Denmark Hill

Last updated

Denmark Hill
106 And 108, Denmark Hill Se5.jpg
Shops in Denmark Hill
Greater London UK location map 2.svg
Red pog.svg
Denmark Hill
Location within Greater London
OS grid reference TQ327760
London borough
Ceremonial county Greater London
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LONDON
Postcode district SE5
Dialling code 020
Police Metropolitan
Fire London
Ambulance London
London Assembly
List of places
UK
England
London
51°28′04″N0°05′25″W / 51.4678°N 0.0902°W / 51.4678; -0.0902

Denmark Hill is an area and road in Camberwell, in the London Borough of Southwark, London, England. It is a sub-section of the western flank of the Norwood Ridge, centred on the long, curved Ruskin Park slope of the ridge. [1] The road is part of the A215 which north of its main foot, Camberwell Green, becomes Camberwell Road and south of Red Post Hill becomes named Herne Hill, another district.

Contents

Toponymy

The area and road is said to have acquired its name from Queen Anne's husband, Prince George of Denmark, who hunted there. [2] High Street, Camberwell was renamed Denmark Hill as part of metropolitan street renaming. [3]

History

In John Cary's map of 1786 the area is shown as Dulwich Hill. The only building apparent is the "Fox under the Hill". The present "Fox on the Hill" pub is a hundred yards or so further up (south), on the site of former St Matthew's Vicarage adjacent to a triangle of land rumoured to be a "plague pit" or burial ground. The name of the area was changed in honour of the husband of Queen Anne, Prince George of Denmark.

Denmark Hill in 1905 Denmark Hill, Camberwell.jpg
Denmark Hill in 1905

The area is home of the Maudsley Hospital and King's College Hospital, and also of Ruskin Park, named after John Ruskin, who once lived nearby. The preface to his work Unto This Last is dated "Denmark Hill, 10th May, 1862". The Institute of Psychiatry is based behind the Maudsley Hospital, a school of King's College London (University of London). The college also has a hall of residence immediately east at Champion Hill.

The Salvation Army's William Booth Memorial Training College on Champion Park which was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott was completed in 1932; it towers over south London. It has a similar monumental impressiveness to Gilbert Scott's other south London buildings, Battersea Power Station and Bankside Power Station (now housing Tate Modern), although its simplicity is partly the result of repeated budget cuts during its construction: much more detail, including carved Gothic stonework surrounding the windows, was originally planned.

Shepherd's Bush F.C. played in the area as Old St Stephen's F.C.

Geography

Its postcode is SE5. North-east and south-easterly slopes of the same eminence are named Grove Hill and Dog Kennel Hill, on top of which the summit is shared with Champion Hill, the only division being proximity to the respective two affluent streets which intersect on Camberwell descent. From Camberwell Green northwards the land is much lower and very gently sloped as in northern Brixton at its other foot, in the west. There are good views across central London from vantage points (e.g. top-storey windows). On a clear day some viewers can read the time on the Big Ben clockface.

Transport

Denmark Hill station entrance Recent Picture of Denmark Hill station building 2016.jpg
Denmark Hill station entrance

Denmark Hill has a major transport interchange served by London Overground, Southeastern and Thameslink rail services and London Buses.

Rail

Denmark Hill railway station is served by Southeastern services to London Victoria via Bexleyheath and Dartford via Bexleyheath. London Overground also provides services to Highbury & Islington and Clapham Junction. Thameslink operate services to London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks and Orpington.

Buses

Denmark Hill is served by many Transport for London bus services connecting it with areas including Central London, Croydon, Norwood, Dulwich, Peckham and Penge.

Sites of interest

Ruskin Park

Ruskin Park is a public park at the centre of the long curved slope and half of crest summit area which is Denmark Hill. It was opened on 2 February 1907 with 24 acres (9.7 ha) and in 1910 a further 12 acres (4.9 ha) were added on the south side of the park. It is named after John Ruskin (1819–1900), who lived near the park. [4] The source of the Earl's Sluice river, now underground, is in the park.

Weston Education Centre

The Weston Education Centre, with its medical library, is in Denmark Hill.

Notable people

Among those who were born or lived in Denmark Hill are:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camberwell</span> Area of South London

Camberwell is an area of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, 2+34 miles southeast of Charing Cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Southwark</span> London borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Southwark in South London forms part of Inner London and is connected by bridges across the River Thames to the City of London and London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It was created in 1965 when three smaller council areas amalgamated under the London Government Act 1963. All districts of the area are within the London postal district. It is governed by Southwark London Borough Council.

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

Dulwich is an area in south London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark, with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth, and consists of Dulwich Village, East Dulwich, West Dulwich, and the Southwark half of Herne Hill. Dulwich lies in a valley between the neighbouring districts of Camberwell, Crystal Palace, Denmark Hill, Forest Hill, Peckham, Sydenham Hill, and Tulse Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Lambeth</span> London borough in United Kingdom

Lambeth is a London borough in South London, England, which forms part of Inner London. Its name was recorded in 1062 as Lambehitha and in 1255 as Lambeth. The geographical centre of London is at Frazier Street near Lambeth North tube station, though nearby Charing Cross on the other side of the Thames in the City of Westminster is traditionally considered the centre of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Effra</span> River in England

The River Effra is a former set of streams in south London, England, culverted and used mainly for storm sewerage. It had been a tributary of the Thames. Its catchment waters, where not drained to aquifer soakaways and surface water drains, have been incorporated into 1850s-built combined sewer sectors, devised by Sir Joseph Bazalgette. One drains Peckham, the other Brixton, then intended to flow towards Peckham. These generally flow east to be treated at Crossness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell</span> Former Metropolitan Borough in England

Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in south London, England. Camberwell was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey, governed by an administrative vestry from 1674. The parish was included in the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855 and became part of the County of London in 1889. The parish of Camberwell became a metropolitan borough in 1900, following the London Government Act 1899, with the parish vestry replaced by a borough council. In 1965 the borough was abolished and its former area became part of the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herne Hill</span> Suburb of London

Herne Hill is a district in south London, approximately four miles from Charing Cross and bordered by Brixton, Camberwell, Dulwich, and Tulse Hill. It sits to the north and east of Brockwell Park and straddles the boundary between the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. There is a road of the same name in the area, as well as a railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denmark Hill railway station</span> National rail station in London, England

Denmark Hill railway station is in the area of Denmark Hill in south London, England, on the South London and Catford Loop lines. It is 4 miles 22 chains (6.9 km) down the line from London Victoria. It is managed by Thameslink. The station is located in London fare zone 2. The station runs services by Thameslink, Southeastern and London Overground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herne Hill railway station</span> Railway station in Lambeth, South London, England

Herne Hill railway station is in the London Borough of Lambeth, South London, England, on the boundary between London fare zones 2 and 3. Train services are provided by Thameslink to London Blackfriars, Farringdon, St Pancras International and St Albans on the Thameslink route and by Southeastern to London Victoria and Orpington on the Chatham Main Line. It is 3 miles 76 chains (6.4 km) down the line from Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dulwich and West Norwood (UK Parliament constituency)</span> UK Parliament constituency since 1997

Dulwich and West Norwood is a constituency in South London created in 1997. It has been represented by Helen Hayes of Labour since her election in 2015.

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

The London Borough of Lambeth, in spite of being close to the centre of London has over 64 areas of parks and open spaces, in addition to 34 play areas and eight paddling pools, within its boundaries. In common with all the London boroughs these green spaces provide "lungs" for the leisure pursuits of the inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gipsy Hill</span> Area of south London

Gipsy Hill in south London is a hilly and leafy neighbourhood spanning the southern parts of the London Boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark characterised for its stunning views of the City of London and Dulwich.

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

West Dulwich is a neighbourhood in South London on the southern boundary of Brockwell Park, which straddles the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark. Croxted Road and South Croxted Road mark the boundary between Southwark to the east and Lambeth to the west. The suburb of West Dulwich dates back to the 17th century when the often flooded land known as Dulwich Common was acquired and drained by Edward Alleyn's estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwood Ridge</span> Ridge in south London

The Norwood Ridge is a 10-square-mile (26 km2) rectangular upland which occupies the geographical centre of south London, centred 5 miles (8 km) south of London Bridge. Beneath its topsoil it is a ridge of London Clay that is capped on all sides with remaining natural gravel deposits mixed with some sandy soil, which in the South Thames basin is a material known as the Claygate Beds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydenham Hill</span> Affluent locality in southeast London

Sydenham Hill forms part of a longer ridge and is an affluent locality in southeast London. It is also the name of a road which runs along the northeastern part of the ridge, demarcating the London Boroughs of Southwark, Bromley, and Lewisham. Its highest part is the apex of the Boroughs of Southwark and Lewisham and the 15th-highest peak in London, at 367 feet (112 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A2216 road</span> Road in southeast London

The A2216 is an A road in south London, England suburbia. It runs from the A215 in Denmark Hill to the A212 in Sydenham. Part of the road is an ancient thoroughfare, Lordship Lane. In Dulwich, the road runs via the A205 South Circular Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A215 road</span> Road in London, England

The A215 is an A road in south London, starting at Elephant and Castle and finishing around Shirley. It runs through the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Croydon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great North Wood</span> Wood in south London

The Great North Wood was a natural oak woodland that started three miles (4.8 km) south-east of central London and scaled the Norwood Ridge. At its full extent, the wood's boundaries stretched almost as far as Croydon and as far north as Camberwell. It had occasional landownings as large clearings, well-established by the Middle Ages such as the hamlets of Penge and Dulwich.

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

Loughborough Junction is an area of South London, in the London Borough of Lambeth, which is located equidistant between Brixton, Camberwell and Herne Hill.

References

  1. "Institutions in Camberwell – Camberwell – the place – Southwark Council". Southwark.gov.uk. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  2. "Myatt's Fields, Denmark Hill and Herne Hill: Denmark Hill and Herne Hill – British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  3. "A-Z Old to New Street names".
  4. "Ruskin Park". Lambeth Council. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.

Further reading