Coordinates: 51°27′08″N 0°02′00″W / 51.4523°N 0.0333°W
| Crofton Park | |
  Crofton Park
Crofton Park shown within Greater London |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| London borough | Lewisham |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | SE4 & SE23 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | Lewisham West |
| London Assembly | Greenwich and Lewisham |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Crofton Park is a vibrant, mainly residential suburb and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is the original site of the former agricultural hamlet of Brockley. It is located 8.5 km (5.3 miles) southeast of Charing Cross, and is south of Brockley and north of Honor Oak. Major points of interest include the Rivoli Ballroom, the Brockley Jack Theatre and the Arts and Crafts Gothic church of St Hilda.
The area includes Blythe Hill Fields which is one of a number of hills in South East London and which provides a good view of the eastern side of the City of London. A section of Ladywell Fields borders Crofton Park to the south east.
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History
Before the area was built up in the late 19th century, the principal buildings in Brockley were Brockley Farm, Brockley Hall (a large private residence), and the Brockley Jack public house. The area expanded rapidly in the 1890s with the opening of a new railway line (informally known as the Catford Loop) and railway station which opened in 1892. It was the naming of the station which gave the area its modern and invented name of 'Crofton Park'. Despite this being the historic heart of Brockley, that name had already been used for two earlier railway stations further north - Brockley Station and Brockley Lane Station.
The rapid pace of expansion of the area continued pre-World War I, with the building of more shops and facilities to support the growing population. A fine Edwardian public library was built next to the railway station in 1905 and, eight years later, a local Cinema - the Crofton Park Picture Palace was open. This later became the Rivoli Ballroom.
Brockley Hall
Brockley Hall stood on land to the west of the road which now bears its name. The property had a somewhat obscure history.[1] There was a house on the site before 1745 and probably long before that date. It was most associated with its final owners, the Noakes family who lived there for over 60 years. The Noakes were brewers and their ales were sold in many local pubs including The Brockley Jack which they owned and was just across the road from Brockley Hall. The Hall’s lodge stood in Brockley Grove on the approximate site of what are now the front gardens of nos. 22-26.
The 1901 census returns show Bertram Noakes as head of the household living in Brockley Hall with his five spinster sisters (Pauline, Elizabeth, Kate, Ada and Maude) and four servants.
Maude Noakes was the last survivor. An eccentric, she was well known for her large collection of pets. The old lady would bury her pets in the grounds of Brockley Hall and give each one a marked gravestone – even her pigs and cows!
Following Maude’s death in 1931 the property was quickly sold and demolished. Brockley Hall Road, Bearsted Rise, Horsmonden Road, Sevenoaks Road and the 1930s houses in Brockley Grove were built on the site of the Hall and its grounds by the building company Wates.
Brockley Jack
The Brockley Jack was formerly a picturesque wooden building, and was said to have been a haunt of highwaymen. There is still a pub of the same name on its site, built more substantially in brick and stone in 1898. A representation of a whale's shoulderblade hangs on a high gable outside the front of the Jack. A real whale's shoulderblade is exhibited above the fireplace to the right of the bar.
St Hilda's Church
Situated in Stondon Park, St Hilda's Church dates from 1907. It was designed by F H Greenaway and J E Newberry.
Bars and Restaurants
There are a number of bars and restaurants in the area that are good places for dining that avoid going into central London. This includes Babur - an excellent Indian restaurant on Brockley Rise, and Tapestry - a tapas bar on Honor Oak Park. There are a number of other restaurants on Brockley Rise, Honor Oak Park and Brockley Road. Jam Circus, opposite Crofton Park library, provides a good atmosphere for a quiet drink, and is open until midnight on most evenings as is the Mr Lawrence Wine Bar in Brockley Road. The newly refurbished Honor Oak Pub lies in close proximity to the south of the area.
The Brockley Jack (see below) has recently been updated and refurbished as is part of the Greene King Brewery chain. It serves food all week (evening and lunchtimes) and (summer 09) has quiz nights on Sundays and Thursdays.
Shops
Brockley Road runs north south through Crofon Park and contains a number of small supermarkets,Co-op and Budgens, dry cleaner, post office, estate agency, an optician, coffee shops and bars, including Jam Circus and the Mr Laurence Wine Bar. The Brockley Jack Pub is located to the south of the main shopping area. A second smaller shopping area is located at the southern end of Brockley Rise, which includes a number of shops and restaurants and the Chandos Pub.
Football Team
Crofton Park Football Club was formed in May 2007 and is the area's local side. Playing under amateur status, the club is currently competing in the men's London and Kent Border League, Junior One Division. Home matches are played at Catford Powerleague at 14:00 on a Sunday. For more information see Crofton Park FC official website. The team is sponsored by local firm JD&SONS with plans to expand the football club to cover youth level at U'14 and U'16 age groups and to also form a women's team in the near future.
Transport
Crofton Park station is located in the middle of the area and provides services to Blackfriars. Services operate through Blackfriars to St Pancras International and other locations further north on the First Capital Connect's Thameslink network. Services are provided approximately every 30 minutes. On Saturday and Sunday the services currently operate to London Victoria station. In the southbound direction the service links to Catford, Bromley and Sevenoaks. These services are provided by Southeastern. New entrances to the station have recently[when?] been opened from Marnock and Lindal Road. The station ticket office is open every morning, and an automatic ticket machine is also available.
The South London Route Utilisation Strategy published by Network Rail in March 2008 proposed improvements to rail services along the Catford loop line (through Crofton Park). These include a Victoria to Bellingham service (recommended for introduction by December 2011), to provide an additional two trains per hour (peak times); four stopping Thameslink services per hour at this station.
There are three other local train stations within a 10-15 minute walk: Honor Oak Park, Brockley and Ladywell.
Honor Oak Park station is located in the southern end of area and provides good links to London Bridge station, Crystal Palace, Sydenham, Forest Hill and East and West Croydon. From mid-2010 the station will also have East London line extension as part of London Overground and with benefit of services to Surrey Quays, Canada Water, Whitechapel, Shoreditch High Street in Shoreditch and Dalston. New East London line services will operate eight times an hour northbound, and four trains per hour southbound to both West Croydon station and Crystal Palace. The station will be operated by London Overground from late 2009.
A number of bus services operate throughout the area including the 171 and 172 that both provide links to the West End, 122, P4. Night buses are provided by the N171.
Schools
The recently (2007/8) rebuilt Crofton School - now renamed Prendergast Ladywell Fields College - is the main secondary school in the area and is located on Manwood Road. The area has a number of primary schools.
Health
Community-based healthcare for the area is provided by Lewisham PCT. There is a modern teaching hospital a short walk away.
Famous residents
Jim Connell (1852-1929), writer of the anthem, "The Red Flag", lived in Stondon Park (which is on the border of Crofton Park and Honor Oak).
The comedian Spike Milligan (1918-2002), lived at 50 Riseldine Road (which is on the cusp of Crofton Park and Honor Oak) after coming to England from India in the 1930s.
References
- ^ Based on notes on Brockley Hall at Lewisham Local History and Archives Centre
Nearest places
Nearest railway stations
- Crofton Park railway station
- Honor Oak Park railway station
- Ladywell railway station
- Brockley railway station
- Catford railway station
- Catford Bridge railway station
External links
- Brockley Central Community Site
- Crofton Park Community Link
- Crofton Park Local Assembly
- Crofton Park Library
- The Rivoli Ballroom
- The Brockley Jack Theatre
- Jam Circus
- Jam Circus Blog
- St Hilda's Church
- Crofton Park Baptist Church
- Crofton Park FC
- Friends of Blythe Hill Fields
- Let's Keep on Improving Honor Oak Park
- SE23 Community Site
- Brockley Hall, 1863
- Brockley Jack, 1885
- Haymaking in Crofton Park, 1910
- Stondon Park, c.1912
- Saving London's Rivoli Ballroom, (article in 'Country Life', June 2008)
- Brockley and Crofton Park History (on Lewisham Council website)
- website with information about Crofton Park Library
- WWII V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets in SE4
- More information on the history of Crofton Park railway station
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