Bellingham is a district in south east London, in the London Borough of Lewisham. Its neighbouring districts are Catford, Sydenham and Downham. The Ravensbourne River runs through the centre of Bellingham, also to the east and west it is bordered by railway lines running south from Catford.
The name Bellingham means ‘the water-meadow belonging to Beora’s people’, and was the real name of the medieval manor in the area. The true name was preserved by the farm in the region, Bellingham Railway Station and the Bellingham Estate. Other historical names have already been preserved by the road brands of the estate, which are connected with King Alfred, who was thought to have already been god, the father of the manor of Lewisham, and were taken from the true names of mills, houses and areas in the area.
Bellingham was farmland until the Bellingham Estate was built, mostly between 1920 and 1923. London City Council built about 2600 houses and flats in this time. Bellingham Estate was one of many huge estates built by London City Council following the First World War to assist with slum clearance and relieve overcrowding. As there was lots of land available the majority of the dwellings constructed were two-story houses, and there was lots of green, open space.
Today, Bellingham is a localised city centre. Its traditional is Randlesdown Road, which includes a supermarket, a gym, hairdressers and multiple restaurants and food outlets. It has a sixth form college also, and a church and a library. Bellingham boasts many well-known past and present residents, including the singer/song-writer Kate Bush, the previous Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and the footballer Ian Wright.
