Hither Green is a district in south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Lewisham. It forms the southern part of Lewisham, 6.6 miles south-east of Charing Cross, and on the Prime Meridian. Growing extensively with the arrival of the railways, Hither Green is characterised by late 19th and early 20th century Victorian and Edwardian domestic architecture, most notably the Corbett Estate. The railway runs through the centre of the area, which divides Hither Green into an "east side" focused on Staplehurst Road, and a "west side" focused on Hither Green Lane and Springbank Road. The lane dates back to Roman times and runs between the Quaggy and Ravensbourne rivers. From 1978 to 1998 Hither Green was the name of the electoral ward that covered the area – since 2002 the local ward that covers most of Hither Green is Lewisham Central. The parliamentary constituency is Lewisham East. The area is known for the 1967 Hither Green rail crash, in which 49 people were killed.
History
Toponymy
Hither Green acquired its name as it was closer to Lewisham than Further Green located on Verdant Lane. The original Hither Green was located where the present day George Lane intersects with Hither Green Lane. The area now occupied by Hither Green is thought to have originally been a hamlet called Romborough, which was wiped out in the Black Death.
Origins
Hither Green had remained a largely wooded area through the medieval times but by the 18th century most of the trees had been felled, and the first houses were built. Additional houses appeared through the 19th century, many of them quite substantial residences.
Mountsfield Park opened in August 1905 and has grown through several acquisitions since then. The location of the original park included the substantial residence called Mountsfield, home of noted entomologistHenry Tibbats Stainton. The house was demolished but remnants of the garden remain. Additional acres were bought from the School Board for London and six allotments from Trinity College. And when Charlton Athleticfootball club gave up the football ground at the bottom of the hill in 1923 the park had grown to 28 acres. Bombing damage to a terrace of houses along the south side of George Lane saw this also added to the park. The final addition came in 1994 when a large majority of the CatfordBoys Schoolplaying field was added. Other nearby parks include Manor House Gardens and Manor Park to the east.
Park Fever Hospital
The Park Fever Hospital was opened by the Prince of Wales in 1897 for the treatment of infectious diseases such as scarlet fever or diphtheria. The hospital was designed by Edwin T. Hall, the architect behind London's Liberty & Co. department store. The hospital and local area suffered extensive bombing damage during the Second World War. All that remains of the hospital is the water tower with its large clock faces which is illuminated at night, and several of the hospital’s outbuildings. In 1997 the hospital closed and site was developed as a housing estate called Meridian South.
Corbett Estate
Much of the Victorian terraced housing dates from the late 19th century when social reformer and Scottish MPArchibald Cameron Corbett built numerous houses on 278 acres of land he purchased from North Park Farm, this was to become known as the Corbett Estate. A booking hall was added to the east side of Hither Green Station to cater for people living on this new estate. Many of the road names are of Scottish origin, as Corbett was a Scot. Due to his Quaker origins, the area was devoid of a public house and remains so. He gave the land for St Andrew's Church, dedicated to Scotland's patron saint.
St. Swithun's Church
In November 1888, the new parish of St. Swithun's was created. Designed by Ernest Newton the foundation stone was laid in July 1892 and the church, built of red Wrotham brick with Bath stone windows, was completed in 1904. Its organ previously came from Blenheim Palace.
The large non-conformist Wesleyan Church, designed by Josiah Gunton, standing in the angle of Hither Green Lane and Wellmeadow Road, was completed in 1900 to accommodate 700 people. It was built by C. Castle & Son of Lower Clapton of red brick with a nave, two aisles, a transept, chancel, organ chamber and galleries on three sides, along with a tall pinnacled tower. On the night of 11–12 September 1940, the church was destroyed in the Blitz. What was left of the church was torn down and the site was subsequently occupied by council-built flats.
The Driving Standards Agency runs a driving test centre in Hither Green – one of the largest in south London catering for over 1,000 driving tests each month.
