Blackheath Estate Agents - Local History

Blackheath Local History

Blackheath, which gets it's name from the dark colour of the soil found on the heath itself (and not from the burial of black plague victims on the heath, as was believed for many years).

It is an area split between two Boroughs. The northern area, next to Greenwich Park (known to locals as The Royal Standard - after a famous local public house) is in the Borough of Greenwich. The southern part of Blackheath (seperated by the A2 that runs across the heath itself) is actually in the Borough of Lewisham.

The heath is former common land, managed for public use since 1871, and used over the years for many public gatherings including fairs, royal celebrations, rebellions, battles and religious gatherings. Even today the heath plays host to regular fairs and circuses, and the spectacular yearly fireworks night celebrations.

There is evidence of pre-historic man in the area, with 7 chambers and a well discovered under the little known Point Hill in the 1780s. Celtic carvings were found within the entrance, but the area was damaged and collapsed in the 1880s.

In Roman times, Watling Street ran across Blackheath and Danes camped on the area between 1011 and 1014, having captured Archbishop of Canterbury, Alfege.

Wat Tyler is remembered by Wat Tyler Road on Blackheath Common. Wat Tyler & Jack Straw's peasants revolt protesting against taxes in 1381 with 100,000 rebels gathering here.

Jack Cade's march to London began here in June 1450 along with 40,000 protestors, against the non-punishment of murderers.

In 1497 the rebellion by the men of Cornwall led by Michael Joseph and James Tuchet, Lord Audley, was crushed by Henry VII. The bodies of slaughtered rebels were buried under mounds, one of which remains and was later re-named Whitefield's Mound, after the revivalist preacher George Whitefield who preached here.

In 1554 the unsuccessful rebellion led by Sir Thomas Wyatt against the Tudor Queen Mary's Spanish marriage camped on the heath.

There have also been many celebrations here, such as Henry V's return from Agincourt in 1415 and Charles II's return to be King in 1660.

Today, in conjunction with Greenwich Park, the heath also marks the beginning of the London Marathon each year.

Many famous people have lived in Blackheath over the years, including James Callaghan, John Julius Angerstein, Sophia Aldred, Emily Davison, Montague John Druit, Frank Watson Dyson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, James Clark Ross, Ignatius Sancho, Alfred Yarrow, Terry Waite & Jools Holland.

Blackheath is famous for its Rugby Club, Golf Club (oldest in England), Hockey Club (oldest in the world), Blackheath & Bromley Harriers, Blackheath Concert Halls and much more, including the Village itself with its wide range of shops, pubs and restaurants.

In addition to everything above, Blackheath is blessed with a spectacularly broad range of properties ranging from small flats & maisonettes to huge historic mansions, and is served by a wide range of Blackheath Estate Agents (that is why you're here, after all!).