Centred around the thoroughfare of Baring Road, this residential Lewisham neighbourhood sits comfortably between the local hubs of Grove Park and Hither Green. Typically Edwardian in character, the large suburban houses sit amidst acres of new green space in the form of Grove Park, Northbrook Park, and the local garden of remembrance. Three stations sit at the edges of the area, all of which provide semi-regular Southeastern services into central London, but the lack of more convenient Overground services that cross south London is a notable downfall. That being said, the multicultural, community-minded neighbourhood is popular with commuters and young families, who love to make use of the numerous independent shops and cafes, the local schools, and the large Victorian and Edwardian pubs dotted around the quaint suburb.

Though there have been settlements in the area since Celtic times, the neighbourhood was made up of dense woodland up until the 18th century. Many of the trees were cut down to meet the charcoal needs of London to the area’s north, and farms, including Grove Farm, were developed in the clearings that were left. A local brickworks operated in the area and was used to help build some of the larger manors, but it was not until the introduction of the railways in the 1870s that Grove Park and Hither Green began to truly develop. The short-lived Greenwich workhouse opened in 1902, becoming a barracks during the First World War, and then later a tuberculosis clinic. All the while the area’s farms were being transformed into the suburban Edwardian streets that we recognise today.

This rather unassuming part of London has in fact been home to a number of important names. The actor James Robertson Justice (1907-1975) lived at 39 Baring Road for much of his early life. A prolific presence on the silver screen, Justice appeared in around 80 films from the 40s to the 70s, including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and The Guns of Navarone (1961). Archbishop Desmond Tutu (b. 1931) also spent much of his life in the Grove Park area. The Nobel Peace Prize- winning South African cleric and theologian is a celebrated anti-apartheid campaigner and was the first black Archbishop of both Johannesburg and Cape Town. A self-identifying socialist, he continues to fight for human rights across the world, including LGBT rights and abuses in the Middle East and Africa. He is memorialised in the area at the Peace Garden in Chinbrook Meadows which he personally opened. His presence is also remembered at St Augustine’s Church, located at 336 Baring Road, which was ministered by local hero Desmond Tutu between 1970 and 1974.

A slightly more macabre event of infamy occurred at Hither Green station, located just to the north of the neighbourhood, as it was the site of one of Britain’s worst ever rail disasters. On the evening of the 5th November 1967, a high-speed commuter train travelling at 90mph from Hastings to Charing Cross derailed, killing 49 and injuring 78. Among the survivors were the Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb and his wife-to-be, Molly. Following the accident there was a huge enquiry into the UK’s rail safety, leading to far improved measures to prevent accidents like this happening again.

Whilst public transport into Central London is reasonably regular, the area’s distance from town can make commuting very pricey. However, as local residents agree, the money saved on house prices and rent by living this far out more than compensates for the expensive rail fares.

Furthermore, the South Circular Road that runs through the north of the area means that those who drive have very easy access to Central London by car, and the quiet that living away from the bustling heart of the city affords, means that many families prefer this area.

The Lewisham Housing Strategy is a Borough-wide scheme to improve the conditions of local housing at a time of serious shortage, and will directly affect the area of Baring Road. The strategy has four main objectives: “Helping residents at a time of severe and urgent housing need”, “Building the homes our residents need”, “Greater security and quality for private renters” and “Promoting health and wellbeing by improving our residents’ homes”. The new Arcane Mews development can be seen as an attempt to address the first of the objectives, if not the other two. Set to be completed later in 2022 this scheme is typically suburban and comprises eight 3-storey three-bedroom houses with off-street parking and private gardens.