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The 'A215' is an A road in South London. It runs from Elephant and Castle to Shirley. It crosses 3 London Boroughs, Lambeth, Southwark and Croydon.

Contents

Walworth Road

External links

Camberwell Road

Denmark Hill

Herne Hill

Norwood Road

Knight's Hill

Beulah Hill

South Norwood Hill

Portland Road

Early history

Jolly-sailor station and the London & Croydon Railway

Places of interest

Spring Lane

Woodside tram stop

Shirley Road

Adscomb

Ashburton Playing Fields

See also

References

Walworth Road

The A215 begins at its northernmost point at Elephant & Castle in Newington as 'Walworth Road' which runs between Elephant and Castle and Camberwell Road (which it becomes before Burgess Park).
It runs through Walworth and is the major shopping street for that area. The East Street Market is especially busy on Saturdays and Sundays.
Other attractions include the Cuming Museum, Newington Reference Library and ''John Smith House'', a former Labour Party headquarters which is now used by the local education authority.
Charles Babbage, the Victorian mathematician and computer pioneer, was probably born at 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road on 26 December 1791^[1]. A commemorative blue plaque is displayed on the Sexual Health Clinic at the junction of Larcom Street and Walworth Road.
The Walworth Road is designated the A215.

External links

★

★ LondonTowrn.com information

★ 1930 photograph and 1978 photograph

★ Walworth Project

Camberwell Road

Walworth Road becomes 'Camberwell Road' when the A215 enters the former Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell. The road runs adjacent to the railway between Elephant & Castle tube station and Loughborough Junction railway station.
The name "Camberwell" is derived from the Welsh language "Cwm Hir", or Long Valley. By the time of the Domesday Book it was already a significant settlement. The town remained a popular resort for Londoners due to its believed medicicinal wells. In 1685, John Evelyn's diary mentions an Roman urn filled with bones which was uncovered intact during repairs to the road and exhibited at the Royal Society^[2].
Camberwell Green, at the junction of Camberwell Road and Camberwell Church Street, was the traditional site of Camberwell Fair, an annual fair held every August. Following complaints about the noise and high crime levels generated by the fair, a group of residents bought the fairground in 1855, converting it into the park which remains today.
Much of Camberwell Road is a conservation area, due to its well preserved large houses from the early 19th century^[3].
In Victorian times Camberwell Road was a focal point of South London's Music hall scene, with a number of music halls opening from the 1850s onwards^[4]. Following the advent of the cinema and later of television, the music halls fell into decline, with the last closing in 1956. Nearby Orpheus Street marks the site of the Metropole Music Hall.
Since the New Works Programme of the 1930s, London Transport and its successors have planned to extend the Bakerloo Line south to a station on Camberwell Road. The original plans were abandoned due to the war before much construction had been completed. Construction again began in the 1950s and 1970s, but was abandoned each time. Transport for London still intend to build this extension but no date has been set for this^[5].

Denmark Hill

After the A215 crosses the A202 it becomes 'Denmark Hill'. This road was originally known as 'Dulwich Hill', and was renamed in 1683 to commemorate the marriage of Princess Anne (later Queen Anne) to Prince George of Denmark^[6]. The road runs between Royal Kings College Hospital and Maudsley Hospital before going alongside Ruskin Park. Further south the road passes the Denmark Hill Estate.
The Victorian art critic, author and social critic John Ruskin lived at 163 Denmark Hill from 1842 to 1871. The house no longer stands and is now the site of a block of council flats^[7]. Ruskin Park, immediately south of the twin hospitals, is named in his honour.
Denmark Hill is home to two of London's largest hospitals, the general King's College Hospital (part of King's College London) which moved to the site from its original central London location in 1913^[8], and the Maudsley psychiatric hospital.
It is believed by historians that 168, 170 and 172 Denmark Hill were designed by noted architect and prison designed William Blackburn due their similarity in architectural style to his other buildings. However, as the original documentation relating to the construction of these houses has been lost or destroyed, it has proved impossible to confirm this.^[9]
Immediately south of the Maudsley Hospital is Denmark Hill railway station, built in 1866 and rebuilt following fire in 1980. This currently serves the South London Line. It is proposed that this will form part of the extended East London Line westward extension to Clapham Junction as part of the London Overground network^[10]. However, this appears unlikely to be completed before 2012 at the earliest.

Herne Hill

The road continues southwest into 'Herne Hill', a short stretch of road running through the area of the same name. The origin of the name is disputed but possibly derives from herons nexting on the (now buried) River Effra. The earliest known usage of the name "Herne Hill" dates from 1798^[11].
St Paul's church was rebuilt in dramatic style by the gothic arcitect George Edmund Street in 1858.
Herne Hill railway station is situated at the southern end of Herne Hill, on a busy six-road junction. It opened in 1862 and initially served as the southern terminus for the London, Chatham and Dover Railway^[12]

Norwood Road

'Norwood Road' begins after Herne Hill railway station. It runs alongside Brockwell Park and then south to Tulse Hill.
A manor house known as "Brockholle" or "Brockhalle" (the origin of the name "Brockwell") was built on Norwood Road, on what is now a part of Brockwell Park, in the mid-15th century. In 1809 the building was bought by wealthy merchant & Sheriff of London John Blades. Blades demolished the building, and built Brockwell Hall as a replacement at the top of the hill in the park; this building still stands today^[13].
Tulse Hill railway station is located on this road. After passing the station, Norwood Road continues south past West Norwood Cemetery (home of 65 Listed Monuments^[14]) to West Norwood and the Norwood Triangle.
Norwood Road is home to St Luke's Church, a Grade II Listed building designed by Francis Bedford in 1823-5 and rebuilt by Street in 1870^[15].
.
The Regal Cinema opened on Norwood Road in January 1930; this cinema was unusual in that it also staged live stage shows to accompany films (including performances by animals from circuses visiting the nearby park). The Regal was also home to the Regal Redheads, a troupe of dancing girls who performed in the interval^[16].
Norwood Road is a busy shopping street, and includes Olley's, one of the best known chip shops in south London^[17][18] and Brockwell's Wine Bar, home of the famous weekly Caribbean Renaissance Jamaican-themed night^[19].

Knight's Hill

'Knight's Hill' starts in the north at West Norwood in the Norwood Triangle, and runs through an area also known as Knight's Hill. It ends in the south at a junction with the A214 at Crown Lane and Crown Dale. Knights Hill becomes Beulah Hill at this point. In the north, Knight's Hill is home to a large parade of shops including Woolworths. West Norwood railway station is located on this road.
The 1647 Parliamentary Survey described Knight's Hill as "a small common wood containing 40 pollard oaks and two elms"^[20].
Knight's Hill contains the Knight's Hill Nature Reserve, one of the last remaining vestiges of the North Wood (Norwood) which once covered the area^[21].

Beulah Hill

'Beulah Hill' (originally "Gravel Pit Road"^[22])begins at a crossroads where the A215 crosses the A214 and Knights Hill becomes Beulah Hill. The road makes a sharp turn to the east where it continues through the neighbourhoods of Upper Norwood.
On the sharp bend is Beulah Hill Pond, an ornamental pond. The pond (formerly "Big Pond") was intended as a watering stop for horses and cattle using the road, and still contains a railing to prevent animals straying into deep water. The "Conquering Hero" pub was built next to the pond for the use of people stopping to alow livestock to use the pond^[23], and remains today.
Nearby is St Joseph's College founded in 1855, one of the first Catholic educational institutions to be opened in England following the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy^[24].
Beulah Hill was the site of Britain's first independent television transmitter, built by Associated-Rediffusion in 1955^[25].
In 1966, a dog called Pickles discovered the recently stolen World Cup Jules Rimet Trophy under a bush in Beulah Hill^[26].
Beulah Hill ends at a junction with the A212 (Church Road). From this junction, the A215 is called South Norwood Hill.

South Norwood Hill

'South Norwood Hill' descends sharply towards South Norwood. It becomes Portland Road at the crossroads with the A213 road.
This section is mainly residential but has Harris City Technology College, a Texaco garage and Stanley Technical High School.

Portland Road

'Portland Road' begins at a crossroads where the A215 crosses the A213 on South Norwood High Street and South Norwood Hill becomes Portland Road. The road then travels down a hill with many shops (mainly takeaways, newsagents). It passes South Norwood Leisure Centre, a new leisure centre which includes a creche, cafe, gym, swimming pool etc. Portland Road ends with a left turn to stay on the A215 road at Spring Lane or straight on to change onto the B243, Woodside Green. From June 2010, the road will be the site of a station on the new London Overground rapid transit network.^[27]

Early history

The northern section of the road was historically known as "Cholmerden" or "The Goat House". The Minister's of Bailiffs Account of the Chauntry of St Nicholas show that an annual rent of 33 shillings and four pence was paid on the land between 1442-1483; this is the earliest recorded reference to the area. The road at the time ran through an ancient woodland known as the North Wood (the origin of the modern place name Norwood). The area was cleared for farmland in the 16th and 17th centuries. Industrial development began in the early 19th century following construction of the Grand Surrey Canal, linking the area to Surrey Commercial Docks and the River Thames in 1809. This section of the canal was closed in 1836, with the London and Croydon Railway built along the canal bed; modern housing development began in the mid 19th century following the opening of the railway.^[28]

Jolly-sailor station and the London & Croydon Railway

In 1839 the London and Croydon Railway opened Jolly-sailor station (sic) — listed as "Jolly-sailor near Beulah Spa" on fares lists and timetables — at the north end of the street. The station was renamed Norwood in 1846. The station was immediately adjacent to a level crossing over Portland Road.
In 1844, the London and Croydon Railway was given parliamentary authority to test an experimental pneumatic propulsion system on the railway (referred to at the time as the 'atmospheric-propulsion system'). A pumping station was built on Portland Road; this created a vacuum in a pipe paralleling the railway tracks. A piston extended downwards from the trains into a slit in the pipe, meaning that trains were literally sucked towards the pumping station or blown away from it. The pumping station was built in a Gothic style, with a very tall ornate tower which served both as a chimney and as an exhaust vent for air pumped from the propulsion pipe.
As part of the construction works for the atmospheric-propulsion system, the worlds first railway flyover (overpass) was constructed at the north end of Portland Road, to carry the new atmospheric-propulsion line over the conventional steam line below.^[30] In 1847, the atmospheric propulsion experiment was abandoned.
Following construction of new lines, the station was closed on 1 June 1859 and replaced by a new station on the south side of the road, Norwood Junction railway station, which remains open today. The East London Line of the London Underground is currently being extended to the area, with services due to commence to Norwood Junction in June 2010, forming part of the new London Overground rapid transit system.

Places of interest

One of the earliest cinemas in South London, the Electric Picture Palace, opened on Portland Road in 1910.^[17] The cinema was renamed the Central Cinema shortly afterwards, and closed in 1956,^[32] and no trace of it now remains.
Portland Road is also home to the unique "Gold Coast", the only Ghanaian pub in London; this is a focal point for London's Ghanaian community and serves Ghanaian beer, wine and food.^[33]
'Roots, Routes, Roots' (also known as the "Portland Road Mosaic"), an 11 metre (36 ft) long mosaic depicting the history of the Norwood area, is situated under the railway bridge. The mosaic was designed by Drostle Projects, and built by children from a number of local schools.^[34]

Spring Lane

'Spring Lane' is a short road that starts at the junction with Woodside Green. It lies entirely within Woodside. St Luke's Church, Ashburton Park, Ashburton Primary School and Woodside tram stop are on this road.
Spring Lane was notable for many years in having one of the few Ancient lights notices in London outside of central London; it was on a private house immediately opposite the station^[35]. The sign was taken down in 2005.

Woodside tram stop

Woodside railway station was built in 1871 to serve Croydon Racecourse (see below). The station is unusual in being designed for horses, with access ramps instead of steps and with unusually high entrances designed to accommodate a horse and rider^[36]. In 1997 the railway was replaced by Croydon Tramlink^[37]; the station is now Woodside tram stop.

Shirley Road

'Shirley Road' is the final road on the A215. It is home to Ashburton Community School and Trinity School of John Whitgift. It ends in Shirley, Croydon.

Adscomb

Shirley Road skirts the nearby town of Addiscombe. The town is named for the historic manor of Adscomb ("Edge of the valley"), the country seat of the Heron family^[38], which was situated on Shirley Road. The building no longer exists.

Ashburton Playing Fields

Ashburton Playing Fields are set just off Shirley Road, behind the school. The fields were first dedicated as a public horse racing course by James I in the early 17th century. Following the opening of the nearby Woodside railway station in 1871 large numbers of Londoners began travelling to the racecourse. Following pressure from the Mayor of Croydon, concerned about the large crowds, the racecourse was closed in 1890 and replaced with a golf course; this in turn was bought by the council in 1942 and given to public use as playing fields^[39].

See also

★ Norwood

★ SE25

References

1. Charles Babbage
2. Camberwell, , , , Old and New London,
3. Welcome to Camberwell Guide
4. The Story of Camberwell: Camberwell Entertainment
5. Bakerloo Line Extension to Camberwell
6. Camberwell History
7. The Story of Dulwich, , Mary, Boast, London Borough of Southwark, ,
8. King's Denmark Hill campus
9. Myatt's Fields, Denmark Hill and Herne Hill, , , , Survey of London: Lambeth Southern Area,
10. East London Railway: Phase Two
11. A Brief History of Herne Hill
12. Brixton Guide
13. Brockwell Park
14. West Norwood Cemetery
15. History of St Luke's Church, West Norwood
16. Memories of Norwood
17.
18. Reviews
19. Caribbean London
20. Norwood Introduction, , , , Survey of London,
21. An Unofficial Brief History of Norwood Grove
22. The Geology of South Norwood
23. Beulah Hill Pond
24. History of the Lasallian Movement in Great Britain
25. First to the Top
26. Pickles is Top Dog
27. East London Railway
28. History of South Norwood
29.
30. London's Disused Stations: The London Brighton & South Coast Railway, , J.E., Connor, Connor & Butler, ,
31.
32. Lost Cinemas of South London
33. The Gold Coast
34. Roots, Routes, Roots
35. Criminal Croydon
36. The New Beckenham to Addiscombe line
37. London's Disused Stations: The South Eastern Railway, , J.E., Connor, Connor & Butler, ,
38. History of Addiscombe Parish Church: Addiscombe parish's early history
39. Ashburton Playing Fields History