Lewisham
Located just seven miles south-east of central London, Lewisham was once a quiet rural village, home to the wealthy merchants of the 17th and 18th centuries. Nowadays, Lewisham is a cosmopolitan commuter town with a great atmosphere and huge potential, particularly since the recent arrival of the DLR station. There are a wealth of attractive Victorian and Edwardian properties to be had in its pricier conservation areas, situated closer to Blackheath, with charming terraces and some unusual baroque-style homes. There are also a wide-range of new builds on offer, which have sprung up near the station in recent years, as well as housing estates offering great value for money.
Lewisham is home to a diverse community of energetic and creative residents. The locals here have real heart, and recently won a High Court battle to prevent cuts to Lewisham Hospital’s A&E and maternity services. The area is changing rapidly, with exciting new developments in the town centre and local neighbourhoods adding new schools, leisure facilities and homes. In particular, the rapidly evolving Lewisham Gateway is transforming the area around Lewisham station.
Fulfilling your lifestyle aspirations…
If you’re a foodie, you’ll love wandering around the very trendy Street Feast in the old Model Market. The charming area of Ladywell has a village-like feel, attracting families to the cafes and shops, and the beautiful open green space of Ladywell Fields has a skatepark, bowling green, football pitch, ball courts and a cafe. Right in the centre of town sits the Lewisham Shopping Centre. Despite already housing a great selection of retailers, big changes are in the pipeline, with a large regeneration programme under way.
As you would expect from a bustling borough, Lewisham has a wealth of bars and restaurants. The Royal Borough of Greenwich is nearby, where you will be spoilt for choice with bistros, gastro pubs, restaurants, cinemas, museums, theatres, and boutiques galore. For sporty types, the Glass Mill Leisure Centre in Loampit Vale has a 25m, eight-lane swimming pool, learner pool, indoor climbing wall and gym.
Getting around
Sitting in Zone 2, Lewisham boasts excellent transport links into central London and out to the suburbs. From Lewisham you can get to London Bridge in approx. 14 minutes, Canary Wharf in around 20 minutes and London City Airport in about 26 minutes. The DLR runs direct trains to Canary Wharf and Bank and the overground train stops in Ladywell, Hither Green, Lee and St Johns. Many bus routes also run through the area, including the 180, 181, 199, 225, 261 and 380, to list but a few.
Families will love
Lewisham boasts one of the highest numbers of parks and green spaces in the inner London area, with Greenwich Park and the expansive Blackheath Common both very popular with those living locally. For a great day out why not visit Manor House Gardens? Once home to the Baring family and now a library, it is nestled within a pretty 3.34 hectare public park in the Lee Manor conservation area. The park features a walled flower garden, ornamental pond, fountain, ice house, cafe, children’s playground, community garden, tennis courts and multi-purpose sports pitches. Dating back to the 18th century, the gardens are on the National Heritage List and are especially worth a trip when the Farmers’ Market is on.
There are lots of good schools in Lewisham including St Margaret’s Lee CofE Primary, Brindishe Manor and Brindishe Green primary schools. Good secondary schools include the Prendergast School in nearby Hilly Fields, St Matthew Academy and the Addey and Stanhope School. To discover properties within the catchment area, contact Franklyn James, sales and letting agents Lewisham.
