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| Charlton | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Charlton Location withinGreater London | |
| Population | 14,385 (2011 census for Charlton ward)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TQ415785 |
| • Charing Cross | 7.2 mi (11.6 km) WNW |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | SE7 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
| 51°29′10″N0°01′59″E / 51.48611°N 0.03306°E /51.48611; 0.03306 | |
Charlton is an area of southeast London, England, in theRoyal Borough of Greenwich. It is east ofGreenwich and west ofWoolwich, on the south bank of theRiver Thames, 7.2 miles (11.6 km) southeast ofCharing Cross. An ancient parish in the county ofKent, it became part of the metropolitan area of London in 1855 and is home toCharlton Athletic andCharlton House.
Charlton is recorded in the 1086Domesday Book asCerletone.[2] It is formed fromOld English 'ceorl' and 'tūn' and means 'farmstead of the freemen or peasants'. It is a common English placename and the parish was also known as Charlton next Woolwich to distinguish it fromCharlton by Dover.[3] During the 19th century the riverside portion of the area became known asNew Charlton.[2]
Charlton is assessed in theDomesday Book of 1086 at one "sulung", which is commonly held to have been the equivalent of twohides. In 1086 it was in thefee ofGundulf, bishop of Rochester, but in 1066 it had been held from the king as two estates, by two brothers, named Godwine and Alweard. Though assessed at only one sulung, it had a slightly higher value than might be expected, at £7, both in 1066 and in 1086. A church dedicated toSt Luke is recorded in the village as early as 1077, although no trace of the medieval building survives.[4]
In 1093, the manor of Charlton was given toBermondsey Abbey by BishopRobert Bloet of Lincoln. In 1268, the Abbey was granted a Monday market at Charlton, as well as an annual fair of three days, centred on Trinity Sunday, the eighth Sunday after Easter.[5]
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Between 1607 and 1612,Sir Adam Newton, tutor toPrince Henry, eldest son ofJames I, had a new manor house,Charlton House, built in the village. TheJacobean mansion by architectJohn Thorpe was never used by the prince, who died in 1612. On the northern edge of the house's garden is amulberry tree planted in 1608 by order of King James in an effort to cultivatesilkworms. On the death of Sir Adam, his executors Peter Newton andDavid Cunningham of Auchenharvie were charged to rebuildSt Luke's Church.[4][6]
The manor was subsequently acquired by the colonial administratorSir William Langhorne, 1st Baronet, who is buried in the parish church. Upon his death without issue in 1715, his possessions in Charlton andHampstead passed to theConyers baronets, and subsequently to theMaryon-Wilson baronets.
In the early 18th century, Charlton was described byDaniel Defoe as:
a village famous, or rather infamous for the yearly collected rabble of mad-people, at Horn-Fair; the rudeness of which I cannot but think, is such as ought to be suppressed, and indeed in a civiliz'd well govern'd nation, it may well be said to be unsufferable. The mob indeed at that time take all kinds of liberties, and the women are especially impudent for that day; as if it was a day that justify'd the giving themselves a loose to all manner of indecency and immodesty, without any reproach, or without suffering the censure which such behaviour would deserve at another time. (fromA Tour through Great Britain)
The Horn Fair (or Charlton Fair) was held regularly on 18 October each year, and retained its reputation for lawlessness; in 1833, for example, police arrested a swindler who had cheated several artillerymen.[7] In 1857, following the abolition of nearby Greenwich Fair, Charlton Fair was described in theMorning Chronicle as "more like a carnival of the very worst and most vulgar class than any fair in the country."[8] The Horn Fair was abolished, along with the livestock fairs of nearby Blackheath, by order ofHenry Austin Bruce, the reformingHome Secretary, in 1872.[9]
In the early nineteenth century,Spencer Perceval, theonly British Prime Minister to be assassinated, was buried at St Luke's church; Perceval's wife having been a member of the Maryon-Wilson family. In 1843, Charlton was the site of the death and burial of murdered civil servantEdward Drummond, whose assassination led to the establishment of theM'Naghten Rules for legal insanity.
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The flat land adjoining the Thames atCharlton Riverside has been a significant industrial area since Victorian times. The establishment ofheavy industry centred on Charlton Pier, and led to a number of serious fires in the area in the mid 19th century.[10][11] A notable establishment was theSiemens Brothers Telegraph Works (although largely in theparish of Woolwich) opened in 1863, which manufactured two newtransatlantic cables in the 1880s,[12] and contributed toPLUTO in World War 2.[13] It was in this industrialised area thatCharlton Athletic F.C. was established in 1905, before moving a short distance toThe Valley in 1919.
From 1903 to 1913, the Italian writerItalo Svevo lived in a house on Charlton Church Lane which now bears a blue plaque in his honour. He had arrived there in his capacity as a director in aTrieste firm selling high-quality underwater paint for ships, on whose behalf he established a factory in Charlton's Anchor and Hope Lane, fulfilling a big contract with the BritishRoyal Navy.[14]
The non-ferrous foundry ofJ. Stone & Co moved to Charlton from Deptford in 1917, and produced 22,000 propellers for theRoyal Navy duringWorld War II (its products being fitted to battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers and numerous smaller vessels),[15] plus propellers and water-tight doors forRMSQueen Mary,RMSQueen Elizabeth andRoyal YachtBritannia.[16] In 1963 Stone's marine propeller business merged with Manganese Bronze (also originally founded in Deptford, in 1882, before relocating toMillwall and thenBirkenhead in 1941) and manufacture moved to Birkenhead.[15] Stone Foundries still operates at Charlton, in a plant established in 1939 to produce aluminium and magnesium light alloy castings mainly for the aircraft industry,[17] and production of nails and rivets continues at nearby Stone Fasteners.[18]
The estates surrounding Charlton House were gradually broken up, and once the Maryon-Wilson family died out in 1925, the surviving open spaces were converted into public parks, two of which bear the family name. The house itself became the property of the local authority (currently theRoyal Borough of Greenwich) and is used as a library and community centre.Maryon Park was used as the filming location for the pivotal murder scene inMichelangelo Antonioni's filmBlow-Up (1966).[19]
Charlton has formed part of the London Borough of Greenwich (now theRoyal Borough of Greenwich) since its formation in 1965. Prior to that it was the easternmost part of theMetropolitan Borough of Greenwich, which succeeded theLee, formerly Plumstead, District in 1900. Before the passage of theMetropolis Management Act 1855, Charlton was acivil parish in its own right.[20]
Within the borough, Charlton is mainly covered by theCharlton Village and Riverside ward. Charlton's riverside areas were previously part of the Woolwich Riverside ward, which also includedWoolwich Dockyard andWoolwich Arsenal. Charlton has only electedLabour councillors since 1971, whileWoolwich Riverside had been Labour-controlled since its creation in 2002.
In the Westminster parliament, Charlton is covered by theGreenwich and Woolwich constituency, which has been represented byMatthew Pennycook since 2015. In theLondon Assembly, Charlton falls within theGreenwich and Lewisham constituency, which has been represented by Labour'sLen Duvall since its creation in 2000.
The centre of Charlton, known as Charlton Village, lies on the edge of high ground about 7 miles east-south-east of central London, on theB210. West of the village the main road is called Charlton Road, and to the east, Charlton Park Road; the road itself is called 'The Village' in the village centre.[21] A preserved model K2red telephone box stands on Charlton Road.[22] A minor road called Charlton Church Lane leads north down the hill from St Luke's Church tothe station and theA206. Beyond the railway line lies the more heavily industrial riverside area referred to asNew Charlton or Charlton Riverside.[23]
Charlton is also home to several parks of varying features, namelyMaryon Park,Maryon Wilson Park,Hornfair Park, named in reference to the old Horn Fair, andCharlton Park, which is largely made up of sports pitches or playing fields. Adjoining Maryon Park is theGilbert's PitSite of Special Scientific Interest, which was formerly a major site of sand extraction.[24] Most of the parks lie in the area once covered byHanging Wood.
The architecture of Charlton is diverse, offering an insight into how different parts of the area were built up, as it evolved from a Thames-side village into the London suburb that it is today. Charlton gave its name toCharlton House, and has links with the classic architectInigo Jones, a street being named after him. Other streets in Charlton named after prominent figures or places includeMontcalm,Henry, Prince of Wales,Canberra, andKashmir. There are four main pubs within the vicinity of Charlton Village, including The Bugle Horn, a late 17th-century coaching inn.[25] A major landmark on the north side of the village isThe Valley stadium, home toCharlton Athletic F.C. since 1919.
New Charlton is the site of the southern end of theThames Barrier, including the Barrier's main operational area and visitor centre. In 2013, auniversity technical college named Royal Greenwich UTC opened its campus nearby, under the auspices of theUniversity of Greenwich.[26] It is now afree school calledRoyal Greenwich Trust School.
The nearest areas areBlackheath,Eltham,Greenwich,Kidbrooke,Maze Hill,North Greenwich,Plumstead,Welling,Westcombe Park andWoolwich.
Places adjacent to Charlton, London | |
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According to the 2011 UK census, the population of the Charlton ward was 14,385.[1] 52.4% of the population was White and British background; the next largest ethnic groups were Black African (10.6%) and White (Other) (9.3%).[1] The population included people of every British and Irish national identity except Cornish.[1] 81.8% of residents spoke English as a first language; of the remainder, the greatest proportion spoke Nepalese.[27] 47.2% of the population were Christians and 29.1% had no religion; 8.4% stated no religion, and the next largest religious group was Muslims with 6.8% of the population.[1]
Of 5,739 households in the ward, 1,796 (31.3%) contained no adults in employment.[1] Out of an active workforce of 6,698 people, 11.8% worked in wholesale, retail or auto repair; 11.4% in education, and 11.4% in health and social care.[1] 22.8% of those employed worked in professional occupations[27] 42.95 of people in the ward were aged 20–44.[27]
Charlton Village retains a number of traditional businesses including an ironmonger. However, a much larger shopping area is located in New Charlton, to the north, including the Greenwich Shopping Park,[28] the Peninsula Retail Park and Stone Lake Retail Park.[29] A newSainsbury's superstore opened in 2015 between Woolwich Road and Bugsby's Way. This new store replaced theGreenwich Peninsula branch, itself less than 15 years old and hailed at the time of its opening as a 'supermarket of the future'.[30][31] Sainsbury's also has a large distribution centre in New Charlton; it was rebuilt and expanded in 2012 and re-opened by deputy prime ministerNick Clegg in 2013.[32]
New Charlton is also home to the area's surviving heavy industry. In the 19th century the area was dominated by a largeropewalk[10] and other maritime businesses. In recent years marine aggregates have predominated, including the major facility atAngerstein Wharf which incorporates the former Christie's Wharf site.[33]
Until the 19th century, mineral extraction was a major local industry.The Valley stadium stands on the site of a large chalk pit, whileGilbert's Pit once supplied central London with most of its sand for domestic use.[24] Gilbert's Pit is the only remnant of this industry which has not been built over.
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The first recorded place of worship in Charlton isSt Luke's Church, originally a chalk and flint building known to have existed in the 11th century. Rebuilt in the Jacobean style in 1630, it is now the parish church of aChurch of England parish in theModern Catholic tradition. The building was expanded with a new organ chamber andchancel in 1840, and new vestries in 1956. The church islisted as grade 2*, indicating a structure of 'more than special interest'.[34] It is the burial place of several generations of the lords of the manor of Charlton, and of murdered British prime ministerSpencer Perceval.
A second Anglican church, dedicated to St Thomas, and known as St Thomas Old Charlton, was built in 1848–50. Designed in theRomanesque style by architectJoseph Gwilt and his son John Sebastian Gwilt, it was consecrated on 31 July 1850.[35] It remains part of the Church of England and shares a Rector with St Luke's, the parishes combined make up Charlton United Benefice. The building is sometimes used by theBritish Orthodox Church congregation of St Thomas the Apostle;[36] the building is grade II listed.[35] A third Anglican church, dedicated to the HolyTrinity, was built in New Charlton in 1894, designed by John Rowland. It was listed in 1973, but was declared redundant in 1974 and demolished in 1975 to be replaced by a block of flats.[37]
The third Anglican Church in the area is St Richard's. Located the corner of Swallowfield Road and Sundorne Road, St Richard's was originally built as a Congregationalist Tin Mission Hut.[38] It was later handed over to the Church of England who continued to let it out a Congregationalist group. In 1958 it was rebuilt as a permanent structure designed by Ralph Covell.[39]
The Catholicchurch of Our Lady of Grace was established by theAssumptionists Order. They settled in Charlton in 1903 after being expelled from France in 1900 due to suppression of Holy Orders. The first nuns moved intoHighcombe House and set up a mission in Charlton. The current church was built in 1905 and celebrated its centenary on 17 September 2005 with a concelebrated ecumenical mass, led by ArchbishopKevin McDonald and parish priest, Fr. Michael Leach.[40] The church has strong historic links with the Irish community in south east London, evident in the statue ofSaint Patrick on display inside. The current presbytery (Highcombe House) was once the home ofWilliam Henry Barlow (1812–1902), the eminent 19th century engineer, who designedSt Pancras railway station and for whom English Heritage erected ablue plaque in recognition; it is also grade II listed.[41]
Other churches in the area include Charlton Tabernacle of the New Testament Church of God on Charlton Church Lane;[42] the Anglican church of St Richard;[43] a United Reformed Church on Wyndcliff Road;[44] and several evangelical free churches in and around New Charlton. Charlton also has a small mosque providing services for men and women in theBareilviSufi tradition.[45]
Charlton is served byLondon Buses routes53,54,161,177,180,380,422,472 (which is then going to be SL11 from January 2026),486,N1 andN53. Part of the area is served by routeSL4.
The nearest station isNorth Greenwich on theJubilee line.
The nearest station isCharlton forSoutheastern services towardsBarnehurst,Crayford,Dartford,Gillingham,London Cannon Street andLondon Charing Cross andGovia Thameslink Railway services to north Kent, as well as services toSt Pancras,St Albans City,Luton andLuton Airport.
Charlton is located between theA206 to the north and theA207 to the south. Thesouthern approach of theBlackwall Tunnel crossing of theRiver Thames is located to the west, while theSouth Circular Road lies some way to the east.
A Metropolitan Police car pound is located in west Charlton, off Eastcombe Avenue.[46]
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