South London - Wimbledon, Croydon, Crystal Palace
South London, until the middle of the 18th century, was Southwark , which was the only
part of the city south of the river. The reason being that there was only one
bridge, London Bridge, and Southwark was at the bridgehead
However in the 1750's a spate of bridge building opened up the whole of the south bank
to development, and the city rapidly spread south. The railways in the 19th century and
the motor car in the 20th accelerated this march south by London's suburbs.
The old country towns of Blackheath, Mitcham, Dulwich and Eltham were among the first
to disappear into the metropolis. Now suburbs of London like Croydon have their own
suburbs
Here are a few of the places you may visit
- Biggin Hill - the famous Battle of Britain fighter airfield
- Blackheath - the open common is the remnant of the heathland that was once the haunt of
highwaymen. Also golf first came to England, from Scotland, brought to Blackheath by James
I in 1608
- Bromley - formerly a market town, has almshouses founded in 1666
- Croydon - Surrey's largest town before it disappeared into Greater London. Today the
modern office blocks stand beside the old street market
- Crystal Palace - an enormous structure in glass and iron, built for the 1851 great
Exhibition in Hyde Park, was re-erected here in 1854. It was eventually destroyed by a
fire in 1936, but the name and the park remain
- Downe - a pretty village in the Downs, was the home of Charles Darwin until his death in
1882. His house is owned by the Royal College of Surgeons and has been restored to the
period
- Dulwich - one of the few suburbs that has retained its rural character. Dulwich College
has a wonderful art gallery open to the public with many Old Masters on display
- Wimbledon - a suburb famous for its tennis courts. There is also Wimbledon Common 1045
acres and not a Womble in sight
South London
