| Catford | |
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Catford
Catford shown within Greater London |
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| OS grid reference | TQ385735 |
|---|---|
| London borough | Lewisham |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | SE6 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | Lewisham East |
| London Assembly | Greenwich and Lewisham |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated 6.3 miles (10.1 km) south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.[1]
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The 1960s and 70s had a considerable impact on the architecture of Catford. The old Town Hall, 'the Catford Cathedral' of 1875, was replaced by the current Civic Suite in 1968, soon after the merger of the metropolitan boroughs of Lewisham and Deptford. Laurence House, where many of the borough's offices are housed, is on the site of old St Laurence's Church (aka the Catford Cathedral). The brutalist Eros House, which replaced the Lewisham Hippodrome (Catford's music hall designed by the famous theatre architect Frank Matcham) in 1960, is now Grade II listed. Architecture critic Ian Nairn praised Eros House as:
In Rushey Green outside Eros House, the old village hand-pump from the 1850s survives. In 1974 the Catford shopping centre was built by the brutalist architect Owen Luder.
Broadway Theatre, Catford, which is a fine art deco building, adjoins the town hall. This is a curved stone structure decorated with shields and heraldic emblems and topped with an attractive copper-green spire. It was opened in 1932 as the Concert Hall and is now a Grade II listed building. The interior is in art deco style. The last cinema in the borough stood opposite the theatre until its closure in 2002. Catford also boasts a Territorial Army centre and a large Gothic police station (despite the largest police station in Europe being just down the road in Lewisham). In 2006, a large blue pipe sculpture was unveiled outside Eros House. In November 2010, there was a riot against student fees increase at the town hall which ended up making national news.
Catford was also damaged in the rioting that took place on Aug 8th 2011. Argos, JD Sports, KA Rowland optician, and Blockbuster video were all destroyed and looted by rioters.
The name derives from the place where cattle crossed the River Ravensbourne in Saxon times.
Catford's most prominent landmark is the Catford Cat, a giant fibreglass sculpture of a black cat above the entrance to the Catford Centre. This is a small shopping centre, housing Tesco and Iceland supermarkets as well as some independent shops in the punningly-named Catford Mews. There is a street market on Catford Broadway. Catford has several pubs and a variety of non-chain restaurants and cafes. Catford's oldest pub is the Black Horse and Harrow (now called the Goose on the Green) and Karl Marx is reputed to have been an occasional patron. The pub has existed since at least 1700 though the present building dates from 1897. Between 1932 and 2003, Catford Stadium was a successful greyhound racing track, but was demolished a few years back to make way for a new housing development. As of April 2009, the site of Catford Greyhound Stadium remains vacant and overgrown.
Catford was historically part of Kent until 1889, when it was absorbed into the new London County Council, along with the majority of the present day London Borough of Lewisham. Catford covers most of SE6 postcode district. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.[1]
Other than the shows at the Broadway Theatre the main cultural events are Lewisham Peoples day held in Mountsfield Park and the yearly beer festival organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), which is held at the theatre. The Catford Beer Festival is one of the largest in southern England.
In recent years Catford has been satirised in The Chap magazine series called 'A year in Catford' after Peter Mayle's bestseller A Year in Provence. The magazine poked fun at Catford's mundanity.
Catford had one of the first British curry houses, which opened in 1824.
Catford has Protestant and Roman Catholic churches. Non-conformist churches include Plymouth Brethren, Baptists, Methodist, The Salvation Army various Pentecostals as well as Seventh-day Adventists and a Unitarian meeting house. The Plymouth Brethren at Wildfell Hall, Wildfell Road have conducted the world-famous Catford Lectures for over 50 years.[3] The original gothic C of E St. Laurence church was located where Laurence House is today (known as the Catford Cathedral), but as part of the urban renewal of Catford in the 1960s, the church is now housed in a more modern style building 200 metres down Bromley Road. This church follows a traditional Anglican Mass and has their own choir.
There is a large[4] Muslim community served by the Lewisham Islamic Centre, which also serves the needs of Muslims from all over Lewisham.
There are also Sikh, Buddhist and Hare Krishna temples. Atheists are also known to live in the area, and the Lewisham Humanist Group meet on the 3rd Thursday each month at The Goose, Rushey Green.
Catford Stadium was one of the most famous greyhound racing venues in the UK until its closure in 2005. It also hosted boxing and several other sporting events. The site of the Stadium has now been demolished and there are plans to build 500 apartments and community facilities including new shops and a doctors surgery.
Catford Southend F.C. were a once successful non-league side who groundshared with Charlton Athletic F.C. at The Mount stadium and nearly merged with. However, the deal was scuppered and Charton went onto Football League success while Catford Southend fell into obscurity. The most prominent Sunday League side now in Catford is Catford Strollers F.C. Catford also boast a large 5-a-side center with many teams. Catford Saints were a professional baseball side playing in the London Major Baseball League in the early 20th century.
The Catford Cycling Club[7] was founded in 1886 and rose to European promience. In 1894 they built their own track south of Brownhill Road complete with a magnificent Pagoda grandstand. However, by the 1950s the majority of the track had been built over yet the club still flourishes to this day.[8]
Cricket, bowls and tennis are represented in Catford in the form of Catford Wanderers and Catford and Cyphers sports clubs. Catford also has a skating club. Kent County Cricket Club have played at Catford several times in the past.
Catford is well connected for public transport, with two adjacent stations where railway lines cross (but do not interchange). Catford railway station is on the route between Blackfriars station and Sevenoaks via Bromley South, while Catford Bridge railway station is on the Mid-Kent line to Hayes from Charing Cross and Cannon Street stations. As well as the railway stations there is Catford bus garage, providing many routes towards Central London and out towards Bromley.
Nearest railway stations
Bus routes
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