Forest Hill, Kent
| Forest Hill | |
| Kent | |
|---|---|
 Forest Hill library | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TQ354736 |
| Location: | 51°26’21"N, 0°3’15"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 14,854 (2011) |
| Post town: | London |
| Postcode: | SE23 |
| Dialling code: | 020 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Lewisham |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Lewisham West and East Dulwich |
Forest Hill is an urban village in Kent, within the metropolitan conurbation, on the South Circular Road. The major feature of the village is the Horniman Museum.
History
Forest Hill was only sparsely populated until the mid-19th century. The name 'Forest Hill', originally simply "The Forest",[1] referred to the woodland which once covered the area[2] and which was a relict part of the Great North Wood.
In 1809, the Croydon Canal opened, however, the large number of locks, 28, meant it was not a commercial success, and it was bought by the London & Croydon Railway Company who used the alignment to construct the London Bridge to Croydon railway line opening in 1839. The ponds in the Dacres Wood Nature Reserve and the retaining wall of the footpath opposite the station outside The Signal pub are about the only physical evidence of the canal which still exist.[3]
When the Crystal Palace was moved from Hyde Park to Sydenham in 1854, many large homes were built on the western end of Forest Hill along with Honor Oak. In 1884, a swimming pool was constructed on Dartmouth Road.
The tea merchant Frederick Horniman built a museum to house his collection of natural history artefacts. He donated the building and its gardens to the public in 1901 and this became the Horniman Museum.
About the village
The Horniman Museum is home to anthropological and cultural collections, an aquarium and one of the most varied collections of taxidermy in the northern hemisphere including the world's first taxidermy of a walrus. It also houses one of the finest collection of musical instruments in the British Isles. Contained within its accompanying gardens is an animal enclosure, flower gardens, and a Grade II listed early 20th century conservatory. It also has extensive gardens.
Forest Hill Library was built in 1901 to an Arts and Crafts design by local architect Alexander Hennell.
Horniman Triangle Park is located directly opposite Horniman Museum and Gardens. Close by are Tarleton Gardens. Another park is Blythe Hill.
Dulwich and Sydenham Golf course dates from 1893.[4]
There are three nature reserves in Forest Hill: Dacres Wood, Devonshire Road and Garthorne Road.
Gallery
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The Horniman Museum -
Viewing the London skyline from the Horniman Museum garden -
Spire from St Antholin's Church, in Round Hill -
The Forest Hill mural
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Forest Hill, Kent) |
References
- ↑ Hibbert, C. The London Encyclopedia, Macmillan, p. 304
- ↑ Field, J. Place names of Greater London, Batsford, 1980, p.49
- ↑ "Dacres Wood Nature Reserve". https://lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/openspaces/nature-reserves/dacres-wood-nature-reserve.
- ↑ "History". http://www.dulwichgolf.co.uk/course/history_3/.