lewisham's Past: A Look Back in Time

'A View of Lewisham' (1770) by John Cleveley Junior

The medieval Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in Lewisham

The first time Lewisham was written about was in a document from 862. It was called liofshema back then. This paper helped set its borders with nearby Bromley.

Some stories say Lewisham was founded in the 6th century by a Jute named Leof. He supposedly settled near St Mary's Church in Ladywell, where the ground was drier. However, there isn't strong proof for this story.

The name "Lewisham" likely comes from old English words. Levesham meant "the house among the meadows." This shows that the area was once full of green fields.

Lewisham was an important settlement because two rivers met there: the River Quaggy and the River Ravensbourne. As people learned better ways to drain wet land, the village grew northwards.

The 19th-century Church of St Stephen in Lewisham

Did you know that King Alfred, a famous English king, once owned the land of Lewisham? There's a special plaque in Lewisham Library that celebrates this.

In the mid-1600s, a vicar named Abraham Colfe helped the community. He built a grammar school, a primary school, and six almshouses (homes for people in need).

Later, in the 17th century, the land of Lewisham was bought by George Legge. His family, the Earls of Dartmouth, played a big role in the area. They even had the right to hold a fair and a market in Blackheath, a nearby area.

The original village centre was in the south, near St Mary's Church. But when the North Kent line railway came in 1849, the centre moved north. This made it easier for people to live in Lewisham and travel to work. An old guide from 1863 described Lewisham as a beautiful place with green meadows and handsome homes.

Lewisham was part of Kent until 1889. Then, it became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham in the County of London until 1965.

The 19th-century clock tower in Lewisham

During World War II, in 1944, a V-1 flying bomb hit the town centre. It caused a lot of damage and sadly, many people were hurt or lost their lives. The high street was rebuilt by the mid-1950s. A plaque outside the Lewisham Shopping Centre remembers this event.

In 1955, Sainsbury's opened a very large supermarket in Lewisham. It was said to be Europe's biggest self-service supermarket at the time!

The northern part of the High Street became a pedestrian-only area in 1994. Here, you'll find a daily street market and a famous landmark: the clock tower. It was finished in 1900 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Lewisham has also seen some tough times. In 1957, there was a serious train accident near St Johns station. A crowded train crashed in thick fog, and an overhead bridge fell onto the wreckage. This tragic event led to the loss of many lives.

In 1977, a large protest called the Battle of Lewisham took place. Many people gathered to oppose a march by a group called the National Front.

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) was extended to Lewisham in 1999, making it easier to travel to other parts of London. Around this time, the old Lewisham Odeon cinema, which had hosted famous artists like Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones, was taken down to make way for new roads and projects.

In recent years, many new tall buildings have been built around Lewisham. In 2013, the Glass Mill Leisure Centre opened. It has a cool, colourful artwork on its outside called "Razzle Dazzle Boogie Woogie."

How Lewisham is Governed

Lewisham Town Hall, completed in 1932

A map showing the wards of Lewisham Metropolitan Borough as they appeared in 1916.

Lewisham has had different ways of being governed over the years. From 1855 to 1900, it was managed by the Lewisham District Board of Works. In 1900, it became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham.

Since 1965, Lewisham has been part of the London Borough of Lewisham. The local council, called Lewisham London Borough Council, is based in Catford. The person in charge of the borough is the directly elected mayor, currently Brenda Dacres.

For the London Assembly, Lewisham is grouped with the Royal Borough of Greenwich. They share an Assembly Member, who is currently Len Duvall. For national elections, Lewisham is part of the Lewisham Deptford area, and its MP (the person who represents the area in the UK Parliament) is Vicky Foxcroft.

Shopping and Fun in Lewisham

University Hospital Lewisham, Riverside Building

Lewisham House, 25 Molesworth Street

Lewisham has one of the biggest shopping areas in southeast London. The Lewisham Shopping Centre, which opened in 1977, has about 70 stores. You can find popular shops like Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's, H&M, and Boots there.

Outside the shopping centre, on Lewisham High Street, you'll find the daily Lewisham Market and the Central Library.

For fun and activities, Lewisham has a bowling alley and the Glassmill Swimming Pool and Gym. There are also several parks, like Hilly Fields and Lewisham Park, where you can relax and play.

For many years, between 2001 and 2015, Lewisham was the only London Borough without a cinema. In the past, it had many cinemas. As of 2022, there is one cinema in the borough, located in Catford.

University Hospital Lewisham is a large hospital that serves the whole London Borough of Lewisham. In 2012, there were plans to close its emergency department. However, many people in Lewisham strongly opposed this, and after a successful legal challenge, the hospital's emergency services were saved.

Schools in Lewisham

Lewisham has many secondary schools, including:

• Addey and Stanhope School
• Bonus Pastor Catholic College
• Conisborough College
• Deptford Green School
• Forest Hill School (for boys)
• Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College
• Haberdashers' Knights Academy
• Prendergast School
• Prendergast Ladywell School
• Prendergast Vale School
• St Matthew Academy
• Sedgehill School
• Sydenham School
• Trinity Church of England School

Getting Around Lewisham: Transport Links

Lewisham DLR entrance

Lewisham is well-connected by different types of transport.

Trains

Lewisham station offers train services by Southeastern. You can catch trains to central London stations like London Victoria, London Charing Cross, and London Cannon Street. There are also services to places like Dartford, Hayes, and Orpington.

DLR

The DLR also stops at Lewisham station. This light rail system connects you to areas like Canary Wharf and Bank in the city.

Buses

Many London Buses routes serve Lewisham, connecting it to various parts of London. Some of the routes include:

• 21 to Newington Green
• 47 to Bellingham or Shoreditch (24-hour service)
• 54 to Elmers End or Woolwich
• 75 to Croydon
• 89 to Slade Green
• 108 to Stratford (24-hour service)
• 122 to Crystal Palace or Plumstead
• 136 to Elephant & Castle or Grove Park
• 178 to Woolwich
• 180 to Belvedere
• 181 to Grove Park
• 185 to Victoria
• 199 to Bellingham or Canada Water
• 208 to Orpington
• 225 to Canada Water or Hither Green
• 261 to Locksbottom
• 273 to Petts Wood
• 284 to Grove Park
• 321 to Foots Cray or New Cross (24-hour service)
• 380 to Belmarsh Prison
• 436 to Battersea
• P4 to Brixton
• N21 to Bexleyheath or Trafalgar Square (Night Bus)
• N89 to Erith or Trafalgar Square (Night Bus)
• N136 to Oxford Circus or Chislehurst (Night Bus)
• N199 to St Mary Cray or Trafalgar Square (Night Bus)

Lewisham's Future: New Developments

Cornmill Gardens development around the River Ravensbourne, 2013

New developments around Lewisham station

The local council has plans to make Lewisham's town centre even better. The goal is for it to become a major centre like Bromley, Croydon, and Kingston upon Thames.

There are several big building projects happening around Lewisham:

• The Renaissance development includes new flats in tall buildings, along with the Glass Mill Leisure Centre, which opened in 2013.
• Lewisham Gateway is a large project that is changing the area around the DLR station and shopping centre. Roads have been changed, and the rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy have been re-routed. This project aims to bring new shops, restaurants, and homes to the area.
• Other areas like the Thurston Road industrial estate and the former Sherwood Court industrial estate have also been redeveloped with new homes and businesses.
• The Lewisham Shopping Centre and nearby areas are also set to be redeveloped. This will include 1700 new homes, an improved shopping centre, and a green space running through the middle.

Famous People from Lewisham

Many well-known people were born or have lived in Lewisham, including:

• Joe Absolom (actor)
• Merky ACE (grime music artist)
• Ginger Baker (drummer of Cream)
• Natasha Bedingfield (singer/songwriter)
• Yannick Bolasie (footballer)
• Kate Bush (musician)
• Danielle Harold (actress)
• Jessica Hynes (actress and comedian)
• Jude Law (actor)
• Delroy Lindo (actor)
• Marie Lloyd (entertainer)
• Alexander McQueen (designer)
• MNEK (musician)
• Edith Nesbit (writer)
• Eddie Nketiah (footballer)
• Novelist (grime music artist)
• Gary Oldman (actor)
• Mica Paris (musician)
• Maxi Priest (musician)
• Louise Redknapp (singer, TV presenter)
• David Rocastle (footballer)
• Doris Stokes (spirit-medium)
• Kae Tempest (performer, poet)
• Eamonn Walker (actor)
• Ian Wright (footballer)
• Shaun Wright-Phillips (footballer)
• Sid Vicious (musician)
• Bill Wyman (bass player of the Rolling Stones)

Lewisham's Location

Almost all of the SE13 postcode district, which is linked to Lewisham, is within the London Borough of Lewisham. However, a small part, including the Coldbath Estate, is in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

Lewisham is surrounded by several other areas:

Neighbouring areas of Lewisham

	New Cross, St Johns	Deptford, Greenwich	Blackheath
	Brockley		Lee
		Lewisham
	Ladywell	Catford	Hither Green

Weather in Lewisham

The weather in Lewisham is similar to the rest of London. The nearest official weather station is in Greenwich Park.

See also

In Spanish: Lewisham para niños