Westcombe Park

Infobox UK place
official_name= Westcombe Park
region= London
country= England
latitude= 51.484020
longitude= 0.018458
map_type= Greater London
post_town= LONDON
postcode_area= SE
postcode_district= SE3
dial_code= 020
os_grid_reference= TQ402780
london_borough= Greenwich
constituency_westminster=

Westcombe Park is a largely residential area close to the Blackheath Standard area of Blackheath in the London Borough of Greenwich, south-east London, England.

Its boundaries are broadly defined by the main London-Dartford railway line to the north, the Blackwall Tunnel southern approach to the east, the heath itself to the south and a road, Vanbrugh Hill to the west (named after an architect, John Vanbrugh, with local connections).

Interestingly, there are no traditional public houses in the area, as it was built as a 'dry' estate.

Although originally formed in Westcombe Park, Westcombe Park rugby club is no longer based there. Having played on fields in Lee, Shooter's Hill and Sidcup, it operates from a sports ground in Orpington."

ites of interest

Woodlands House

Its most notable existing landmark is Woodlands House, in Mycenae Road. This attractive, four-storey Georgian villa (architect: George Gibson) still lies in its own grounds and was built between 1774 and 1776 for John Julius Angerstein, a Lloyd's underwriter and merchant whose collection of old master paintings was bought for the nation in 1824, following his death, to form the nucleus of the National Gallery, London.

The Angerstein family continued to live in Woodlands House until about 1870. It was later acquired by Sir Alfred Yarrow, a shipbuilder, in 1896.

From about 1923, the house served as a convent; neighbouring Mycenae House (formerly Kidbrooke House) was built in 1933 to provide dormitory space for the Little Sisters of the Assumption convent. Woodlands was then acquired by the London Borough of Greenwich in 1967 and opened as a Local History Library and Art Gallery (Woodlands Art Gallery) in 1972, while Mycenae House has served as a community centre. Woodlands was purchased from the London Borough of Greenwich in November 2007 by The Greenwich Steiner school.

Westcombe Manor

To the west, next-door to Woodlands House, was Westcombe Manor, former family seat of the Ballards, [ [http://www.paul-ballard.com/pedigrees/pd28.htm Ballard family tree] ] the Lambardes, [ [http://www.the-miscellany.co.uk/jacobean/person?id=1593 English Jacobean Families] ] Sir Theophilus Biddulph (1612-1683; see also Biddulph Baronets), and, later, of shipowner and timber merchant Thomas Brocklebank. [ [http://www.gmt2000.co.uk/Gearing/gr_six.htm Greenwich as it used to be] ] The original house was rebuilt in 1723 by Sir Gregory Page, and let to tenants who included Lavinia Fenton, Dowager Duchess of Bolton, who died at the house in 1760. [ [http://www.greenwich-guide.org.uk/january.htm#29 Greenwich Guide - Greenwich Day by Day - January ] ] The building was demolished in 1855, having earlier (1796) been described in Daniel Lysons' "Environs of London":

:"West-Combe-park, the site of this manor, was granted by Sir Gregory Page on a long lease to Captain Galfridus Walpole, (younger brother of Sir Robert, and uncle of the present Earl of Orford) who built the present house. The lease of West-Combepark afterwards came into the possession of Charles, third Duke of Bolton, who resided there for several years with Lavinia Fenton, the celebrated Polly Peachem, whom he married on the decease of his Duchess. The Duke died in 1754; Lavinia Duchess of Bolton in 1760, when West-Combe-park became the property of her son, the Rev. Mr. Powlett, in whom the remainder of the lease (which expires in 1824) is now vested. Since the Duchess's death WestCombe has been in the successive occupation of Lord Clive, the Marquis of Lothian, his widow the Marchioness, the Duchess of Athol, Mr. Halliday the banker, and William Petrie, Esq. It is now the residence of William Holmes, Esq. who has the remainder of an under lease granted to Mr. Halliday. West-Combe-house is situated on the verge of a steep hill, agreeably diversified with plantations, and commanding a fine view of the river." [From: 'Greenwich', The Environs of London: volume 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent (1796), pp. 426-93. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45486&strquery=Woodlands%20Blackheath. Date accessed: 24 September 2007.]

t George's Church

St George's Church (on a steeply sloping site on the corner of Kirkside Road and Glenluce Road) is a Victorian red-brick structure completed in 1892 (architect: Newman & Newman). As well as a place of worship it is also home to a Rudolf Steiner or Waldorf School-style nursery school.

Other

In the early 2000s, Westcombe Park was used as a location by the BBC soap opera "EastEnders". The footbridge from which Andy Hunter, played by Michael Higgs, was pushed to his death is easily identifiable as the bridge (over the A102 Blackwall Tunnel southern approach) that runs from Farmdale Road to Westcombe Park railway station.

Famous residents

* Malcolm Hardee, anarchic comedian lived briefly at 33 Glenluce Road, SE3 in the late 1990s.
* Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer lived in the area in the early days of their double act, and performed at the Tramshed in Woolwich.
* Jools Holland, TV personality and musician still lives in Westcombe Park.
* Stephan Andersen, former Charlton Athletic F.C goalkeeper live at 36 Westcombe Park Road during his time at the club.

Transport

Nearby tube stations

* North Greenwich tube station - bus routes 108 and 422 run from Blackheath Standard

DLR

Nearby DLR stations:

* Cutty Sark
* Greenwich (The same as the railway station)

Nearby railway stations

(Westcombe Park essentially lies to the south of the railway line between Maze Hill and Westcombe Park stations)

* Maze Hill
* Westcombe ParkA little further away…
* Blackheath
* Greenwich

Buses

The following buses run through Blackheath Standard and either through or around Westcombe Park:
*108 between Lewisham station and Stratford station.
*286 between Greenwich and Sidcup Queen Mary's Hospital.
*386 between Blackheath village and Woolwich town centre.
*422 between Bexleyheath shopping centre and North Greenwich tube station.
*53 between Whitehall and Plumstead.
*54 between Elmers End and Woolwich.

References