Honor Oak
Encyclopedia
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 . The tree came to be known as the Oak of Honor. The tree surrounded by railings is an oak, and was planted c1905 and a successor to the historic one.
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. 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 and even today remains one of the largest in Europe
. 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.
newspaper. The area has a highly rated Italian restaurant, Le Querce (translation from the Italian "The Oaks"), 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.
(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.
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
.
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 part in The London Borough of Southwark
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
. 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
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:...
area by an oak tree at the summit of a hill . The tree came to be known as the Oak of Honor. The tree surrounded by railings is an oak, and was planted c1905 and a successor to the historic one.
Overview
The beaconBeacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
at the summit was erected to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George VI in 1935. It was subsequently used for the Coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
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
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
and later the French
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
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
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...
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
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in the County of London. The borough was created in 1900 by the London Government Act 1899, covering the area of the ancient parish of Camberwell...
and made into a public open space by 1905.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
a gun emplacement was erected on the hill to counter the threat of raids by Zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
airships.
One part of the open space eventually became a nine hole golf course called the Aquarias Golf Club. 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 and even today remains one of the largest in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The reservoir now forms part of the Southern extension of the Thames Water Ring Main
Thames Water Ring Main
The Thames Water Ring Main is a major part of London's water supply infrastructure that consists of an approximately 80 km system of mostly concrete pipelines used to transfer potable water from water treatment works in the Thames and River Lee catchments to distribution within London.The...
.
Between 1809 and 1836, a canal ran through Honor Oak as part of its route from New Cross
New Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
to Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. It also went via Forest Hill
Forest Hill, London
Forest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
and Sydenham
Sydenham
Sydenham is an area and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham; although some streets towards Crystal Palace Park, Forest Hill and Penge are outside the ward and in the London Borough of Bromley, and some streets off Sydenham Hill are in the London Borough of Southwark. Sydenham was in...
. The canal was replaced by a railway line after 1836, and this now forms part of the line between London Bridge
London Bridge station
London Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
and Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. Honor Oak Park railway station
Honor Oak Park railway station
Honor Oak Park railway station serves the suburban area of Honor Oak in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is located between and .The station is operated by London Overground, with London Overground and Southern trains serving the station. First Capital Connect and some Southern services pass...
opened in 1886 is on this line. Honor Oak railway station
Honor Oak railway station
Honor Oak railway station was a station opened in December 1865 in Honor Oak, London by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway on the Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway...
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 Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
. The remains of the embankment of this line can still be seen, forming part of Brenchley Gardens.
In 2010 Honor Oak Park railway station
Honor Oak Park railway station
Honor Oak Park railway station serves the suburban area of Honor Oak in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is located between and .The station is operated by London Overground, with London Overground and Southern trains serving the station. First Capital Connect and some Southern services pass...
became part of the London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
extension, providing residents with direct links into Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
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.
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 IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
newspaper. The area has a highly rated Italian restaurant, Le Querce (translation from the Italian "The Oaks"), 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.
Famous residents
Political activist Jim ConnellJim Connell
Jim Connell was an Irish political activist of the late 19th century and early 20th century, best known as the writer of the anthem "The Red Flag" in December 1889.-Life:...
(1852–1929), author of 'The Red Flag
The Red Flag
The Red Flag is a protest song associated with left-wing politics, in particular with socialism. It is the semi-official anthem of the British Labour Party, sung at the end of conference. It is the official anthem of the Irish Labour Party and sung at the close of national conference.-History:The...
', lived in Stondon Park Road (which is on the border of Crofton Park
Crofton Park
Crofton Park is a vibrant, mainly residential suburb and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is the original site of the former agricultural hamlet of Brockley. It is located 5.3 miles south east of Charing Cross, and is south of Brockley and north of Honor Oak...
and Honor Oak). He wrote the anthem while on a train journey to his home in December 1889.
The comedian Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
(1918–2002), lived at 22 Gabriel Street, Honor Oak, and 50 Riseldine Road (which is on the border of Crofton Park
Crofton Park
Crofton Park is a vibrant, mainly residential suburb and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is the original site of the former agricultural hamlet of Brockley. It is located 5.3 miles south east of Charing Cross, and is south of Brockley and north of Honor Oak...
and Honor Oak) after coming to England from India in the 1930s.
Other famous residents include actor Timothy Spall
Timothy Spall
Timothy Leonard Spall, OBE is an English character actor and occasional presenter.-Early life:Spall, the third of four sons, was born in Battersea, London. His mother, Sylvia R. , was a hairdresser, and his father, Joseph L. Spall, was a postal worker...
and singer Gabrielle
Gabrielle (singer)
Louisa Gabrielle Bobb is a multi-platinum selling, BRIT Award winning English singer, who records under the name Gabrielle. Gabrielle began her career temping during the day and singing for free in London clubs at night...
.
Nearest places
- Forest Hill, LondonForest Hill, LondonForest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
- East DulwichEast DulwichEast Dulwich is a district of South London, England in the London Borough of Southwark. It forms the eastern one third of Dulwich, with the Dulwich Wood area, Dulwich Village and West Dulwich to its South and West making up the remaining two thirds...
- Crofton ParkCrofton ParkCrofton Park is a vibrant, mainly residential suburb and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is the original site of the former agricultural hamlet of Brockley. It is located 5.3 miles south east of Charing Cross, and is south of Brockley and north of Honor Oak...
- BrockleyBrockleyBrockley is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross.It is covered by the London postcode districts SE4 and SE14.-History:...
- NunheadNunheadNunhead is a place in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England. It is an inner-city suburb located southeast of Charing Cross. It is the location of the Nunhead Cemetery. Nunhead has traditionally been a working-class area and, with the adjacent neighbourhoods, is currently going...
- LadywellLadywellLadywell is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham.-History:The name Ladywell was in use by the 15th century, and maps dating to this period show the site of the original Ladywell, in front of the area later to be occupied by the Freemason's Arms and...
Relevant links
- Honor Oak Park Railway StationHonor Oak Park railway stationHonor Oak Park railway station serves the suburban area of Honor Oak in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is located between and .The station is operated by London Overground, with London Overground and Southern trains serving the station. First Capital Connect and some Southern services pass...
- SE23.com - The local community website for Forest Hill and Honor Oak, London SE23
- Honor Oak Christian Fellowship CentreHonor Oak Christian Fellowship CentreThe Honor Oak Christian Fellowship & Conference Centre, generally known as the Christian Fellowship Centre or Honor Oak, was a Christian conference and training facility located on Honor Oak Road in south-east London. The centre was the ministry base for its founder, the British evangelist and...
- 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