From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charlton, London
Charlton, London
Coordinates: 51°29′16″N 0°02′20″E / 51.487674°N Charlton is a district of south London, England, and part
0.038992°E / 51.487674; 0.038992 of the London Borough of Greenwich. It is located 7.2
Charlton miles (11.6 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross. Charlton
next Woolwich was an ancient parish in the county of
Kent, which became part of the metropolitan area of Lon-
don in 1855. It is home to Charlton Athletic F.C. and the
location of Charlton House.
Toponymy
Charlton is recoded in the 1086 Domesday Book as Cer-
letone.[1] It is formed from Old English ’ceorl’ and ’tūn’
and means ’farmstead of the freemen or peasants’. It is
a common English placename and the parish was also
known as Charlton next Woolwich to distinguish it from
Charlton House Charlton by Dover. During the 19th century the riverside
portion of the area became known as New Charlton.[1]
History
Charlton is assessed in the Domesday Book of 1086 at
one "sulung", which is commonly held to have been the
equivalent of two hides. In 1086 it was in the fee of Gun-
dulf, bishop of Rochester, but in 1066 it had been held
from the king as two estates, by two brothers, named
Godwine and Alweard. Though assessed at only one su-
lung, it had a slightly higher value than might be expect-
ed, at £7, both in 1066 and in 1086.
In 1093, the manor of Charlton was given to Ber-
Charlton mondsey Abbey by Bishop Robert Bloet of Lincoln. In
1268, the Abbey was granted a Monday market at Charl-
Charlton shown within Greater London
ton, as well as an annual fair of three days, centred on
OS grid reference TQ415785 Trinity Sunday, the eighth Sunday after Easter.[2]
- Charing Cross 7.2 mi (11.6 km) WNW In the early 18th century, Charlton was described by
London borough Greenwich Daniel Defoe as:
Ceremonial county Greater London
Region London a village famous, or rather infamous for the
Country England yearly collected rabble of mad-people, at
Sovereign state United Kingdom Horn-Fair; the rudeness of which I cannot but
Post town LONDON think, is such as ought to be suppressed, and
Postcode district SE7 indeed in a civiliz’d well govern’d nation, it
Dialling code 020 may well be said to be unsufferable. The mob
indeed at that time take all kinds of liberties,
Police Metropolitan
and the women are especially impudent for
Fire London
that day; as if it was a day that justify’d the
Ambulance London
giving themselves a loose to all manner of in-
EU Parliament London decency and immodesty, without any re-
UK Parliament Greenwich and Woolwich proach, or without suffering the censure
London Assembly Greenwich and Lewisham which such behaviour would deserve at an-
List of places: UK • England • London other time. (from A Tour through Great Britain)
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charlton, London
Apart from the Thames Barrier and The Valley, the area’s
other most notable feature is Charlton House, a Jacobean
mansion by architect John Thorpe, built for Sir Adam
Newton between 1607 and 1612. Sir Adam was tutor to
Prince Henry, son of King James I of England, and was
also responsible for building nearby St Luke’s Church.
On the death of Adam Newton, his executors Peter New-
ton and David Cunningham, 1st Baronet of Auchinhervie
were charged to rebuild St Luke’s.[3] The church is the
burial place of Spencer Perceval (1762–1812), the only
British Prime Minister to be assassinated, and of mur-
dered civil servant Edward Drummond. Sir William Lang-
horne, 1st Baronet, is also buried there. On the northern
edge of the garden of Charlton House is a mulberry tree
planted in 1608 by order of King James in an effort to cul-
tivate silkworms.
Later, Charlton House became the home of the
Maryon-Wilson family, after whom a nearby park is
named (another park in Charlton, Maryon Park, also
The ward of Charlton (green) within London Borough of Green-
named after the family, was the location for Antonioni’s
wich (light grey)
1966 film Blow-Up). Since 1925, the house has been owned
by the London Borough of Greenwich and has functioned
The architecture of Charlton is of great diversity, and
as a library and community centre.
offers a vivid insight into how different parts of the area
The flat land adjoining the Thames at New Charlton
were built up, as it evolved from a Thames side village in-
has been a significant industrial area since Victorian
to the London suburb that it is today. Charlton is home
times. A notable establishment was the Siemens Brothers
to the magnificent Charlton House, and has links with
Telegraph Works opened in 1863, which manufactured
the classic architect Inigo Jones, a street being named af-
two new transatlantic cables in the 1880s,[4] and contrib-
ter him. Other streets in Charlton named after prominent
uted to PLUTO in World War 2.}}
figures or places include Montcalm, Prince Henry, Can-
In 2011, Lower Charlton was hit by looting and van-
berra, and Kashmir.
daliism as was other parts of London during the ’London
There are four main pubs within the vicinity of Charl-
Riots’.[citation needed]
ton Village, including The Bugle Horn which has the au-
thentic feel of an English village pub. Other landmarks of
Geography interest include the village’s Drinking Fountain and the
The centre of Charlton SE7 is known as "The Village" and impressive Roman Catholic Church on the Charlton Road
spans down Charlton Church Lane, which is on a hillside which is known as Our Lady of Grace.
overlooking the River Thames. Old postcards from the Our Lady of Grace church was established by the As-
19th century depict the layout of the Village then as be- sumptionists Order. They settled in Charlton in 1903 after
ing similar to that of today. Moving away from the Vil- being expelled from France in 1900 due to supression of
lage, in the opposite direction to Shooters Hill, the area Holy Orders. The first nuns moved into Highcombe and
termed as present day Charlton branches out towards set up a mission in Charlton. The current church was
Blackheath Royal Standard in one direction and steeply built in 1905 and celebrated its centenary on 17 Septem-
downhill in the opposite direction towards the shopping ber 2005 with a concelebrated ecumenical mass, led by
areas. This urban sprawl has led to the name New Charl- Archbishop Kevin McDonald and parish priest, Fr.
ton being applied to a large area reaching down to the Michael Leach. The church has strong historic links with
south bank of the River Thames, roughly where the the Irish community in south east London are evident in
Thames Barrier crosses the river, although the barrier it- the statue of Saint Patrick on display inside. The current
self is located at Woolwich Reach. presbretry was also the home of William Henry Barlow
Charlton is also home to several parks of varying fea- (1812-1902), the eminent 19th century engineer, who de-
tures, namely Maryon Park, Maryon Wilson Park, Horn- signed St. Pancras Railway Station and for whom English
fair Park, named in reference to the old Horn Fair, held Heritage have erected a blue plaque in recognition.
in October, for which Charlton was renowned in previous Charlton Village is also home to the historic Saint
centuries, and Charlton Park, which is largely made up Luke’s Church and then Charlton New Testament Church
of sports pitches or playing fields. Maryon Park provided of God on Charlton Church Lane.
the location for the classic 1960s movie Blow-Up.
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charlton, London
The contemporary population is a mixture of long es- London to Dartford via Greenwich and Lewisham. The
tablished families, young professionals, and various eth- area is served by London bus routes 53, 54, 161, 177, 180,
nic groups, and has become very accessible for com- 472, 486, 422, 380 and N1. North Greenwich is the nearest
muters in recent times due to its proximity to North tube station, a short bus ride to the north.
Greenwich tube station, Woolwich Arsenal station,
Greenwich’s Cutty Sark DLR station, Canary Wharf itself,
and rail links to central London. New Charlton houses
Sport
many larger shops, the cinema just over the border of • Charlton is best known as the home of Charlton
the Greenwich Peninsula, as well as being close to The O2 Athletic F.C. The club plays at The Valley (a former
arena (London) and Canary Wharf. chalk pit) situated to the north of the village, close to
the main road and railway line.
Nearest places • The Rectory Field, home of Blackheath Rugby Club, is
• Greenwich on the border of Blackheath and Charlton.
• Blackheath
• Woolwich See also
• Kidbrooke
• List of people from Greenwich
• Shooter’s Hill
• List of schools in Greenwich
• Eltham
Economy References
[1] ^ Mills, D. (2000). Oxford Dictionary of London Place
There are large retail parks close to the river, with small-
Names. Oxford.
er, more specialised shops, along Charlton Church Lane
[2] Annales Monastici, Luard, H.R. (ed., 5 vols., Rolls
and in Charlton Village.
Series), 3, 1866.
[3] A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and
Transport dormant baronetcies of England, John Burke (1838),
The southern approach of the Blackwall Tunnel crossing 385
of the River Thames is located to the west. Charlton is al- [4] A Visit to the Works of Messrs. Siemens Bros, The
so served by Charlton railway station on the lines from Telegraphist, June 2 1884.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charlton,_London&oldid=466030620"
Categories:
• Districts of Greenwich
• Districts of London
• Cable manufacture in London
• Districts of London listed in the Domesday Book
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