Eckington Gardens in New Cross was the next park on my list!
Lewisham Parks & Gardens
Charlottenburg Park in New Cross
The Mulally website tells us that ‘…Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham officially opened the new Charlottenburg Park on Saturday 3rd September. This new park was constructed by Mulalley on the former Deptford Green school site in Amersham Vale and was named, following a public poll, in honour of Lewisham’s twinning arrangement with Charlottenburg in Berlin, which seems a rather curious ‘twin’…
Margaret McMillan Park in Deptford
London Gardens Online tells me: ‘…The park is named after Margaret McMillan who with her sister Rachel McMillan were pioneers of nursery education. Margaret McMillan Park opened in 1954 and was originally laid out between Watson’s Street and Glenville Grove with a series of lawns along Douglas Way. In the late 1980s part of the park was eroded by housing development and in 1998 improvements were carried out to the park, including a bridge by sculptor John Maine. In 2009 the park was redesigned and re-landscaped as part of Route 1 of the North Lewisham Links project, the works completed in 2010…’.
Fordham Park in New Cross
The Borough of Lewisham owns and manages Fordham Park in New Cross. Back in 1619 James 1 owned the land. Today Clifton Rise leads from the main New Cross road into one side of the Park. This was Wolve Acre Lane’ in 1619 when the area was farmland.
Sue Godfrey Nature Reserve
The Lewisham Council website tells us that ‘…The park was originally named Bronze Street Nature Park. It was renamed [Sue Godfrey Nature Reserve] in 1994 in memory of Sue Godfrey…’, a local resident and environmental campaigner. She was instrumental in rescuing the park and played a vital role in life on the adjacent Crossfield Estate.
‘…Two years later, the ashes of Roy Ramsey, another environmental campaigner, were gently interred here. Both were much loved and it is to be hoped that, by keeping their memory alive, the nature park’s survival for future generations of wildlife and people will be ensured…’.
The Surrey Canal Linear Park
Pepys Parks continued
There are several more green spaces which make up Pepys Parks, in addition to the Lower and Upper Parks previously visited. A gap between the buildings on Grove Street, almost opposite the row of shops, leads to the first green space, and then another gap between buildings leads across Bowditch to Longshore and on to the Foreshore.
Pepys Parks in Lewisham
Near to Sayes Court Park is the spread-out site of Pepys Parks in Lewisham, alongside the River Thames.
Sayes Court Park in Deptford
Deptford Park has a strong connection with John Evelyn and so it seemed sensible to visit Sayes Court Park in Deptford next. This was the site and name of his home and garden (perhaps ‘estate’ would be a better word) in Deptford, which is in the Borough of Lewisham.
Folkestone Gardens in Lewisham
I have often driven past Folkestone Gardens in the car, or whizzed by in the train, but I have not walked there until now. London Gardens Online tells me that ‘…Folkestone Gardens were created in the 1970s on the site of war-damaged housing, and is overlooked and completely surrounded by railway lines. The Grand Surrey Canal used to run past the northern end of the park from Camberwell to the Surrey Docks; it was filled in in 1972, having closed the previous year. On undulating ground, the park has grass, woodland areas, a belt of Lombardy poplars along the edge, and a group of sycamores in the centre. In the north-west is a large pond with an island with weeping willow. When it was restored in 1994, some of the pond-side plants were taken from the surplus at Hare and Billet Pond on Blackheath. The park supports a surprising diversity of plants and animals considering its size and location…’.