West Norwood - History

History

Before 1885 West Norwood was known as Lower Norwood, in contrast to Upper Norwood and South Norwood. These areas were created as a result of the enclosure acts which divided up the Great North Wood, hence the name 'Norwood'. The first act in 1797 was for Croydon and was mainly in favour of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the south, while the second in 1806 was for Lambeth, being mainly in favour of Lord Thurlow to the north.

John Rocque's 1745 map of London already showed the Horns Tavern at Knight's Hill in the south of the town, backing onto extensive woodland, with an open valley stretching to 'Island Green' in the north, approximately where Herne Hill railway station stands now. The enclosure maps 50 years later showed little left of the woodland other than a few coppices. Most of the current main roads were soon in position with a turnpike gate at the junction of the roads now called Norwood road and the High Street. The River Effra ran alongside the current Elder Road towards Sydenham in open countryside, and was prone to flooding. The new parish required a church, so St. Luke's was provided under the Waterloo church scheme, one of four built in Lambeth (the others being Matthew, Mark, and John) and was completed in 1825. Originally St Luke's parish served just a few substantial villas, and some more humble worker's cottages mainly situated between Knights Hill and the High Street. The early 19th century saw the arrival of recreational tea gardens around Knights Hill and Beulah Hill, and the South Metropolitan Cemetery in 1837. The new railway line to Sydenham and the Crystal Palace in 1856 heralded major changes, and many of the larger houses and gardens were demolished and replaced with predominantly terraced and Semi-detached housing over the next 4 decades.

Norwood High Street never developed into a major shopping parade as originally planned, instead most local shops have been located on the Norwood Rd between York Hill and St Luke's. Horse-drawn trams shuttled passengers along this road from the terminus in front of St Luke's to Herne Hill, and beyond. More recently, parts of West Norwood have been declared conservation areas including the area around the cemetery, Lancaster Avenue, and Rosendale Road. Local landmarks such as the old Victorian fire station on Norwood High Street (now the home of the South London Theatre club) and its Edwardian successor - the present-day fire station on Norwood Road are now Grade II listed buildings (as is the former public library on Knights Hill, now a community centre).

The two world wars witnessed fatalities and bomb damage to many buildings in the area, with York Hill and the areas around the railway suffering particularly badly. Chatsworth Baptist church had to be rebuilt after a direct hit. Many of the post-war estates were built on bomb sites or replaced areas which had experienced damage.

A stunning Art Deco cinema, named The Regal, was built at 304 Norwood Road in the late 1920s. It was designed by architect F Edward Jones and opened in January 1930. The cinema sat 2,010 and was equipped with a Christie Manual organ. The cinema closed on 8 February 1964 with a double screening of Peter Sellers' I'm Alright Jack and Two Way Stretch. Following its closure, the building became a Top Rank Bingo Club a few months later and remained open until 1978. The building was demolished in November 1981 and a B&Q store can be seen today on the same site.