When the Saxons invaded the countryside of Kent (they were not interested in towns that were no longer trading) the manor and parish of Lewisham would have been formed, among many others, perhaps taken over from the owners of a Roman Villa that has yet to be unearthed. In the Middle Ages, peasants would have worked the farm land for the Lord of the Manor of Lewisham, tied to his land, tried in the manorial court and fined for petty crimes like stepping on somebody else's strip of crops. Only Lower Sydenham around Bell Green, Perry Slough (old hamlet in the Perry Rise/Vale area) and Perry Hill near the River Pool was the soil rich enough for growing crops. Poor soil and wasteland to the west in Upper Sydenham was generally only suitable for grazing animals and evolved into Sydenham Common, though after the enclosure took root, some fields were deemed suitable for plant life.
One can get an idea and feel for what it must have been like living in rural Lewisham/Sydenham/Forest Hill by visiting a timeless village in Kent today, such as Eynsford (voted the best) with it's valley, viaduct, Roman villa, Norman Castle, Eagle Heights, zoo, farm houses and fields. Walking through Sydenham once upon a time, you could have experienced pretty much a similar thing:
*Farm houses
*Fenced fields (originated as open fields)
*Animals and crops
*Footpaths and Public bridleways
Visiting Wells Park or Mayow Park is certainly no substitute, so in the strictest sense of the rural definition, I have focused my research on the rich, fertile arable fields regardless of whether they were tied to a farm house or not, but this is not to be confused with a garden or allotment. That's not to say pastoral fields do not count, and by no means is this definitive enough to truly answer the question of when Sydenham and Forest Hill lost their rural nature. And I've not attempted to trace land use beyond my opening data provided by the 1843 Tithe Map. Everything is through visual comparison, and even if a field continued to exist, it may have long ceased to be used for crops.
Here is overview showing all the arable fields in Sydenham and Forest Hill (including Brockley), which are shaded. Pastoral fields also belonging to the same occupant have been outlined (Pastoral only farmland has been ommitted).
Occupant: Colegate George
Landowner: Germans Earl of St
# of arable fields: 2
1843-1863: Wiped out by Thornleigh, Claverhouse and Greyfriars (Wells Park Road)
Occupant: Colgate George
Landowner: Forster Samuel
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Wiped out by buildings at the junction of Dartmouth Road and London Road
Occupant: Drewitt
Landowner: Keats William
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Replaced by house and garden in London Road opposite Honor Oak Road
Occupant: Forster Samuel
Landowner: Forster Samuel
# of arable fields: 2 (8 elsewhere in Lewisham)
1843-1863: Replaced by houses in Dartmouth Road
Occupant: Harrison William
Landowner: Leather Sellers Company
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Built over by houses in Kirkdale
Occupant: Hunt Thomas
Landowner: Hunt Thomas
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Back garden of Wells Park Road building
Occupant: Keed
Landowner: French Miss
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Replaced by 2 houses on Kirkdale opposide Kelvin Grove
Occupant: Ridgeway William
Landowner: Warton Henry James
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Built over by Cobbs corner parade
Occupant: Turner John
Landowner: Bowden John
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: New grounds for St Mary's Oratory
Occupant: Mayow Mary
Landowner: Mayow Mary
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Looks like it's still there
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Replaced by houses in Mayow Road
Occupant: Selby William
Landowner: Adams Williams Dacre
# of arable fields: 3
1843-1863: First field reduced in size due to houses in Perry Vale; other 2 fields still intact
1863-1875: 1 field built over by Mayow and Wynell Road; other 2 still there
1875-1894: Replaced by houses in Dacres, Inglemere and Bampton Roads; other field used as sidings for the railway
Occupant: Thomas Mr
Landowner: Bridge House Estate
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Half possibly still in use; rest replaced by new houses in Sydenham Hill
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Turned into gardens for Sydenham Hill houses
Occupant: Owen Ann
Landowner: Germans Earl of St and Wetherall
# of arable fields: 11
1843-1863: 4 fields nearest to Stanstead Road gone; Honor Oak Road field reduced in size. Rest still there.
1863-1875: Honor Oak Road field replaced by Tyson Road; 1 field reduced by 2 houses in Brockley Rise; another split by railway line; 3 fully intact
1875-1894: Split field reduced by Ivydale Road; 1 Replaced by Stondon Park others wiped out by streets and houses near Crofton Park station
1894-1914: Last field replaced by streets and golf course around Honor Oak Park
Occupant: Sabin Stephen
Landowner: Sabin Stephen
# of arable fields: 6
1843-1863: All 6 still there
1863-1875: 1 field reduced in size due to Rutland Park
1875-1894: Top field replaced by newly housed streets of Stanstead Road; 2 still remain
1894-1914: 1 replaced by cricket ground; rest replaced by newly housed streets in Vancouver Road
Occupant: Colson William
Landowner: Greaves James
# of arable fields: 2
1843-1863: Still there
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Still there but merged with a larger field
1894-1914: Still there
1914-1938: Wiped out by Bellingham Estate
Occupant: Riddington Stephen
Landowner: Saint Saviour's Paris
# of arable fields: 3
1843-1863: Lower field half reduced in size due to railway line; upper two still there
1863-1875: Lower field replaced by St Marks Road; upper two still there
1875-1894: Still there
1894-1914: Still there
1914-1938: Wiped out by Bellingham Estate
Occupant: Price Ralph
Landowner: Forster Samuel
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Still there
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Still there
1894-1914: Still there
1914-1938: Still there
1938-1952: Replaced by Dome Hill Park and Woodland (later Talisman Square)
Occupant: Weager John
Landowner: Cator John
# of arable fields: 2
1843-1863: Still there
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Still there
1894-1914: Still there
1914-1938: Reduced by Meadow View Road
1938-1952: Wiped out by Meadow View Road houses
Occupant: Whittle William
Landowner: Germans Earl of St
# of arable fields: 2
1843-1863: Reduced to 2 smaller fields
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Still there
1894-1914: Still there
1914-1938: Still there
1938-1952: Replaced by flats off Thorpewood Avenue
Occupant: Sheet Luke
Landowner: Parker Thomas Watson
# of arable fields: 2
1843-1863: Half possibly still in use; rest replaced by new houses in Dartmouth Road
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Still there
1894-1914: Still there
1914-1938: Still there
1938-1952: Replaced by houses in Round Hill and school building
Occupant: Dean Thomas
Landowner: Cator John
# of arable fields: 2
1843-1863: Still there, but one field used as a brick field
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Still there
1894-1914: Still there
1914-1938: Still there
1938-1952: Part of Britannic House Club (later the Bridge)
Occupant: Selby George
Landowner: Leather Sellers Company
# of arable fields: 1
1843-1863: Still there
1863-1875: Still there
1875-1894: Still there
1894-1914: Still there
1914-1938: Still there
1938-1952: Still there: it would seem to be part of a nursery or sports centre? (later replaced by Holland Drive sometime between 1993-2011)
Now the challenge is to find some pictures!
