Telegraph Hill Park in Lewisham is in two parts – south and north, or upper and lower – and separated by Kitto Road. My first visit was to the South Park (Upper) last week and today I cross the road to walk in Lower Telegraph Hill Park in Lewisham (North Park).
London Gardens Online (LGO) tells me that the ‘…northern part of the park was laid out on a narrow rectangle that slopes dramatically north and west… The park’s layout was designed by the LCC and included a bandstand, ponds and elaborate walks, with perimeter planting and a perimeter walk…’.


Access to Telegraph Hill Park
There are four gates into the park, at each of the four corners, and they are locked night for protection.




In the park
LGO continues ‘…The northern park’s concrete-lined ponds were empty by 1995 and both shelter and bandstand had been demolished but the path layout remained and the pond has willows and shrubbery to the east, with notable plane trees to the north of the pond; banks along the east are planted with a shrubbery belt. The site of the shelter is south of the pond…’.

The ponds The bridge over the ponds




There is a children’s playground is in the middle of the Park, and next to it is a skate park and fenced-in basketball pitch.
LGO speaks of a ‘shelter’ in the Park – could they mean this building, toilets, between the ponds and the skatepark?

Shrubs in Telegraph Hill Park
Yes, there are shrubberies in the park and probably the autumn is not the best time to enjoy them. I found hawthorn, philadelphus, pampas grass, dogwoods, and a flowering palm (I think it was this!) and other shrubs. Railings protect and close off a meadow area.


Trees in Telegraph Hill Park
The real glory of this Park in the autumn is the trees and the colour of their leaves. In particular there are old and stately plane trees.


Beech Willows Gingko











LCC originally owned Telegraph Hill Park. The GLC then took ownership and in 1971 Lewisham Council took over the care of the park. Lower Telegraph Hill Park in Lewisham is a glorious park in South East London where I particularly enjoyed the late autumn colours.