Sydenham
Sydenham Avenue
Sydenham Location withinGreater London
Population	28,378 (SE26 postcode area)[1]
OS grid reference	TQ352714
London borough	Lewisham Bromley Southwark
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	SE26
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Lewisham West and East Dulwich
London Assembly	Greenwich and Lewisham Bexley and Bromley Lambeth and Southwark
Website	http://sydenham.org.uk/
List of places UK England London 51°25′31″N0°03′16″W / 51.4254°N 0.0544°W /51.4254; -0.0544

Sydenham (/ˈsɪdənəm/) is a district of south-east London, England, which is shared between theLondon boroughs ofLewisham,Bromley andSouthwark. Prior to the creation of theCounty of London in 1889, Sydenham was located inKent, borderingSurrey. Historically, the area was very affluent, withthe Crystal Palace being relocated toSydenham Hill in 1854. Today, Sydenham is a diverse area, with a population of 28,378 (2011 census)^[1] and bordersForest Hill,Dulwich,Crystal Palace,Penge,Beckenham,Catford andBellingham.

Originally known asSippenham,^[2] Sydenham began as a small settlement, a few cottages among the woods, whose inhabitants grazed their animals and collected wood. In the 1640s, springs of water in what is nowWells Park were discovered to have medicinal properties, attracting crowds of people to the area. Sydenham grew rapidly in the 19th century after the introduction of theCroydon Canal in 1809 which linked theGrand Surrey Canal toCroydon and a reservoir was constructed in Sydenham. However, the canal was never successful and closed in 1836^[3] resulting in it being the first canal to be abandoned by an Act of Parliament.

TheLondon & Croydon Railway purchased the canal for £40,250 and quickly converted the alignment for a railway fromLondon Bridge toWest Croydon, opening in 1839. After the railway opened potential gas companies began to consider the Sydenham area with the Crystal Palace and District Gas Company having works at Bell Green, which continued production until 1969; a retail park now occupies most of the site.^{[citation needed]}

In 1851 the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park was housed in an immense glass building, calledthe Crystal Palace. In 1854 the building was bought by a private company, dismantled and re-erected at Penge Peak on Sydenham Hill (nowCrystal Palace Park). Exhibitions, concerts, conferences and sporting events were held at the Crystal Palace (until it burned down in 1936), and Sydenham became a fashionable area with many new houses being built. In 1871 the Frenchimpressionist painterCamille Pissarro producedThe Avenue, Sydenham, a largely still recognisable view on today's Lawrie Park Avenue; the painting is now owned by theNational Gallery.^{[citation needed]}

In 1860 theWalter Cobb department store at Lawrie Place, Kirkdale (now known as Cobbs Corner) opened, lasting until the 1980s. In 1872, the Children's Hospital, Sydenham opened. It closed in 1991, its services being now part of theUniversity Hospital Lewisham.^[4] In 1884,Upper Sydenham railway station opened on theCrystal Palace and South London Junction Railway linking Crystal Palace to London Victoria via Peckham Rye.^[5] The station and the line were poorly used despite new houses being built in the area, as passengers preferred to use other stations near-by,Sydenham Hill (opening in 1863),Crystal Palace (Lower Level) and Sydenham which were on more direct routes. The ill fate of the Crystal Palace in 1936 saw patronage reduced and the route finally closed in 1954.

Sydenham was attacked by enemies during theSecond World War. The gas works were a target, but were never damaged. The railway which ran through Upper Sydenham station was damaged, and some homes in the area were destroyed.

Sydenham is divided into several localities:

Sydenham Hill in the Boroughs of Lewisham and Southwark runs alongside Dulwich and Sydenham Woods on one of the highest points of Greater London being 112 metres above sea level.^[6] From here, the City of London skyline is visible. Sydenham Hill has an abandoned railway tunnel from theCrystal Palace and South London Junction Railway located within the Woods. Another railway tunnel (one of the longest in Britain at 1,958 metres) goes beneath on theChatham Main Line withSydenham Hill station at the London end serving both Sydenham Hill and the College area of Dulwich.

Upper Sydenham is also located on Sydenham Hill and is a part of the Parish ofSt Bartholomew. It is diverse both racially and in terms of income; the central section of Kirkdale was Sydenham's original High Street. Renamed "Kirkdale" in 1936, the area now has a small range of shops includingTesco Express, local pubs and off-licences. Sydenham School is located on Dartmouth Road with Forest Hill Library and Forest Hill Pools alongside Thorpewood Avenue. Green Flag awardedSydenham Wells Park, the location of the once famous Springs is one of the largest parks within the postcode.^{[citation needed]}

In the area where West Hill (later renamed Westwood Hill) and Crystal Palace Park Road raise in elevation and eventually meet, many fine villas were built in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Designed in revival architectural styles, fashionable at the time, most of the properties were three or four stories high and large enough to attract more affluent residents.UK Census records suggest that many employed one or more live-in domestic staff. One of the more unusual residential streets, due to its circular arrangement is Charleville Circus,^[7] subject of an in-depthOne-place study. Upper Sydenham is also the location of the Sydenham Park allotments, the Sydenham electricity sub station which had a major fire in 2008^[8] and the Sydenham Hill estate.

Lower Sydenham & Bell Green is the location of the Sydenham Community Library, formerly run and funded by the local council. Alongside to the library is Home Park and the Home Park estate. The Bridge Leisure Centre is located on Kangley Bridge Road, near toLower Sydenham railway station and an industrial estate home to Clarkes coach company, many other businesses and the Beckenham and Sydenham Cricket Ground. Bell Green retail park houses the Sydenham Gas Works and a largeSainsbury's superstore, formally part of theSavacentre brand. Other retailers includeB&Q,Currys PC World,Next (withCosta Coffee),Aldi andMcDonald's among others. The section of Kangley Bridge Road that runs south of Lower Sydenham Station is in theLondon Borough of Bromley and provides land for local employment.^[9]

Sydenham's main commercial area begins on Kirkdale around Cobbs Corner, continuing onto Sydenham Road, often known as "Sydenham High Street". It houses many independent shops, including a bakery, bookshop and several restaurants and chains stores. Furthermore, Sydenham is noted for the number of independent coffee shops.^[10] There is aPost Office branch and many estate agents. After recent closures,Natwest remains the only bank with a branch in the High Street. The first ever location of theMorley's chicken chain opened in Sydenham in 1985, and remains in operation today.^[11]

Since theTransport for London andLewisham Council funded high street upgrade in 2012–13, there is now a monthly market located within the pocket squares, known as "Queensthorpe Square" and "Venner Square". The 18th century Greyhound pub, demolished by a developer without council permission in 2013,^[12] was rebuilt and reopened in 2017.^[13] Several new businesses such as a Sainsbury's Local opened in 2016 and Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward Estate Agents in 2021/22.^{[13][needs update]}

Sydenham has a very active community, with several groups concerning the local area. Sydenham Town is the local website for the area, where residents can also voice their opinions in an on-line form.^[14] The Sydenham Society is aCivil society formed in 1972 to represent the local community. It holds local events, works with organisations and authorities as well as campaigning for improvements to the area.^[15] Green Flag and Mayor of London Award winner, Sydenham Garden, was formed in 2002. It is a charity which is involved in improving the health of residents in the boroughs of Bromley and Lewisham.^[16]

Sydenham withForest Hill won a bid for the nationalPortas Pilot competition which provided a grant to improve high streets; extra money was provided from Lewisham Council and private developers.^[17] Annually every summer since 2009, the Sydenham Arts Festival is held, where there are workshops, music, family activities etc.^[18]

Sydenham has sevenConservation Areas: Cobbs Corner, Dulwich Village (covering Crescent Wood Road),^[19] Halifax Street, Sydenham Hill/Kirkdale, Sydenham Park and Sydenham Thorpes. Sydenham has the highest concentration of conservation areas in the London Borough of Lewisham^[20]

A number of parks are within the Sydenham postcode.Mayow Park, Lewisham's oldest municipal park^[21] andSydenham Wells Park^[22] are both Green Flag Awarded. Other open spaces in Sydenham include Alexandra Recreation Ground,^[23] Baxters Field,^[24] Home Park^[25] and Kirkdale Green.^[26] Riverview Walk is a nature conservation area^[27] which runs along theRiver Pool from Catford. Additionally, located along the borders of Sydenham, there areCrystal Palace Park,Dulwich Woods, Southend Park^[28] andSydenham Hill Woods.

Alongside Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Woods is the Dulwich and Sydenham Golf course, dating back to 1893.^[29] Located on Lawrie Park Road, there is the Sydenham Tennis Club, while the Beckenham and Sydenham Cricket Ground and the Lewisham Indoor Bowls Centre are both located in the Lower Sydenham industrial estate.

Sydenham Arts is a local charitable organisation,^[30] promoting the arts for the local community, which provides free and ticketed cultural events at several festivals through the year.^[31][32][33]

• St Bartholomew's church, (1827–1832), at the end of Lawrie Park Avenue, featured inCamille Pissarro's painting of 1871: "The Avenue, Sydenham". The building was designed byLewis Vulliamy.^[34]
• Park Court, (1936), byFrederick Gibberd, pioneering modernist development of residential flats on the estate on Lawrie Park Road adjacent to the famousCrystal Palace Park.^[35]
• Six Pillars, (1934–35), byBerthold Lubetkin, on Crescent Wood Road, a villa strongly in the spirit ofLe Corbusier with eponymous six pillars at street level.
• Cobbs Corner, takes its name from a draper's shop at 291–307 Kirkdale run by Walter Cobb. The shop grew into a large department store catering to the gentry of the area. Interesting imposing dome where you can find the date on the building.
• 180 and 182 Kirkdale, built in the 1850s in Gothic style, with Tudor doorcases.
• 168–178 Kirkdale, three pairs of Italianate houses built around 1862. Number 174 was briefly the home of the conductorAugust Manns.
• Memorial to Queen Victoria (1897), baroque-style memorial celebrating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Restored for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee and designed by Alexander Hennell, a Sydenham resident and architect.
• Jews Walk, it is believed that a wealthy Jewish resident planted a row of trees to define the boundary of his walk from the Common. Numbers 2,4 and 6 are classical villas dating from the 1840s.Karl Marx's daughterEleanor lived on Jews Walk. On 9 September 2008 a blue English Heritage plaque was placed on the house to commemorate this fact.
• Halifax Street, beautifully preserved street with houses dating from the 1840s. Of notice are in particular the closeness of the houses, the length of the street and the size of the gardens.
• The Kirkdale Building, previously the Sydenham Public Lecture Hall, was built in 1861 by Sydenham resident Henry Dawson.
• Sydenham Community Library is aCarnegie Library built in 1904.

There are five non-religious primary schools in Sydenham (Alexandra, Adamsrill, Eliot Bank, Haseltine and Kelvin Grove) and three religious schools (St. Michael's, St Philip Neri and St. Bartholomew's Church of England). Sydenham contains two secondary schools, the privateSydenham High School and the stateSydenham School. Both of these schools are exclusively for girls.Forest Hill (for boys) is just outside Sydenham across from Mayow Park. Other secondary schools close by includeHarris Bromley (for girls), Harris Crystal Palace,Sedgehill and the privateDulwich College. There are no colleges in Sydenham, but Sydenham and Forest Hill schools have a joint sixth form.

According to the 2011 census, the SE26 postcode area had a population of 28,378, with 13,714 males and 14,664 females.^[1]

• A-ha – Norwegian pop band lived in Sydenham and recorded early demos at Rendezvous studios on Kirkdale withJohn Ratcliff.^[36][37]
• John Arnott — footballer^[38]
• Edward Aveling — biologist and social activist, partner ofEleanor Marx^[39]
• John Logie Baird — inventor of both the first publicly demonstrated colour television system, and the first purely electroniccolour television picture tube^[40]
• George Baxter — inventor ofcolour printing, lived on Peak Hill from 1860 till his death in 1867. There is a memorial at former Christ Church,Forest Hill.^[41]
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer.^{[citation needed]}
• David Bowie — spent five years living in Sydenham in his early adult life.^{[citation needed]}
• Bill Bradley — cricketer^[42]
• Kelly Brook — the model and actress once shared a home with then boyfriend Billy Zane in Lawrie Park Road^[43]
• Thomas Campbell — poet^[44]
• Louise Creighton — social activist and writer, born in Sydenham^[45]
• Connie Fisher — singer and actress, winner of theBBC TV programHow Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?^[46]
• Bud Flanagan —music hall singer/entertainer, died in Sydenham^[47]
• Denis Gifford — comics and film historian^[48]
• Wilfrid de Glehn — painter, was born in Sydenham^[49]
• W. G. Grace — England's greatest cricketer^[50]
• George Grove — ofmusical dictionary fame^[51]
• Rolf Harris — musician, television personality, painter and actor, was a key figure in the Sydenham Society^[52]
• Norman Hunter — writer and creator ofProfessor Branestawm
• Richard Jefferies — the naturalist and author, lived at 20 Sydenham Park (ablue plaque indicates the house)
• Flora Klickmann — editor ofThe Girls Own Paper from 1908 to 1931.^{[citation needed]}
• René Lalique — according toHenri Vever, Lalique studied at Sydenham Art College between 1878 and 1880
• Prof Edmund Albert LettsFRSE — chemist, born in Sydenham
• Margaret Lockwood — star ofAlfred Hitchcock'sThe Lady Vanishes (1938)
• Lionel Logue CVO — Australian speech therapist and stage actor who successfully treated, among others,King George VI. He lived in a villa named Beechgrove from 1933 to 1940
• Linda Ludgrove —Commonwealth gold medallist swimmer
• Joseph Marryat — merchant, banker, MP and father of the authorFrederick Marryat
• Eleanor Marx — daughter ofKarl Marx, lived and died in Sydenham^[53]
• John Dudley North – aircraft designer, born at Sydenham^[54]
• Sandy Powell — three-timeAcademy Award winning costume designer
• John Scott Russell — naval architect who built theSS Great Eastern
• Dame Cicely Saunders — founder of the modernhospice movement^[55]
• Ernest Shackleton — the Antarctic explorer^[56]
• Francis Pettit Smith — one of the inventors of thescrew propeller^[57]
• Charlene Soraia — alternative singer-songwriter, born and grew up in Sydenham
• Jason Statham — film actor^[58]
• David Henry Stone —Sheriff andLord Mayor of London, lived at 'Fairwood' on Sydenham Hill
• Baroness Mary Warnock – philosopher, writer andlife peer^[59]
• David Wiffen — singer-songwriter, born in Sydenham in 1942
• Bill Wyman — member ofThe Rolling Stones, grew up in Sydenham^[60]
• Billy Zane — theTitanic actor once shared a home with then girlfriend Kelly Brook in Lawrie Park Road^[43]

Sydenham is served byNational Rail andLondon Buses for its public transport. Sydenham is located in London fare zones 3 and 4.

• Sydenham forLondon Overground andSouthern services toLondon Bridge,London Victoria,East &West Croydon,Clapham Junction,Caterham,Shoreditch High Street andHighbury & Islington. This is the busiest station, with up to 12 trains per hour off peak and a usage of 4 million passengers in year 2015–16^[61]
• Sydenham Hill andPenge East stations forSoutheastern services to London Victoria,Brixton,Bromley South andOrpington.
• Lower Sydenham station also is served by Southeastern but with services toLondon Charing Cross,London Waterloo East,London Cannon Street, London Bridge,Hayes andLewisham.

The area is served by routes75, 122,176, 181,194,197, 202, 227, 352,356, 363, 450 andN63 linking Sydenham to Central London,Lewisham,Catford,Croydon,Thornton Heath,Bromley,Shirley,Peckham,Camberwell,Elephant & Castle,Blackheath,Forest Hill,Penge,South Norwood andGrove Park.^{[62][63][64][65]}

TheSouth Circular Road passes close by in Forest Hill. High Street improvements being funded by Transport for London from September 2012 are making the increasingly busySydenham Road (A212) more user friendly. So far, Kirkdale to Mayow Road has been completed, with Mayow Road to Kent House Road, as of December 2013, being upgraded. The Kent House Road to Bell Green section is still waiting for funding to be found.^{[66][needs update]}

Sydenham is approximately 7 miles (11 kilometres) to the south east ofCharing Cross. It is also at the centre of many of south London's major shopping districts being 3 mi (5 km) south of Lewisham, 3.2 mi (5.1 km) north west of Bromley and3+1⁄2 mi (5.6 km) north of Croydon.

Upper Sydenham and Sydenham Hill is located on the largeNorwood Ridge formed ofLondon Claygate beds deposits; Sydenham Hill is one of the highest points in London at 367 feet (112 m).Sydenham Hill Wood is a nine-hectare^[67] nature reserve located west of Sydenham Hill Road, along with Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Golf course. The hill was once covered by theGreat North Wood which covered all of Sydenham, Norwood,Woodside,Gipsy Hill etc. In the 19th Century it was home to the spa and health resort ofSydenham Wells.

The western parts of Sydenham, from Upper Sydenham and Forest Hill towards Crystal Palace Park is a more leafy, suburban area with some parts like theLawrie Park andThorpes areas being more affluent than others. Lower Sydenham at the bottom of more gentle slopes being east of Upper Sydenham, south of Forest Hill and west of Bellingham. TheRiver Pool, a 5.1 mi (8.2 km) tributary of theRiver Ravensbourne straddles the east of Lower Sydenham along theHayes railway line.

The nearest Met Office climate station is based inGreenwich Park:

The Beast of Sydenham of 2005, was a large, panther-like black animal, which had been spotted around the area, and attacked a man. The beast was said to be 6 ft in length and 3 ft in height.^[77][78]

In March 2022, a crestedcaracara, named Jester, which escapedLondon Zoo, was spotted in Mayow Park, Sydenham.^[79]

• Sydenham Hill Wood
• Sydenham, Christchurch named after Sydenham, London
• Sydenham, Sydney, New South Wales also named after Sydenham, London
• Sydenham School
• Sydenham High School
• The Crystal Palace

Wikimedia Commons has media related toSydenham.

• Sydenham.org.uk Community Forum for SE26
• se26 Community information for SE26
• SE26.life forum for Sydenham
• SEE3 Town Team Portas Pilot website for Sydenham/Kirkdale/Forest Hill
• Sydenham Arts Official website of Sydenham Arts Charity.
• Sydenham Society Local community group.
• Historical images of Sydenham

• Sydenham, London
• Districts of the London Borough of Lewisham
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• District centres of London

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