Villa on Sydenham Hill?
Villa on Sydenham Hill?
Which Sydenham Hill house was this?
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Steve Grindlay
- Posts: 606
- Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
- Location: Upper Sydenham
I have no idea which this house is. As the architects were Banks and Barry it would have been on the Dulwich side of Sydenham Hill. I don't think it was Beechgrove, the photograph in Sydenham & Forest Hill Past, page 102, looks quite different. By the way, I was the winning bidder so I'm now the proud owner of these engravings.
When you get time, you might want to investigate this with old boy Seaman.
How many villas were on the Dulwich side? I remember Steve saying there was about 5 or 6 backed onto the woods (can't find the topic), plus there must have been more on the south side where Woodsyre is now built. My maps all cut off around this area, but perhaps the shape of the villa in question can be compared to a large-scale historical map of the road? Also, there is a roman numeral in the corner; could this be the house number? Sixty something...
Now you know why I started up those other topics... Sydenham Hill has always confused me by it's contrast to historical times. I keep reading it was like a country lane, but how could it be with all those fine villas!? I think only one such house survives on the Dulwich side, which I once stepped inside during my youth years (only a vague memory). It might be a worthwhile exercise to try and match up all the known villas on the map with photographs, thereby eliminating most of the houses, leaving just the unknown ones.
Well done to Steve for winning the auction! I knew better than to contest...
How many villas were on the Dulwich side? I remember Steve saying there was about 5 or 6 backed onto the woods (can't find the topic), plus there must have been more on the south side where Woodsyre is now built. My maps all cut off around this area, but perhaps the shape of the villa in question can be compared to a large-scale historical map of the road? Also, there is a roman numeral in the corner; could this be the house number? Sixty something...
Now you know why I started up those other topics... Sydenham Hill has always confused me by it's contrast to historical times. I keep reading it was like a country lane, but how could it be with all those fine villas!? I think only one such house survives on the Dulwich side, which I once stepped inside during my youth years (only a vague memory). It might be a worthwhile exercise to try and match up all the known villas on the map with photographs, thereby eliminating most of the houses, leaving just the unknown ones.
Well done to Steve for winning the auction! I knew better than to contest...
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Steve Grindlay
- Posts: 606
- Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
- Location: Upper Sydenham
Quite a lot. According the Kelly's 1898 directory there was a total of 30 houses on the Dulwich side of Sydenham Hill. Between the Kirkdale roundabout and Cox's Walk there were two houses, between Cox's Walk and Crescent Wood Road there were 7 houses, between the two arms of Crescent Wood Road there were 3 houses (including DWH), and between Crescent Wood Road and CP Parade there were 18 houses. And, of course, Sydenham Hill continues to Lordship Lane where there were a further 8 houses.Falkor wrote:How many villas were on the Dulwich side?...
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Steve Grindlay
- Posts: 606
- Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
- Location: Upper Sydenham
I think we've identified the house. I showed the picture to John Seaman and, after an hour or so of mulling it over, he thinks it might be 53 Sydenham Hill (it was renumbered 105 in the mid-1930s). I'm pretty sure he is right. It is the third house to the south of Cox's Walk, after Lapsewood and Beechgrove. It stood roughly opposite Mais House and the entrance to Lammas Green and is at the top edge in this copy of the 1914 OS map:
One should never give up!
One should never give up!