| Sidcup | |
The Hollies, Sidcup. |
|
|
Sidcup
Sidcup shown within Greater London |
|
| OS grid reference | TQ461718 |
|---|---|
| London borough | Bexley |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SIDCUP, LONDON |
| Postcode district | SE9, DA14, DA15 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | Old Bexley & Sidcup |
| London Assembly | Bexley and Bromley |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Sidcup is a district in South East London in the London Borough of Bexley and small parts of the district in the London Borough of Greenwich.Located 11.3 miles (18.2 km) south east of Charing Cross, Sidcup is bordered by the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Bromley and Kent County Council, and whilst now part of Greater London, was once referred to as the gateway to Kent. Sidcup retains Kent as its county reference, (much like most of Outer London with the other Home counties, although small parts of Sidcup correspond with the London postal address such as SE9.
Sidcup has a mixture of large Victorian and Edwardian properties alongside typical 1930s suburbia, primarily owner occupied semi-detached and detached housing. It retains many parks and open spaces hinting at the great estates and large homes which once stood in the area.
The town contains a major hospital, a recently opened sports and leisure centre, as well as two colleges (Bird College and Rose Bruford College). The town centre has a mix of high street stores, independent shops, a modern library, coffee shops, snooker hall and several pubs. A Waitrose store and Travelodge (budget motel) are due to open in the town late in 2011, on the site of a former pub. [1] Sidcup contains a number of districts, some of them once villages in their own right - Blackfen, Foots Cray, Longlands, and Lamorbey.
Contents |
The name is thought to be derived from Cetecopp meaning 'seat shaped or flat topped hill'; it had its earliest recorded use in 1254.[2] Sidcup originated as a tiny hamlet on the road from London to Maidstone.
A number of manor houses (converted to other uses) remain. They include Frognal House, the birthplace and residence of Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, after whom Sydney, Australia was named (now converted for use as residential and nursing accommodation), Lamorbey House (now used by Rose Bruford College), Sidcup Place (now a Brewers Fayre bar and restaurant) and "The Hollies" (now converted for residential use).
Sidcup parish formed the Sidcup Urban District of Kent from 1908. It was initially known as Foots Cray; however, in 1921 the urban district,[3] and in 1925 the parish,[4] were renamed Sidcup. The parish and district were abolished in 1934 and combined with Chislehurst to form the Chislehurst and Sidcup civil parish and urban district. In 1965 the parish and urban district were abolished. Sidcup went on to form part of the London Borough of Bexley in Greater London and Chislehurst formed part of the London Borough of Bromley.
Sidcup is mentioned in two famous plays and their film adaptations, Noël Coward's Relative Values and Harold Pinter's The Caretaker, and it was the location of the 2004 Dasani scandal.
It is also reputed that it was on the platform[5] of Sidcup railway station that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first agreed to form a band, which later became the Rolling Stones. Other connections of Sidcup to the world of entertainment and show business include the Rose Bruford College of drama and Bird College, both of which have many well known and famous alumni; regular large-scale concerts are given by Sidcup Symphony Orchestra,[6] conducted by James Ross, which also serves the wider London Borough of Bexley.
For many years, Sidcup had as its constituency (Old Bexley and Sidcup) Member of Parliament, the Rt Hon. Sir Edward Heath, Prime Minister 1970-1974.
Orchard primary school
Nearby places often considered as part of Sidcup and having Sidcup as the "post town".
Other nearby places
Sidcup is in zone 5 on the London commuter rail network and is served by two lines operated by Southeastern: London Charing Cross - Gravesend and the London Cannon Street loop line.
Sidcup is served by a number of bus services operated for Transport for London, including the 24-hour route 321.
Sidcup bus garage used to be located in Foots Cray High Street; it was opened by the London General Omnibus Company in June 1924, then operated by London Transport from 1933 until its closure in January 1988.
|
|||||||||||||||||||
