| Catford | |
|---|---|
 The town centre, with the 'village green' including water pump just visible to the left | |
  Catford Location withinGreater London | |
| Population | 44,905 (2011 Census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TQ385735 |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | SE6 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
| 51°26′43″N0°01′15″W / 51.4452°N 0.0207°W /51.4452; -0.0207 | |
Catford is a district in south eastLondon, England, and the administrative centre of theLondon Borough of Lewisham. It is southwest ofLewisham itself, mostly in theRushey Green and Catford Southwards. The population of Catford, includingBellingham, was 44,905 in 2011.
Catford covers most ofSE6 postcode district. The area is identified in theLondon Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.[2]
The origin of the name is unknown. Speculation suggests it may derive from the place wherecattlecrossed the riverRavensbourne in Anglo-Saxon times or from wild cats using the river crossing.[3][4][5]
Catford is covered by theRushey Green andCatford South wards in the London Borough of Lewisham. It also makes up a large part of theLewisham East constituency for elections to theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom.
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Broadway Theatre is anart deco building adjoining the town hall. It is a curved stone structure decorated with shields and heraldic emblems and topped with a copper-green spire. It was opened in 1932 as the Concert Hall and is now aGrade II listed building. The interior is in art deco style. The last cinema in the borough (before the 2019 launch of Catford Mews) stood diagonally opposite the theatre until its closure in 2002. Catford also boasts a large Gothicpolice station. In 2006, a large blue pipe sculpture was unveiled outsideEros House. Eros House was built on the site of the Lewisham Hippodrome theatre, which later housed another cinema (The Eros Cinema), and was demolished in 1960.[6]
The 1960s and 70s had a considerable impact on the architecture of Catford. The oldTown Hall of 1875, was replaced by the current Civic Suite in 1968, soon after the merger of the metropolitan boroughs ofLewisham andDeptford. Laurence House, where many of theLewisham Council functions are housed including the offices of theMayor of Lewisham and the Young Mayors of Lewisham, is on the site of old St Laurence's Church. The original GothicC of E St. Laurence Church was located where Laurence House is today (known as the Catford Cathedral), but as part of the urban renewal of Catford in the 1960s, the church is now housed in a more modern style building 200 metres down Bromley Road.
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In Rushey Green the old village water hand-pump from the 1850s survives.
At the end ofWorld War II, the 186-bungalowExcalibur Estate was laid out in Catford, and by 2011 was the largest survivingprefab estate in Britain. However, in spite of the opposition of many residents,[7] all are due for demolition, apart from six withGrade II listing. A new estate on the site is due for completion by the late 2020's.[8][9]
A few examples ofBrutalist architecture survive including the Catford shopping centre and Milford Towers, designed by the architectOwen Luder in 1974. The design was to make ittheBarbican of the south.
Architecture criticIan Nairn praised Eros House (Owen Luder, 1962) as:
A monster sat down in Catford and just what the place needed. No offence meant: this southward extension of Lewisham High Street badly wanted stiffening. Now there is a punchy concrete focus ('you know, that funny new building') both close to and at a distance, from the desolate heights of the Downham Estate, where it stands straight to the afternoon sun. Rough concrete is put through all its paces, front convex eaves on Sainsbury's to a staircase tower which is either afflicted with an astounding set of visual distortions or is actually leaning. Again, no offence meant. Unlike many other avant-garde buildings, particularly in the universities, this one is done from real conviction, not from a desire for self-advertisement. The gaunt honesty of those projecting concrete frames carrying boxed-out bow windows persists. It is not done at you and it transforms the surroundings instead of despising them. This most craggy and uncompromising of London buildings turns out to be full of firm gentleness.[10]
In 2015Lewisham Council decided to demolish Milford Towers, as the housing estate was in disrepair and the land could be better used to meet the needs of local residents.[11] In 2018 the estate was however refurbished, with demolition still planned in the longer-term.[12]
One Catford landmark is the Catford Cat, a giantfibreglass sculpture of a black cat above the entrance to the Catford centre. There is also a street market on Catford Broadway.
Between 1932 and 2003,Catford Stadium was a successfulgreyhound racing track, but was closed and then destroyed by fire in 2005[13] and ultimately demolished to make way for new housing.
Catford's oldest pub is the Black Horse and Harrow (now named The Ninth Life). The Catford Bridge Tavern is another heritage listed building close to the old dog track; thismock tudor pub burnt down in March 2015, but has since been refurbished and reopened in April 2017.[14] Nearby, isSt Dunstan's College.
The area was once home to theCatford Studios, producing films during thesilent era. Catford also used to have a cinema diametric to the theatre.[citation needed]
Catford town centre is a priority area for regeneration in theLondon Borough of Lewisham.[15] Several key sites around the town centre have been identified for redevelopment – Milford Towers, Catford Island, The Civic Centre,Lewisham Town Hall and The "Wickes" site have all been highlighted for significant change in the proposed Catford Plan.[16]
The council's aspiration is for the complete redevelopment of the Catford Shopping Centre and Milford Towers, which would require demolition of both plus the car parks and associated buildings along Thomas Lane. However, attempts to regenerate Catford have been hampered by various complex issues such as finance and the number of different landowners in and around the town centre.[citation needed]
Catford is served by two railway stations,Catford andCatford Bridge. Catford provides the area withThameslink services toKentish Town,London Blackfriars,Orpington viaBromley South and toSevenoaks via Bromley South andSwanley. Catford Bridge is served bySoutheastern services toLondon Charing Cross,London Cannon Street viaLewisham and toHayes.
Catford is served by manyTransport for London bus routes.[17]
Catford's main road is the A205South Circular which crosses South London, running from Woolwich in the east to the junction of the A406 (North Circular Road), the M4 and the A4 atGunnersbury in the west.
There are proposals for aBakerloo line extension toLewisham, with a possible longer-term second phase to Catford and Hayes. As of 2022, no final decisions had been made.[18]
Transport for London (TfL) are currently considering the extension of theDocklands Light Railway fromLewisham toBromley, with the first phase being fromLewisham to Catford. So far TfL have not expressed a preferred route, provided detailed plans, or indicated costs and funding.Lewisham Council has suggested that any route should be underground to reduce physical and visual impact.[citation needed]
The local council maintainsConisborough College and Greenvale School.
Catford has twoindependent schools,St Dunstan's College and a smallfaith school, Springfield Christian School.
The walk follows the River Pool downstream from the Ravensbourne River. The banking has been planted with native trees and shrubs, herbaceous planting, wild flower grassland and wetland marginal planting. The park forms part of the Waterlink Way which forms a significant section of the river fromSydenham to theThames.
Unlike many of London's rivers, the Pool remains above ground for most of its length. The section of river flows through a linear park from Southend Lane to Catford Hill.
In the 1920s,Charlton Athletic F.C. played atThe Mount (stadium) in the park. The Council holds its annual People's Day event here in July.
The park consists of three fields with a river running through them, and is next toUniversity Hospital Lewisham. The middle field contains one of the last established rareDutch Elm trees in London.
Iona Close Orchard is a preserved Victorian garden. In common with most old orchards, the site is of high nature conservation value. The houses to which it originally belonged dated to about 1825.
The 20-acre Jubilee Ground is operated bySt Dunstan's College.
Catford Stadium was one of the greyhound racing venues in the UK until its closure and subsequent demolition in 2005. It also hosted boxing and several other sporting events.
Catford has aNon-League football clubLewisham Borough F.C. who play at the Ladywell Arena.
Kent County Cricket Club have played at Catford several times in the past.
The Catford Cycling Club[19] was founded in 1886. In 1894 they built their own track south ofBrownhill Road with apagodagrandstand. By the 1950s the majority of the track had been built over but the club still exists.[20]
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Districts closest to Catford | |
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