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Nunhead

Coordinates:51°27′44″N0°03′03″W/ 51.4622°N 0.0508°W/51.4622; -0.0508
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Nunhead
Nunhead Green
Nunhead is located in Greater London
Nunhead
Nunhead
Location withinGreater London
Population13,620 (2011 Census. Ward)[1]
OS grid referenceTQ355755
•Charing Cross4 mi (6.4 km)NW
London borough
Ceremonial countyGreater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLONDON
Postcode districtSE15, SE4
Dialling code020
PoliceMetropolitan
FireLondon
AmbulanceLondon
UK Parliament
London Assembly
List of places
UK
England
London
51°27′44″N0°03′03″W/ 51.4622°N 0.0508°W/51.4622; -0.0508

Nunheadis a suburb in theLondon Borough of Southwark,England.[2]It is an inner-city suburb located 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast ofCharing Cross.It is the location of the 52-acre (0.21 km2)Nunhead Cemetery.[3]Nunhead has traditionally been a working-class area and, with the adjacent neighbourhoods, is currently going through a lengthy process ofgentrification.[4][5]Nunhead is the location of severalunderground reservoirs,built by theSouthwark and Vauxhall Waterworks Company.[6]

Etymology[edit]

The Old Nuns Head, Public House

The name is first recorded in a deed of 1583 relating to a land sale including estates "lying at Nunn-head."[7]The origin of the name Nunhead is not certain but is believed to be derived from a local inn named variouslyThe Nun's Head or The Nunhead Tavern.Local historians and local legend maintain that this name refers to the beheading of a nun during theDissolution of the Monasteries.

The legend claims that the head of the Mother Superior of a nunnery, which stood where the current public house The Old Nun's Head now stands, was placed on a spike on the green following her death.[8]There is no evidence to support this claim.[9]However, a nunnery in the area may have been connected with the nunnery of The Augustinian Priory of St. John the Baptist, Holywell (now Shoreditch) which acquired lands in Camberwell and Peckham in the 12th century.

History[edit]

A map showing the Nunhead ward of Camberwell Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916.

A rural settlement of approximately ten buildings named "NoneHead" is clearly visible in the 1762 map titledA topographical map of the county of SurreybyJohn Roque.[10]The settlement occupies the land which is now Nunhead Green and Nunhead High Street. At the time it was separated from the nearby settlement ofPeckham Ryeby fields and the now coveredRiver Peck.

In 1834 theGirdlers Companybuilt the Beeston's Gift Almshouses, a terrace of seven Tudor-style cottages which still stand in front of a garden with railings on Consort road.[11]Further almshouses were built in 1853 by the Asylum of the Metropolitan Beer and Wine Trade Association on the edge of Nunhead Green to provide housing for aged members of the trade.[12]In 1868,Brocks Fireworks,a manufacturer of fireworks, built a firework 'manufactory' close to where the pub, The Pyrotechnists Arms, still stands. The pub is so-named because of its original proximity to the firework factory.[13]

Until 1878, Nunhead formed part of the large ancient parish ofCamberwellin theBrixtonhundred of Surrey.[14][15]The area's population growth led to a separate ecclesiastical parish of St Antholin, Nunhead, being formed in 1878, with the church built in 1877.[14]The area then came within the area of responsibility of theMetropolitan Board of Worksin 1855 and was transferred to theCounty of Londonin 1889. In 1887 Nunhead is recorded as having a population of 10,727.[16]Having formed part of the Camberwell parish, it became part of theMetropolitan Borough of Camberwellin 1900.[14]

There was aNunhead Football Clubfrom 1888 to 1949. Nunhead has some fine examples of late Victorian/early Edwardian properties; these can be seen on both Carden Road and Tresco Road. It is even reputed, inClaire Tomalin's biography ofCharles Dickens' mistressNelly Ternan,that Charles Dickens was taken on his death bed from the house he rented for Ternan, at Windsor Lodge in Linden Grove to Gad's Hill to die. The house no longer stands, but was at 31 Linden Grove. Old maps show that the church was next door to where the dental surgery now stands at 42 Linden Grove, so Windsor Lodge was presumably more or less opposite that.

St Antholin's, Nunhead[edit]

St Antholin church was built in 1877. Built in red brick it is large and rectangular and was built in the style of the first part of the 13th century. The church was built with funds from the sale of the site ofSt. Antholin's, Budge Row,which was demolished in 1875. The oakreredosdesigned bySir Christopher Wrenand a bell were brought from the original church.[17]The church was destroyed by bombing in 1940 and later rebuilt and consecrated in 1957 and officially renamed in 1958 asSt Antony's Church.[18]

St Antony's was Listed Grade II in 1972 but became surplus to requirements of the Anglican Church and was declared redundant in 2001 and sold to its present owners, aPentecostalcongregation. It then became the Lighthouse Cathedral.[19]The bell from the original St Antholin's now hangs in St Silas, Nunhead.

Regeneration[edit]

Nunhead forms part of Southwark London Borough Council'sPeckham Programmeregeneration scheme.[20]As part of this plan, the area forms part of the East Peckham and Nunhead renewal area.[21]A component was the proposal that theCross River Tramcould serve the area,[22]however in November 2008Mayor of LondonBoris Johnsonannounced that due to funding constraints this project would be cancelled.[23]

The Lighthouse Cathedral, the current name of this church, which was built in 1957 to the designs ofLawrence Kingas St Anthony's (for the Church of England). The previous church on the site (destroyed by wartime bombing in 1940) was called St Antholin's and built in 1877.

Nearest places[edit]

Transport[edit]

Nunhead railway stationis located on Gibbon Road. It is on the line fromBlackfriarsto Sevenoaks andVictoriato Dartford. Services are provided bySoutheasternandThameslink.[24]The area is also served by a variety ofLondon Busesservices.[25]Bus route 78 starts in Nunhead and terminates inShoreditchrunning via the commercial area surroundingLiverpool Streetas well as going over famousTower Bridgeand bypassing the historicalTower of London.The P12, which begins its journey in Honor Oak Park, goes through Nunhead, terminating atSurrey Quaysshopping centre. As part of theurban sprawlof London, Nunhead is contiguous with the neighbourhoods ofBrockleyto the east,Honor Oakto the south,East Dulwichto the south west,Peckhamto the north west andNew Crossto the north east.

Politics[edit]

Nunhead forms part of theCamberwell and PeckhamWestminster constituency, with a ward in that constituency named Nunhead & Queens Road. Residents elect three councillors toSouthwark Councilevery four years.

The constituency has been a safe Labour seat since its inception in 1997. The current MP is Labour'sHarriet Harmanand forms part of theLambeth and SouthwarkLondon Assembly constituency represented byMarina AhmadofLabour.

Nunhead & Queen's Road 2018 (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sunil Chopra* 2,305
Labour Gavin Edwards* 2,276
Labour Sandra Rhule* 2,221
Green Rosalie Schweiker 528
Green Steve Barbe 479
Green Bartley Shaw 445
Conservative Domonic Garriques 254
Conservative Andrew Smith 251
Conservative Harry Chathli 249
Liberal Democrats Sarah Mustoe 216
Liberal Democrats Rupert Morris 198
Liberal Democrats Gillian Shields 196
Majority
Turnout 3,328 29.5
Labourwin(new seat)
Labourwin(new seat)
Labourwin(new seat)
Nunhead[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Fiona Colley* 2,229
Labour Sunil Chopra* 1,936
Labour Sandra Rhule 1,820
Green Steve Barbe 714
Green Valerie Remy 555
Green Dave Tapsell 435
All People's Party Althea Smith* 323
Conservative Robert Clarke 298
Conservative Gerald Chan 255
Conservative Harry Chathli 237
Liberal Democrats Frances Blango 200
Liberal Democrats Paul Melly 189
Liberal Democrats Dolly Mace 163
Turnout 3,336 34.3
Labourhold Swing
Labourhold Swing
Labourhold Swing

Althea Smith was elected in 2010 for the Labour Party, but defected to the All People's Party.

Culture[edit]

Nunhead CemeteryOpen Day occurs every May and is organised by Friends of Nunhead Cemetery.

Nunhead Beats the Bounds is an annual event where Nunhead residents march around the perimeter of Nunhead - from Queens Road to Camberwell New Cemetery - to build community spirit. It is generally held the first Saturday afternoon in July.

Nunhead American Radio withLewis SchafferonResonance 104.4FMis a radio programme for and about the residents of Nunhead, with special focus on the immigrant American community.

The Nunhead Art Trail is an art and craft showcase organised by volunteers. Nunhead artists and craftspeople exhibit their work in their flats, houses and gardens allowing the public to view and buy the work.[27]

Notable People[edit]

Harold Bride- (born Nunhead, 1915) - Seaman

References[edit]

  1. ^"Southwark Ward population 2011".Neighbourhood Statistics.Office for National Statistics. Archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2016.Retrieved13 October2016.
  2. ^Southwark Council -Nunhead and Peckham Rye Community CouncilArchived4 July 2008 at theWayback Machine
  3. ^BBC London -Nunhead Cemetery
  4. ^Liebman, Robert (3 October 1998)."Hot Spot: Nunhead: Back from the dead".The Independent.
  5. ^"On the Tiger trail".The Economist.8 February 2008.
  6. ^Peckham and Dulwich,Old and New London: Volume 6 (1878), pp. 286–303
  7. ^Beasley, John D. (1999).The story of Peckham and Nunhead(New ed.). London: London Borough of Southwark.ISBN0-905849-26-4.OCLC59443001.
  8. ^Beasley, John D. (15 May 2010).Origin of Placenames in Peckham and Nunhead.Amberley Publishing Limited.ISBN978-1-4456-2984-1.
  9. ^Mills, Anthony David (2001).Dictionary of London Place Names.Oxford University Press.ISBN0-19-280106-6
  10. ^"A topographical map of the county of Surrey [cartographic material]: in which is expressed all the roads, lanes, churches, noblemen and gentlemen's seats, &c. &c".Trove.Retrieved5 March2021.
  11. ^"Inventory Site Record".Retrieved3 March2021.
  12. ^"Peckham and Dulwich | British History Online".british-history.ac.uk.Retrieved3 March2021.
  13. ^"Pyrotechnists Arms, Nunhead".whatpub.com.Retrieved3 March2021.
  14. ^abc'Parishes: Camberwell', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 24–36.Date accessed: 3 July 2008.
  15. ^Great Britain Historical GIS/ University of Portsmouth,Camberwell(historic map). Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  16. ^John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887) -Nunhead
  17. ^"Parishes: Camberwell | British History Online".british-history.ac.uk.Retrieved5 March2021.
  18. ^"Southwark Anglican".5 March 2021.
  19. ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 2 July 2010.Retrieved5 October2011.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  20. ^Southwark Council -Peckham Programme
  21. ^Southwark Council -East Peckham and Nunhead
  22. ^Transport for London -Cross River Tram: Route options 2006
  23. ^Transport for London -Cross River Tram project status
  24. ^National Rail -Station information
  25. ^Transport for London -Buses from Nunhead
  26. ^"Election results for Nunhead Ward".Southwark Council. 22 May 2015.Retrieved17 August2015.
  27. ^"Nunhead Art Trail".nunheadarttrail.co.uk.Retrieved20 October2020.
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