| Belvedere | |
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Belvedere
Belvedere shown within Greater London |
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| OS grid reference | TQ495785 |
|---|---|
| London borough | Bexley |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BELVEDERE |
| Postcode district | DA17 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| 01322 | |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | Erith & Thamesmead |
| London Assembly | Bexley and Bromley |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Belvedere /ˈbɛlvədɪər/ is a suburban and largely working class area and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bexley in Southeast London.
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The area which is today known as Belvedere was originally part of Lesness Heath, which originally stretched from the area of Lesnes Abbey to Erith and constituted the estate of Sir Culling Eardley. Eardley constructed a large wooden tower (see Belvedere (structure)) on the heath to gain views over his estate to the river Thames, giving the area its name.
Eardley was persuaded to allow the construction on his property, of a dissenter's chapel, which was built so that the original wooden belvedere became its tower. In order that the public were able to attend this chapel, he constructed paths to it across Lesness Heath. At some point, the original chapel and Belvedere was burned down and the present All Saints' Church was constructed in its place on the original site. At the same time Eardley constructed Villa Houses and fortified the heath path into what is now Erith Road. The Village of Belvedere soon grew up along the path which became Nuxley Road as Eardley gradually sold off the land.
Within the nearby area are the following: Erith Marshes, Abbey Wood, Bostall Heath and Woods, Lesnes Abbey, Thamesmead, and West Heath. Belvedere formed part of the Municipal Borough of Erith before 1965. It resides under London transport Zone 5.
Upper Belvedere features a fine church and some modest brick villas. It has a number of fine pubs - notably "The Eardley Arms" on Woolwich Road, "The Vic" on Victoria Street and "The Fox" in Belvedere Village[1]. Upper Belvedere is also home to a large park and a library that was in danger of being shut down due to the government's cuts. Fortunately closure threats have been averted thanks to the efforts of the local community led by the inimitable Tony Fairbairn.
Lower Belvedere is better known for a Methodist chapel, a Sikh Temple and a high technology sludge incinerator, which is an unexpected landmark on the south bank of the river Thames. Britain's largest waste incinerator is also due to be built here.
The area code to the west and north of Belvedere Station is 020 and to the east and south of the station it is 01322.
Erith and Belvedere Football Club recently moved to Welling in a ground-sharing arrangement. Belvedere Football Club play at Memorial Sports Ground, Woolwich Road, Abbey Wood and compete in the Kent County League Division One (West).
Councillors for the Belvedere Ward of Bexley London Borough Council are Kerry Allon (Conservative), Gill MacDonald (Labour) and Seán Newman (Labour). Belvedere lies within the Erith and Thamesmead constituency (MP Teresa Pearce, Labour), and is in the Bexley and Bromley London Assembly constituency, represented by James Cleverly (Conservative).
Belvedere railway station, opened in 1859, is in Lower Belvedere and is served by the North Kent Line which runs from Cannon Street (London) to Dartford/Gravesend/Gillingham (Kent).
The nearest railway stations in the area are Belvedere railway station. Trains from this station runs to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street via Woolwich and Greenwich to the west. To the east the trains go to Dartford and a limited service to Crayford or Gravesend and Gillingham.
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