Coordinates: 51°27′16″N 0°05′37″W / 51.4544°N 0.0936°W
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Herne Hill is located in the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London. There is a road of the same name which continues the A215 north of Norwood Road and was called Herne Hill Road.
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History
The name Herne Hill initially appeared in 1798, when the area was farms and woodland. It has been suggested that it derives from previously being called Heron's Hill, as the River Effra attracted a large number of herons, but other explanations have also been suggested.
Geography
Herne Hill is situated between the more well-known areas of Brixton and Dulwich, and shares characteristics with both. It also straddles two boroughs, and is a community of just under 12,000 people, with a range of independent shops, art galleries, bars and restaurants. Famous Herne Hill residents from history include John Ruskin and the Lupino family, and actor Roddy McDowall was born there.
Local features
The area is home to Brockwell Park. Near a hilltop in Brockwell Park stands Brockwell Hall, which was built in 1831. The land surrounding it was opened to the public in 1891 after it was purchased by London County Council. Brockwell Park hosts the annual Lambeth Country Show and was the site of London's Gay Pride festival for several years in the 1990s. The park also houses Brockwell Lido, an open-air swimming pool built in 1937.
Situated in a park off Burbage Road, the Herne Hill Velodrome was built in 1891, is the only remaining cycle racing track in London, and hosted the track cycling events in the 1948 Olympic Games. Unlike most modern, steeply-banked velodromes, it is a shallow concrete bowl. It also has a football pitch, and was home of Crystal Palace F.C. from 1915 until 1918.
The Grade II listed Half Moon Pub on Half Moon Lane has hosted a boxing gym for over 50 years, currently run by former British and European light welterweight champion Clinton McKenzie.[1] It is on the route of the Effra.
St Paul's church on Herne Hill was originally built by G Alexander in 1843-4, at a cost of £4958,[2] but dramatically rebuilt after a destructive fire by the gothic architect G E Street in 1858, and is now listed Grade II*.
North of Herne Hill
The Carnegie Public Library on the road now named Herne Hill Road opened in 1906 after a Lambeth Librarian got a grant from Andrew Carnigie for building a library within the Herne Hill area. It is also a listed Grade II building.[3]
A Blue Plaque at 51 Herne Hill (by the junction with Danecroft Road) marks the former home of author Sax Rohmer (a.k.a. Arthur Henry Ward), most famous as author of the series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.
Notable former and current residents
- Harriet Harman MP. In 2008 there were two separate Fathers 4 Justice protests on the roof of her house.
- James Nesbitt
- Will Self
- Elly Jackson (La Roux)
- Sophia Brown of Big Brother 10
Distance from Charing Cross
Herne Hill is approximately four miles south of Charing Cross
Nearest stations
- Brixton tube station
- Herne Hill railway station
- Loughborough Junction railway station
- North Dulwich railway station
- Tulse Hill railway station
- West Dulwich railway station
- Denmark Hill railway station
- West Norwood railway station
Nearest places
References
External links
- My Herne Hill
- The Herne Hill Forum
- The Herne Hill Society
- Herne Hill Velodrome
- Old images of Herne Hill
- Herne Hill News and Message Board
- Carnegie Public Library
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
