London A-Z Part 4 (S-W)
This is the penultimate part of my A-Z run through London. Each run must begin and finish at my home in Lewisham.
S - Sydenham
Sydenham is a district of south-east London, England, which is shared between the London boroughs of Lewisham, Bromley and Southwark.
I ran through Sydenham on my way to Dulwich for my 8th parkrun 20202020 Challenge. I didn't realise just how steep Sydenham Hill is!
Famous residents: Antarctic Explorer Ernest Shackleton and Cricketer WG Grace lived in Sydenham. Writer and Literature Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro wrote his novel Remain of the Day here.
T - Tulse Hill
Tulse Hill lies to the south of Brixton, east of Brixton Hill, north of West Norwood and west of West Dulwich.
Famous residents: Singer Julian Cope and The Clash guitarist Mick Jones lived here.
U - Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood is situated along the London clay ridge known as Beulah Hill. It is at the top of a long steep road called Anerley Hill. Crystal Palace lies adjacent to it.
While running along the high street I saw a sign for a wood and followed it along a narrow path between two tall houses. A sign explained that this was Stambourne Woods, a narrow strip of large trees with a well marked trail between them. The oldest tree is believed to be 350 years old.
Famous residents: Composer Edward Elgar, French novelist Emile Zola and Author Raymond Chandler.
V - Vauxhall
Vauxhall has given its name to the Vauxhall parliamentary
constituency, Vauxhall Motors, and – most likely apocryphally – the Russian
word вокзал (vokzal), meaning a large railway station.
W - Woolwich
The town is a river crossing point, with the Woolwich Ferry and the Woolwich foot tunnel crossing to North Woolwich in the London Docklands.
On my way into Woolwich I noticed the street sign above. www.thestreetnames.com gives this explanation:
"A ‘ha ha’ is a sunken ditch which serves as a boundary marker for property, rather than a high wall that could block the landowner’s view. However, there is slight dispute as to the derivation of the term ‘ha ha’ itself. One school of thought says it is an exclamation of surprise from the unwary strollers who suddenly find themselves in a ditch, another that it is the reaction of any spectators who see their companions abruptly disappearing from sight."
Famous residents: Recent Booker prize winner Bernardine Evaristo, Footballer Ian Wright and Singer Boy George were all born or raised in Woolwich.
S - Sydenham
Sydenham is a district of south-east London, England, which is shared between the London boroughs of Lewisham, Bromley and Southwark.
I ran through Sydenham on my way to Dulwich for my 8th parkrun 20202020 Challenge. I didn't realise just how steep Sydenham Hill is!
Famous residents: Antarctic Explorer Ernest Shackleton and Cricketer WG Grace lived in Sydenham. Writer and Literature Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro wrote his novel Remain of the Day here.
T - Tulse Hill
Tulse Hill lies to the south of Brixton, east of Brixton Hill, north of West Norwood and west of West Dulwich.
Famous residents: Singer Julian Cope and The Clash guitarist Mick Jones lived here.
U - Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood is situated along the London clay ridge known as Beulah Hill. It is at the top of a long steep road called Anerley Hill. Crystal Palace lies adjacent to it.
While running along the high street I saw a sign for a wood and followed it along a narrow path between two tall houses. A sign explained that this was Stambourne Woods, a narrow strip of large trees with a well marked trail between them. The oldest tree is believed to be 350 years old.
Famous residents: Composer Edward Elgar, French novelist Emile Zola and Author Raymond Chandler.
It was all I could do to leave the house this morning. The thought of another run along the busy A roads into central London did not appeal. Since lockdown was lifted they are once again heaving with traffic and full of the roar of engines. Hard to believe just two months ago I ran down the middle of the A2 without a car in sight.
Anyway, I managed the 13 miles to Vauxhall and back again and learnt about one of Peckham's most famous residents Dr Harold Moody.
Other famous residents: Politicians Alistair Darling and John Major.
W - Woolwich
The town is a river crossing point, with the Woolwich Ferry and the Woolwich foot tunnel crossing to North Woolwich in the London Docklands.
On my way into Woolwich I noticed the street sign above. www.thestreetnames.com gives this explanation:
"A ‘ha ha’ is a sunken ditch which serves as a boundary marker for property, rather than a high wall that could block the landowner’s view. However, there is slight dispute as to the derivation of the term ‘ha ha’ itself. One school of thought says it is an exclamation of surprise from the unwary strollers who suddenly find themselves in a ditch, another that it is the reaction of any spectators who see their companions abruptly disappearing from sight."
Famous residents: Recent Booker prize winner Bernardine Evaristo, Footballer Ian Wright and Singer Boy George were all born or raised in Woolwich.
