Creekside Discovery Centre

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Creekside Discovery Centre
Creekside Discovery Centre logo.png
Creekside Discovery Centre
LocationDeptford in the London Borough of Lewisham, London, United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°28′40″N0°01′13″W / 51.4779°N 0.0204°W / 51.4779; -0.0204
Opened1999
Owned byNational Grid
Operated byCreekside Education Trust
Visitors50,000 since 2002
AwardsRunner up in the Introducing Young People to Nature in the Growing Localities Awards, 2013. [1]
Habitats Brownfield
FacilitiesEducation centre
Website https://www.creeksidecentre.org.uk

The Creekside Discovery Centre is a 0.5-hectare (1.2-acre) natural habitat in Deptford in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is owned by the National Grid and managed by the Creekside Education Trust. Formerly a gas works, [2] the centre is a brownfield habitat incorporating the only existing sloping beach into Deptford Creek. [3] Other habitats on the site include a pond, constructed in a project coordinated by the Creekside Education Trust in partnership with Lewisham College, [4] and a sandbank, built in 2001. [5]

Contents

History

The Creekside Centre became a nature reserve as a result of an agreement between the Creekside Renewal Project and British Gas, the latter was unable to build on the site due to the existence of a large-diameter gas pipe on the site. [3]

In 2015 the Friend’s of Creekside scheme was launched to help fund the charity, develop on-site facilities, and raise local awareness of the nature reserve. [6]

The site contains a 250kg propellor from a former Scottish fishing boat, the Northern Star. [7]

Wildlife

A small-flowered catchfly at Creekside Discovery Centre Small-flowered catchfly at Creekside Discovery Centre.png
A small-flowered catchfly at Creekside Discovery Centre

Historically the site has been associated with the black redstart, although habitat destruction in the wider area has meant they are no longer present. In 2011 sand martins began nesting in the sandbank on the site. [5]

Two nationally rare species of wasps have been found on the site; the spider-hunting wasp Auplopus carbonarius and the mason wasp Microdynerus exilis. [3]

The Creekside Discovery Centre is the only site in London on which the critically endangered small-flowered catchfly, a wildflower on the Plantlife Red List, has been identified. [8] Across the surrounding conservation area, 300 species of wildflower have been identified. [9]

Architecture

The original plans to develop an educational facility on the site involved a floating centre located in the creek itself. The eventual building design built was a timber framed, cedar-clad building, incorporating a brown roof was constructed in 2002 at a cost of £500,000. [2]

Creekside Discovery Centre.jpg
Panorama of the Creekside Discovery Centre

Events

The Creekside Centre provides educational sessions for local schools, guided walks along Deptford Creek, special events for the public, and venue hire. [10]

In 2012 the site hosted a performance of the Odyssey by local theatre group Teatro Vivo. [11]

Funding

The Creekside Centre has received funding from various sources including the City Bridge Trust. [12] Since the autumn of 2020 the centre has received funding grants through a partnership with the company constructing the Thames Tideway Tunnel. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deptford</span> Human settlement in England

Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century to the late 19th it was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Dockyards. This was a major shipbuilding dock and attracted Peter the Great to come and study shipbuilding. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind, the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth, Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution, and the mysterious apparent murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Lewisham</span> Borough of London

Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England. It forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham. The local authority is Lewisham London Borough Council, based in Catford. The Prime Meridian passes through Lewisham. Blackheath, Goldsmiths, University of London and Millwall F.C. are located within the borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenwich</span> Town in south-east London, England

Greenwich is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east-south-east of Charing Cross.

The Port of London is that part of the River Thames in England lying between Teddington Lock and the defined boundary with the North Sea and including any associated docks. Once the largest port in the world, it was the United Kingdom's largest port as of 2020. Usage is largely governed by the Port of London Authority ("PLA"), a public trust established in 1908; while mainly responsible for coordination and enforcement of activities it also has some minor operations of its own.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Ravensbourne</span> Right-bank tributary of the Thames in London

The River Ravensbourne is a tributary of the River Thames in south London, England. It flows into the tidal River Thames at Deptford, where its tidal reach is known as Deptford Creek.

The table below lists many of the tunnels under the River Thames in and near London, which, thanks largely to its underlying bed of clay, is one of the most tunnelled cities in the world. The tunnels are used for road vehicles, pedestrians, Underground and railway lines and utilities. Several tunnels are over a century old: the original Thames Tunnel was the world's first underwater tunnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lighterman</span> Worker who manoeuvers a barge

A lighterman is a worker who operates a lighter, a type of flat-bottomed barge, which may be powered or unpowered. In the latter case, it is usually moved by a powered tug. The term is particularly associated with the highly skilled men who operated the unpowered lighters moved by oar and water currents in the Port of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thames Estuary</span> Estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea

The Thames Estuary is where the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea, in the south-east of Great Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thames Tideway Tunnel</span> Sewage system being created for London, England

The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a 25 km (16 mi) combined sewer running mostly under the tidal section (estuary) of the River Thames across Inner London intended to capture, store and convey almost all the raw sewage and rainwater that currently overflows into the estuary. These events occur when rainfall volumes exceed the capacity of Bazalgette's and other engineers' London sewerage system. The tunnelling phase of the project was completed in April 2022; construction ended in March 2024 ahead of a testing and handover phase expected to conclude in 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Surrey Canal</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Grand Surrey Canal was a canal constructed in south London, England during the early 19th century. It opened to the Old Kent Road in 1807, to Camberwell in 1810, and to Peckham in 1826. Its main purpose was to transport cargo, primarily timber from the Surrey Commercial Docks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Crane, London</span> River in England

The River Crane, a tributary of the River Thames, runs 8.5 miles (13.6 km) in West London, England. It forms the lower course of Yeading Brook. It adjoins or passes through three London boroughs: Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames, in the historic county of Middlesex. The drainage basin is heavily urbanised but many of the Hayes to Whitton flood-meadows have been conserved, forming a narrow, green vale, opening out to what remains of Hounslow Heath in the centre – a near-continuous belt of semi-natural habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Lewisham</span>

Lewisham parks and open spaces are part of the "green lung" of London and include a diverse range of sites, from small urban parks and gardens to one of the most historic natural landscapes in Greater London at Blackheath. While overall control rests with London Borough of Lewisham, management of borough-owned parks and their facilities is contracted out to Glendale Grounds Management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tideway</span> Part of the River Thames subject to tides

The Tideway is the part of the River Thames in England which is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock. The Tideway comprises the upper Thames Estuary including the Pool of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoys Wharf</span>

Convoys Wharf in Deptford is a former commercial wharf on the River Thames in London, currently awaiting redevelopment. It includes the site of Deptford Dockyard, built in the reign of King Henry VIII as one of the first Royal Dockyards. Convoys Wharf also covers most of the site of Sayes Court manor house and gardens, one-time home of the diarist John Evelyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sayes Court</span>

Sayes Court was a manor house and garden in Deptford, in the London Borough of Lewisham on the Thames Path and in the former parish of St Nicholas. Sayes Court once attracted throngs to visit its celebrated garden created by the seventeenth century diarist John Evelyn. Now completely buried beneath Convoys Wharf and Sayes Court Park, the area shows little sign of its former glory, despite having been a key factor in the creation of the National Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl's Sluice</span> River in England

Earl's Sluice is an underground river in south-east London, England. Its source is Ruskin Park on Denmark Hill. In South Bermondsey it is joined by the River Peck before emptying into the Thames at Deptford Wharf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brookmill Park</span>

Brookmill Park, formerly known as Ravensbourne Park, is a small public park and nature reserve located in Deptford and is in the London Borough of Lewisham. It runs parallel to Brookmill Road and the River Ravensbourne. It is located between Deptford Bridge and Elverson Road on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladywell Fields</span>

Ladywell Fields, originally Ladywell Recreation Ground is a public park in the London Borough of Lewisham created from three historic fields. It is located near Ladywell railway station at the northern end of the park, and Catford Bridge at the southern end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodberry Wetlands</span> Nature reserve in the London Borough of Hackney

Woodberry Wetlands is a nature reserve and designated Site of Metropolitan Importance on the site of the East Reservoir in the Manor House area in the London Borough of Hackney. The site opened to the public for the first time in 200 years on 1 May 2016. Covering 4.5 ha and situated close to the Lee Valley, Woodberry Wetlands was acquired as a nature reserve in 2014. The site is owned by Thames Water and run by London Wildlife Trust.

Greenwich Pumping Station, known until c. 1986 as Deptford Pumping Station, is a sewage pumping station in the London Borough of Greenwich built in 1865 to the east of Deptford Creek. It is part of the London sewerage system devised by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in the mid 19th century. Today operated by Thames Water, it is located on the western side of Norman Road, approximately 0.5 km (0.31 mi) south west of Greenwich town centre, on the eastern bank of Deptford Creek, around 0.5 km (0.31 mi) south of its confluence with the River Thames.

References

  1. Palmer, Jim (24 April 2013). "Deptford attraction recognised for introducing young people to nature". News Shopper. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 Galilee, Beatrice. “Voice in the Wilderness”. Building Design (January 17, 2003), p.11.
  3. 1 2 3 Archer and Yarham. ”British Gas site beside Deptford Creek”. Nature Conservation in Lewisham (London: 2000), p.102.
  4. Gould, Kate. ”Up the Creek”. Deptford & New Cross & South London Press (July 26, 2013), p.1.
  5. 1 2 Bertrand, Nick. ”Nick’s mission to safeguard future of our ‘hidden gems’”. The Docklands (August 10, 2011), p.10.
  6. Gould, Kate. “Discovering Creekside”. South London Press (September 11, 2015), p.2.
  7. “CAP-ity do dah CAP-ity day” sgnmail, issue 63 (December 2011/January 2012), p.9
  8. "On land: Where unique and endangered species thrive". creeksidecentre.org.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  9. Hasson, Seamus. 'Walk on the Wild Side'. The Lewisham Ledger (August/September, 2018), p.26.
  10. Gould, Kate. “Wading in to help”. South London Press (December 18, 2015), p.2.
  11. The Odyssey, June and September 2012, The Albany Deptford. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  12. ”Cleaning up Creekside”. City Bridge Trust Annual Review 2012: A Year in the Life of City Bridge Trust, P.14
  13. Creekside Discovery Centre. Thames Tideway. Retrieved: 3 November 2023.