Blackheath is a quiet and affluent area of Greenwich, located directly to the south of Greenwich Park, separated by Charlton Way and a high brick wall. The heath itself is a vast area of open green space, home to the impressive, high-spired All Saints’ Church. It is popular with joggers, dog walkers, and kite-flyers, when the weather is right! It also hosts to a lively market. Lining the heath are Georgian houses and Regency villas, which have attracted the wealthy for centuries. Behind them is the village of Blackheath, which is popular with well-to-do families because of the large Victorian houses, good schools, and proximity to central London. It is also popular for its amenities, as it is full of traditional pubs, gastropubs, and independent boutiques and cafes. DLR and Southeastern trains run from nearby stations to the west, taking commuters into town, and bringing tourists to the local area to see the sites that Greenwich has to offer. The 600-seat Victorian concert hall of Blackheath Halls, hosts live music and family events on a regular basis, and claims to be the oldest surviving purpose-built cultural venue in London.

The area’s name was recorded in 1166 as Blachehedfeld, which translates to “dark coloured heathland”. It might be unsurprising to hear that the heath has long been known for its bleakness in the winter. Whilst it was owned by the Earls of Dartmouth, the land was used as pasture and extensively quarried for gravel. The ancient Watling Street carried stage coaches through the heath, which became notorious during the 17th and 18th centuries for highwaymen, and later for the gibbets who hung along the road carrying the corpses of the highwaymen who had been caught. In 1780 the heath had a few roadside cottages, but over the next 25 years a high-class settlement emerged in the form of Blackheath Village: many of the fine Regency and Georgian properties remain today. Blackheath Brewery opened in the 1820s, and Blackheath station in 1849. Both of these stimulated a housing boom, which saw the clearing away of some of the original cottages, and their replacement with more salubrious Victorian terraces.

In 1415, 20,000 people rode to Blackheath to meet Henry V on his victorious return from the Battle of Agincourt. The area was also a rallying point for Watt Tyler’s Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, and for Jack Cade’s Kentish rebellion in 1450. Tradition and legend also state that in 1608, Blackheath was the place where golf was introduced to Britain!

Whilst the area is reasonably well connected with the DLR, the lack of tube transport has been cited as a nuisance for local residents. Also, house prices are very high despite its close proximity to more deprived areas, such as Lewisham and Charlton. This can cause a divide in the Borough’s community outlook.

The £1bn redevelopment of the nearby Ferrier Estate, named Kidbrooke Village, has been one of the largest changes to hit this area in recent years. So far 1,900 of a planned total of 4,800 homes have been delivered, 35% of which will be ‘affordable’. This will not only increase the local population, but is also hoped to spur investment into the area. Kidbrooke Square is a similar residential-led development on nearby Kidbrooke Park Road, which will provide 619 new homes across eight buildings.