Blackheath, London
Encyclopedia
Blackheath is a district of South London
, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich
to the north and Lewisham
to the west. The area is predominantly in the London Borough of Lewisham
with sections to the north and east in the London Borough of Greenwich
.
that later became known as Watling Street
crosses the northern edge of Blackheath (almost in line with the A2), probably heading for the mouth of Deptford Creek, rather than for Deptford Bridge like the modern A2
. It passed the excavated site in Greenwich Park
of a Roman temple, where many Roman coins were found. Indeed, many small, conical Romano-British
tumuli that lie beside Watling Street in this area were opened towards the end of the 18th century, to reveal artefacts including a lock of well-preserved auburn hair, spear-heads, knives, nails, glass beads and woollen and linen cloth. In the reign of Ethelred the Unready
, the Danish fleet anchored in the River Thames
off Greenwich
for over three years, with the army being encamped on the hill above; from here they attacked Kent
.
Underneath "The Point", near summit of the hill, a cavern known locally as Jack Cade's Cavern
, was (re)discovered in 1780. The cavern extends several hundred feet underground and comprises four "irregular apartments", one of which contains a water well
– this cavern is presumed to have been used as a hiding place during the Saxon
and Danish invasions.
Blackheath was a rallying point for Wat Tyler
's Peasants' Revolt
of 1381, and for Jack Cade
's Kentish rebellion in 1450. Wat Tyler is remembered by Wat Tyler Road on the heath. After pitching camp on Blackheath, Cornish
rebels were defeated in the Battle of Deptford Bridge
(sometimes called the Battle of Blackheath), just to the west, on 17 June, 1497.
With Watling Street carrying stagecoaches across the heath, en route to north Kent and the Channel
ports, it was also a notorious haunt of highwaymen
during the 17th and 18th centuries. As reported in Edward Walford's Old and New London (1878), "In past times it was planted with gibbet
s, on which the bleaching bones of men who had dared to ask for some extension of liberty, or who doubted the infallibility of kings, were left year after year to dangle in the wind." In 1909 Blackheath had a local branch of the London Society for Women's Suffrage
.
The Vanbrugh Pits are on the north-east part of the heath. The site of old gravel workings, Vanbrugh Pits have long been reclaimed by nature and form one of the more attractive parts of the generally rather flat Blackheath. There is much gorse present and it is particularly attractive in springtime when the blossom also comes out. The pits are named after Sir John Vanbrugh
, architect of Blenheim Palace
and Castle Howard
, who had a house nearby, adjacent to Greenwich Park, now called 'Vanbrugh Castle'. 'Mince Pie House' built for his family survived until 1911.
is situated east of Blackheath village. Built over in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it contains many fine examples of substantial Georgian
and Victorian
houses – most notably Michael Searles
' crescent of semi-detached terrace houses linked by colonnades, The Paragon (c 1793-1807) – as well as some 1930s and 1960s additions. The Cator Estate was built on part of the estate formerly owned by Sir John Morden
, whose Morden College
(1695) is another notable building to the south-east of the heath. The Cator Estate also contains innovative 1960s 'Span' houses and flats by the renowned Span Developments
(architect Eric Lyons), and the Blackheath High School
buildings on Vanburgh Park include the Church Army Chapel
(architect E. T. Spashett).
St Michael and All Angels Church, designed by local architect George Smith
and completed in 1830, was dubbed the Needle of Kent in honour of its tall, thin spire (it is also nicknamed the Devil's Pick or the Devil's Toothpick). All Saints Church, situated on the heath, designed by the architect Benjamin Ferrey
, dates from 1857.
, and is home to numerous shops, restaurant
s and pub
s. All Saints' parish church stands on the heath itself, apart from the other buildings of the village. Approximately one mile to the north-east, Blackheath Standard is another shopping area, taking its name from the 'Royal Standard' pub.
Just south of the railway station, on the edge of the Blackheath Park housing estate, is the Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and the Arts. Next door is Blackheath Halls, a concert venue today owned and managed by Trinity College of Music
(based in nearby Greenwich
).
The heath is host to a free annual fireworks display on the Saturday in November closest to Guy Fawkes Night
. This was previously organised and financed by the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham, but Greenwich Council withdrew its share of the funding in 2010. The show has become one of the UK's most popular and largest fireworks displays with over forty thousand spectators.
was introduced to England – the Royal Blackheath Golf Club (based in nearby Eltham
since 1923) was one of the first golf associations established (1766) outside Scotland
. Blackheath also gave its name to the first hockey
club, established during the mid 19th century.
However, Blackheath is perhaps most famous as the home of the Blackheath Rugby Club, founded in 1858, which is the oldest documented
rugby
club in England. The Blackheath club also organised the world's first rugby international (between England
and Scotland
in Edinburgh
on 27 March 1871) and hosted the first international between England and Wales
ten years later – the players meeting and getting changed at the Princess of Wales public house. Blackheath was one of the 12 founding members of the Football Association
in 1863, as well as nearby Blackheath Proprietary School
and Percival House (Blackheath)
.
Cricket has been played on the 'Heath' itself since the 1820s. By 1890, London County Council
was maintaining 36 pitches. Blackheath Cricket Club has been part of the sporting fabric of the area, joining forces with Blackheath Rugby Club in 1883 to purchase and develop the Rectory Field
as a home ground. As well as hosting quality club cricket for getting on for 150 years, Blackheath C. C. hosted 84 first class Kent County
matches between 1887 and 1971. For a list of these see:
There is also a long history of kite flying on the heath. Growing popularity of the sport
in recent years has attracted many kite flyers and kitebuggying
is also a common sight on the heath. With neighbouring Greenwich Park
, Blackheath is also well-known as the start point of the London Marathon
. This maintains a connection with athletics dating back to the establishment of the Blackheath Harriers (now Blackheath and Bromley Harriers) in 1869. British Military Fitness
runs its evening classes on the heath during the winter months, when Greenwich Park
is closed. Blackheath emerged on 26 August 2009 as the location of the 2009 Climate Camp. It was chosen for its association with the Peasants' Revolt
of 1381.
. Passenger trains at the station are operated by Southeastern
and there are services to the central London terminals at Cannon Street
, Charing Cross
, London Bridge and Victoria.
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
to the north and Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
to the west. The area is predominantly in the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
with sections to the north and east in the London Borough of Greenwich
London Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
.
Toponymy
The name is recorded in 1166 as Blachehedfeld and means the "dark coloured heathland". It is formed from the Old English 'blæc' and 'hǣth' and refers to the open space that was the meeting place of the ancient hundred of Blackheath. The name was later applied to the village that developed in the 19th century and was extended to the areas known as Blackheath Park and Blackheath Vale.Origins
The Roman roadRoman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
that later became known as Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
crosses the northern edge of Blackheath (almost in line with the A2), probably heading for the mouth of Deptford Creek, rather than for Deptford Bridge like the modern A2
A2 road (Great Britain)
The A2 is a major road in southern England, connecting London with the English Channel port of Dover in Kent. This route has always been of importance as a connection between the British capital of London and sea trade routes to Continental Europe...
. It passed the excavated site in Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed , it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site. It commands fine views over the River Thames, Isle of...
of a Roman temple, where many Roman coins were found. Indeed, many small, conical Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
tumuli that lie beside Watling Street in this area were opened towards the end of the 18th century, to reveal artefacts including a lock of well-preserved auburn hair, spear-heads, knives, nails, glass beads and woollen and linen cloth. In the reign of Ethelred the Unready
Ethelred the Unready
Æthelred the Unready, or Æthelred II , was king of England . He was son of King Edgar and Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred was only about 10 when his half-brother Edward was murdered...
, the Danish fleet anchored in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
off Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
for over three years, with the army being encamped on the hill above; from here they attacked Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
Underneath "The Point", near summit of the hill, a cavern known locally as Jack Cade's Cavern
Jack Cade's Cavern
Jack Cade's Cavern is a cavern, extending several hundred feet underground, in Blackheath, south-east London, England. It is located northwest of the Heath and southwest of Greenwich Park, beneath a spot called "The Point". It was re-discovered in about the year 1780. They are also referred to as...
, was (re)discovered in 1780. The cavern extends several hundred feet underground and comprises four "irregular apartments", one of which contains a water well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
– this cavern is presumed to have been used as a hiding place during the Saxon
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
and Danish invasions.
Blackheath was a rallying point for Wat Tyler
Wat Tyler
Walter "Wat" Tyler was a leader of the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381.-Early life:Knowledge of Tyler's early life is very limited, and derives mostly through the records of his enemies. Historians believe he was born in Essex, but are not sure why he crossed the Thames Estuary to Kent...
's Peasants' Revolt
Peasants' Revolt
The Peasants' Revolt, Wat Tyler's Rebellion, or the Great Rising of 1381 was one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe and is a major event in the history of England. Tyler's Rebellion was not only the most extreme and widespread insurrection in English history but also the...
of 1381, and for Jack Cade
Jack Cade
Jack Cade was the leader of a popular revolt in the 1450 Kent rebellion during the reign of King Henry VI in England. He died on the 12th July 1450 near Lewes. In response to grievances, Cade led an army of as many as 5,000 against London, causing the King to flee to Warwickshire. After taking and...
's Kentish rebellion in 1450. Wat Tyler is remembered by Wat Tyler Road on the heath. After pitching camp on Blackheath, Cornish
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
rebels were defeated in the Battle of Deptford Bridge
Cornish Rebellion of 1497
The Cornish Rebellion of 1497 was a popular uprising by the people of Cornwall in the far southwest of Britain. Its primary cause was a response of people to the raising of war taxes by King Henry VII on the impoverished Cornish, to raise money for a campaign against Scotland motivated by brief...
(sometimes called the Battle of Blackheath), just to the west, on 17 June, 1497.
With Watling Street carrying stagecoaches across the heath, en route to north Kent and the Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
ports, it was also a notorious haunt of highwaymen
Highwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
during the 17th and 18th centuries. As reported in Edward Walford's Old and New London (1878), "In past times it was planted with gibbet
Gibbet
A gibbet is a gallows-type structure from which the dead bodies of executed criminals were hung on public display to deter other existing or potential criminals. In earlier times, up to the late 17th century, live gibbeting also took place, in which the criminal was placed alive in a metal cage...
s, on which the bleaching bones of men who had dared to ask for some extension of liberty, or who doubted the infallibility of kings, were left year after year to dangle in the wind." In 1909 Blackheath had a local branch of the London Society for Women's Suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
.
The Vanbrugh Pits are on the north-east part of the heath. The site of old gravel workings, Vanbrugh Pits have long been reclaimed by nature and form one of the more attractive parts of the generally rather flat Blackheath. There is much gorse present and it is particularly attractive in springtime when the blossom also comes out. The pits are named after Sir John Vanbrugh
John Vanbrugh
Sir John Vanbrugh – 26 March 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse and The Provoked Wife , which have become enduring stage favourites...
, architect of Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
and Castle Howard
Castle Howard
Castle Howard is a stately home in North Yorkshire, England, north of York. One of the grandest private residences in Britain, most of it was built between 1699 and 1712 for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, to a design by Sir John Vanbrugh...
, who had a house nearby, adjacent to Greenwich Park, now called 'Vanbrugh Castle'. 'Mince Pie House' built for his family survived until 1911.
Development
The sizeable estate of Blackheath Park, created on lands of Wricklemarsh Manor by John CatorJohn Cator
John Cator was a wealthy timber merchant and landowner responsible for the layout of much of the areas around Blackheath and Beckenham, both in London — and both of which were in the county of Kent during the late 18th century.The son of a Herefordshire timber merchant and Quaker, Cator...
is situated east of Blackheath village. Built over in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it contains many fine examples of substantial Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
and Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
houses – most notably Michael Searles
Michael Searles
Regency architect Michael Searles was famous as an English commercial architect of large houses, particularly in London. His most notable achievement is perhaps The Paragon in Blackheath....
' crescent of semi-detached terrace houses linked by colonnades, The Paragon (c 1793-1807) – as well as some 1930s and 1960s additions. The Cator Estate was built on part of the estate formerly owned by Sir John Morden
John Morden
Sir John Morden, 1st Baronet was a successful English merchant and philanthropist who also served briefly as an MP...
, whose Morden College
Morden College
Morden College is a long-standing charity which has been providing residential care in Blackheath, south-east London, England for over 300 years.It was founded by philanthropist Sir John Morden in 1695 as a home for 'poor Merchants.....
(1695) is another notable building to the south-east of the heath. The Cator Estate also contains innovative 1960s 'Span' houses and flats by the renowned Span Developments
Span Developments
Span Developments Limited was a British property development company formed in the late 1950s by Eric Lyons and Geoffrey Townsend. They teamed up, as developer and architect, with landscape designer Ivor Cunningham...
(architect Eric Lyons), and the Blackheath High School
Blackheath High School
Blackheath High School is situated near Blackheath Village in southeast London, England. It was founded in 1880 as part of the Girls' Day School Trust. The Senior Department is located in Vanbrugh Park after moving from Blackheath in 1993/4. The school in Blackheath village then became the Junior...
buildings on Vanburgh Park include the Church Army Chapel
Church Army Chapel, Blackheath
The Church Army Chapel at Vanbrugh Park, Blackheath, Greater London, designed by Ernest Trevor Spashett , opened in 1965 by Princess Alexandra and consecrated by Michael Ramsey, is a locally listed building of outstanding architectural significance, and is notable for originally having had the...
(architect E. T. Spashett).
George Smith (architect)
George Smith was an English architect and surveyor of the early 19th century, with strong connections with central and south-east London....
and completed in 1830, was dubbed the Needle of Kent in honour of its tall, thin spire (it is also nicknamed the Devil's Pick or the Devil's Toothpick). All Saints Church, situated on the heath, designed by the architect Benjamin Ferrey
Benjamin Ferrey
Benjamin Ferrey, F.S.A., F.R.I.B.A. was an English architect who worked mostly in the Gothic Revival.-Family:Benjamin Ferrey was the youngest son of Benjamin Ferrey Snr, a draper who became Mayor of Christchurch. He was educated at Wimborne Grammar School....
, dates from 1857.
Geography
Nearest places are:- CharltonCharlton, LondonCharlton is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Greenwich. It is located east-southeast of Charing Cross. Charlton next Woolwich was an ancient parish in the county of Kent, which became part of the metropolitan area of London in 1855. It is home to Charlton...
- DeptfordDeptfordDeptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
- GreenwichGreenwichGreenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
- Hither GreenHither GreenHither Green is a district in south east London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated 6.6 miles south east of Charing Cross, and on the Prime Meridian....
- KidbrookeKidbrookeKidbrooke is a district of South East London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.The district takes its name from the Kyd Brook, a watercourse which runs from Orpington to Lewisham, by which point it is part of the River Quaggy...
- LeeLee, LondonLee is a district of south London, England, located mostly in the London Borough of Lewisham and partly in the London Borough of Greenwich. The district lies to the east of Lewisham, one mile west of Eltham, and one mile south of Blackheath village...
- LewishamLewishamLewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
- Shooter's HillShooter's HillShooter's Hill is a district and electoral ward in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. It lies east of Blackheath and west of Welling, south of Woolwich and north of Eltham...
Culture
The main centre of Blackheath – 'the village' – lies to the south side of the heath in the vicinity of Blackheath railway stationBlackheath railway station
Blackheath railway station is situated in the heart of Blackheath village in London at . The track passes through the village and is crossed by a road overbridge on which the station buildings stand....
, and is home to numerous shops, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and pub
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s. All Saints' parish church stands on the heath itself, apart from the other buildings of the village. Approximately one mile to the north-east, Blackheath Standard is another shopping area, taking its name from the 'Royal Standard' pub.
Just south of the railway station, on the edge of the Blackheath Park housing estate, is the Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and the Arts. Next door is Blackheath Halls, a concert venue today owned and managed by Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
(based in nearby Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
).
The heath is host to a free annual fireworks display on the Saturday in November closest to Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
. This was previously organised and financed by the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham, but Greenwich Council withdrew its share of the funding in 2010. The show has become one of the UK's most popular and largest fireworks displays with over forty thousand spectators.
Sports
In 1608, according to tradition, Blackheath was the place where golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
was introduced to England – the Royal Blackheath Golf Club (based in nearby Eltham
Eltham, London
-Parks and open spaces:There is a large variety of open green space in Eltham, in the form of parkland, fields and woodland.*Avery Hill Park is large, open parkland, situated to the east of Eltham. It is most notable for its Winter Garden, a hothouse containing tropical trees and plants from around...
since 1923) was one of the first golf associations established (1766) outside Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Blackheath also gave its name to the first hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
club, established during the mid 19th century.
However, Blackheath is perhaps most famous as the home of the Blackheath Rugby Club, founded in 1858, which is the oldest documented
Oldest football club
The history of the formation of the oldest football clubs is of interest to sport historians in tracing the origins of the modern codes of football from casual pastime to early organised competition and mainstream sport. Many early clubs did not use the word "football" in their name...
rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
club in England. The Blackheath club also organised the world's first rugby international (between England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
and Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on 27 March 1871) and hosted the first international between England and Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
ten years later – the players meeting and getting changed at the Princess of Wales public house. Blackheath was one of the 12 founding members of the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
in 1863, as well as nearby Blackheath Proprietary School
Blackheath Proprietary School
The Blackheath Proprietary School was an educational establishment founded in 1830 that was noted in the contemporary press as an extremely successful school in terms of its education but is perhaps most notable for its profound influence on the game of football, in both Association and Rugby codes...
and Percival House (Blackheath)
Percival House F.C.
Perceval House was an English school in Blackheath, London. In October 1863, the school's football team became a founder-member of The Football Association, the body which regulates football in England....
.
Cricket has been played on the 'Heath' itself since the 1820s. By 1890, London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
was maintaining 36 pitches. Blackheath Cricket Club has been part of the sporting fabric of the area, joining forces with Blackheath Rugby Club in 1883 to purchase and develop the Rectory Field
Rectory Field
Rectory Field is a playing field in Blackheath, London. It was developed in the 1880s by Blackheath Cricket, Football and Lawn Tennis Company and became the home of Kent County Cricket Club and rugby union team Blackheath F.C....
as a home ground. As well as hosting quality club cricket for getting on for 150 years, Blackheath C. C. hosted 84 first class Kent County
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
matches between 1887 and 1971. For a list of these see:
There is also a long history of kite flying on the heath. Growing popularity of the sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
in recent years has attracted many kite flyers and kitebuggying
Kite buggy
A kite buggy is a light, purpose-built vehicle powered by a traction kite . It is single-seated and has one steerable front wheel and two fixed rear wheels. The driver sits in the seat located in the middle of the vehicle and accelerates and slows down by applying steering manoeuvres in...
is also a common sight on the heath. With neighbouring Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed , it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site. It commands fine views over the River Thames, Isle of...
, Blackheath is also well-known as the start point of the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
. This maintains a connection with athletics dating back to the establishment of the Blackheath Harriers (now Blackheath and Bromley Harriers) in 1869. British Military Fitness
British Military Fitness
British Military Fitness, or BMF, is an organisation providing fitness classes in over fifty public parks across the United Kingdom. The classes are run by former or serving members of the British armed forces with recognised fitness training qualifications....
runs its evening classes on the heath during the winter months, when Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed , it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site. It commands fine views over the River Thames, Isle of...
is closed. Blackheath emerged on 26 August 2009 as the location of the 2009 Climate Camp. It was chosen for its association with the Peasants' Revolt
Peasants' Revolt
The Peasants' Revolt, Wat Tyler's Rebellion, or the Great Rising of 1381 was one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe and is a major event in the history of England. Tyler's Rebellion was not only the most extreme and widespread insurrection in English history but also the...
of 1381.
Transport
Blackheath is served by Blackheath railway stationBlackheath railway station
Blackheath railway station is situated in the heart of Blackheath village in London at . The track passes through the village and is crossed by a road overbridge on which the station buildings stand....
. Passenger trains at the station are operated by Southeastern
Southeastern (train operating company)
London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
and there are services to the central London terminals at Cannon Street
Cannon Street station
Cannon Street station, also known as London Cannon Street, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. It is built on the site of the medieval Steelyard, the trading base in England of the Hanseatic League...
, Charing Cross
Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station, also known as London Charing Cross, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 18 stations managed by Network Rail, and trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
, London Bridge and Victoria.