Honor Oak
Coordinates: 51°27′02″N 0°03′06″W / 51.4506°N 0.0516°W
| Honor Oak | |
 Honor Oak
Honor Oak shown within Greater London |
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| OS grid reference | TQ355745 |
|---|---|
| London borough | Lewisham |
| Southwark | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | SE23 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| London Assembly | Greenwich and Lewisham |
| Lambeth and Southwark | |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Honor Oak is an inner suburban area principally of the London Borough of Lewisham, with part in The London Borough of Southwark. The name originates from Oak of Honor Hill, or One Tree Hill. The legend is that on 1 May 1602, Elizabeth I picnicked with Sir Richard Bulkeley of Beaumaris in the Lewisham area by an oak tree at the summit of a hill [1]. The tree came to be known as the Oak of Honor. The tree surrounded by railings is an oak, and was planted c1905 as a successor to the historic one.
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[edit] Overview
The beacon at the summit was erected to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George VI in 1935. It was subsequently used for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, her silver and golden jubilees and also at the Millennium. Beacons on the same site were used to give warning of invasion by the Spanish and later the French. The Hill was also the site of Watson's General Telegraph, a relay system established in 1841 linking London with shipping in the English Channel
In 1896 the open space was due to become part of a golf club, but there were riots and demonstrations by local people. This fell through, and later it was bought by Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell and made into a public open space by 1905.
During World War I a gun emplacement was erected on the hill to counter the threat of raids by Zeppelin airships.
One part of the open space eventually became a nine hole golf course called the Aquarias Golf Club[2]. It lies on top of the cavernous Honor Oak Reservoir, constructed between 1901 and 1909. When it was completed the reservoir was the largest brick built underground reservoir in the world[1] and even today remains one of the largest in Europe[3]. The reservoir now forms part of the Southern extension of the Thames Water Ring Main.
Between 1809 and 1836, a canal ran through Honor Oak as part of its route from New Cross to Croydon. It also went via Forest Hill and Sydenham. The canal was replaced by a railway line after 1836, and this now forms part of the line between London Bridge and Croydon. Honor Oak Park railway station opened in 1886 is on this line. Honor Oak railway station was opened in 1862 but closed in 1958 as part of the closure of the Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway, originally built to take passengers to The Crystal Palace. The remains of the embankment of this line can still be seen, forming part of Brenchley Gardens.
In 2010 Honor Oak Park railway station became part of the London Overground extension, providing residents with direct links into Shoreditch and Highbury and Islington. As with neighbouring Forest Hill, Honor Oak is becoming increasingly desirable as a peaceful, leafy suburb with good transport links into the centre of town, and slightly lower-than-average property prices.
[edit] Amenities and entertainment
Honor Oak enjoys a number of well regarded restaurants and gastro pubs. The Babur Indian Restaurant has two AA Rosettes and has been described as "one of the best Indian restaurants in London" by The Independent newspaper.[4] The area has a highly rated Italian restaurant, Le Querce (translation from the Italian "The Oaks")[5], and there is a Spanish Tapas restaurant on the high street. The Honor Oak is the reincarnation of the old St Germans public house and, as with many of the pubs on neighbouring Lordship Lane, Southwark, has been given a "Gastro Pub" style facelift. The Chandos is a more traditional south London pub. In August 2011 a delicatessen opened on the high street, replacing a stall that had previously run every weekend next to the station.
[edit] Famous residents
Political activist Jim Connell (1852–1929), author of 'The Red Flag', lived in Stondon Park Road (which is on the border of Crofton Park and Honor Oak). He wrote the anthem while on a train journey to his home in December 1889.
Actor William Henry Pratt (1887-1969), better known as Boris Karloff was born at 36 Forest Hill Road.
The comedian Spike Milligan (1918–2002), lived at 22 Gabriel Street, Honor Oak, and 50 Riseldine Road (which is on the border of Crofton Park and Honor Oak) after coming to England from India in the 1930s.
Other famous residents include actor Timothy Spall and singer Gabrielle.
[edit] Nearest places
[edit] Relevant links
- Honor Oak Park Railway Station
- SE23.com - The local community website for Forest Hill and Honor Oak, London SE23
- Honor Oak Christian Fellowship Centre
- Walter Segal Self Build Trust
- The Honor Oak, Public House
- One Tree Hill Allotments
- Honor Oak Park Residents Association - useful information for local and prospective residents
[edit] Further reading
[edit] References and notes
- ^ a b "Forest Hill and Honor Oak Secrets". London Borough of Lewisham. http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/ForestHillAndHonorOakSecretsLeaflet.pdf. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
- ^ Aquarius Golf Club website
- ^ "Honor Oak Reservoir". Mott MacDonald. http://www.projectmanagement.mottmac.com/projects/?mode=type&id=130093. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
- ^ "Babur Restaurant Review". The Independent. http://www.babur.info/content/reviews. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
- ^ "Le Querce Restaurant Review". Hardens. http://www.hardens.com/restaurant-reviews/uk-london/31-01-07/le-querce-se23/. Retrieved 2007-01-31.
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