This neighbourhood sits in the western portion of Belvedere, facing Abbey Wood to the west and north. The northern border follows the Southeastern railway line between Abbey Wood and Belvedere, both of which lie just west and just east of its borders. The eastern border trails Picardy Road, veering off at the roundabout near the town centre to include Lessness Heath Primary School and to follow Stream Way (which is fronted by green space by a stream). The southern border fronts West Heath and follows Bedonwell Road. The western border is less well-defined, and partially faces the suburban housing area of West Heath; however, its predominant feature is the large wood and grasslands area known as Abbey Wood Open Space, as well as the ruins of Lesnes Abbey, a scheduled ancient monument. The locality’s built-up area is mostly suburban housing, with the High Street in its southeast corner.

West Belvedere has a history dating back nearly 55 million years – indeed, Abbey Wood Open Space is an important site for fossil excavations, and today, with prior permission, you can dig out the many sharks’ teeth, fossil shells and other shells in the area. The area is considered a Site of Special Scientific Interest. To the west, Lesnes Abbey (from which Abbey Wood got its name) was amongst the first monasteries to be closed during King Henry VIII’s suppression of the monasteries, after which the abbey was pulled down to be used in buildings elsewhere.

The built-up suburban area on the other hand was built a little later, towards the end of the 19th century. The area remained as it was up to the interwar period, where there was some new development in the south, and during the war it faced the Blitz. However, the real challenge for the area was during the late 1950s, when many larger Victorian houses were demolished or renovated. Nevertheless, the area remains well preserved even today.

Richard De Luci was the founder of Lesnes Abbey in the 12th century. He was the Chief Justiciar of England under King Henry II (then the equivalent of being the Prime Minister). He was a reformer – making common law available to all free men, and relentlessly trying to reduce crime. He was not a saint, however, ordering the death of Thomas Becket, then the Archbishop of Canterbury under the orders of King Henry II; his guilt at the incident led him to commission Lesnes Abbey as penance, resigning as Chief Justiciar and retiring to the Abbey a year later. He passed away and was buried there, at the age of 90.

Belvedere Splash Park, which used to be a paddling pond, was closed at one point for environmental reasons. However, after four months of renovation it has recently just reopened as Belvedere Beach, set with a seaside-themed playground for local children. There are plans in the works for the regeneration of Belvedere as a whole. Branded as ‘New Belvedere’, the area is being reinvisioned as a rejuvenated industrial quarter with new housing, commercial and community space, public areas and a pedestrian link to Belvedere Station. The vision is highly ambitious with targets of over 10,000 sqm of green space and more than 1,250 new homes. New Belvedere is expected to make full use of the site’s potential as an Opportunity Area and fulfill the council’s goals, as outlined in the Growth Strategy.