East Dulwich

This South London suburb was first developed in the nineteenth century on land owned by the College of God's Gift.

[3] The earliest record of East Dulwich comes from 967 when Edgar the Peaceful granted Dilwihs to a thane named Earl Aelfheah.

[4] At the time East Dulwich was likely just a hamlet or group of small farms centered around what is today known as Goose Green.

[5] In 1544 Dulwich was granted to goldsmith Thomas Calton for £609 by Henry VIII making the area no longer property of the crown.

During the Stuart era a fresh water spring was found on the edge of Dulwich Wood on the corner of Lordship Lane and College Road.

In John Rocques’ 1761 map of the cities of London and Westminster, small farms and buildings occupy the modern location of East Dulwich at Goose Green; the modern Grove Vale road is referred to as Dog Kennel Lane.

Between 1871 and 1881 over 5,000 houses were built in East Dulwich as the small hamlet became part of the rapidly expanding London suburbs.

The Upper Middle class migrated to the area building "Villas" (large houses with bespoke gardens) nearby, many of which had tennis courts.

In 1882 Heber Road School opened and in 1885 horse-drawn trams arrived providing transport into london.

On Saturdays there is a small market on North Cross Road with antiques, crafts and specialist food stalls.

The route ran Dog Kennel Hill, Lordship Lane and East Dulwich Road.

1940s - World War II: the Blitz and the V1 & V-2 rocket flying bombs caused widespread damage to East Dulwich.

1980 - AC/DC singer Bon Scott died in a car parked outside of an East Dulwich house.

1998 - Commemorative blue plaque added to 36 Forest Hill Road, birthplace of Boris Karloff (William Henry Pratt) 2003 - London House (old East Dulwich Odeon) demolished.

Having fallen vacant in the 1980s and developing serious structural problems, it has been fully restored and converted to five flats in shared ownership.

St John the Evangelist church at Goose Green
Dulwich Library
Goose Green in snow
East Dulwich area map.
The Concrete House on Lordship Lane