Description
Blythe Hill Fields is a large grassy mound, some 70 metres high from where there are fine views. The land was formerly part of Brockley Farm and also the site of a brickworks, which was saved from housing development partly due to the hilly nature of the site. Blythe Hill House was built to the south in 1842 and its grounds covered a large part of Blythe Hill; the house was demolished in 1895. The land was purchased by the LCC and opened as a public park in 1935. A chimney from the former brickworks remained until 1938.
Practical Information
| Site location | Brockley View/Codrington Hill/Blythe Hill Lane |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SE23 1SP |
| What3Words | ///stars.link.blunt |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Lewisham |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Play area, cycle route |
| Public Transport | Rail: Catford, Catford Bridge. London Overground: Honor Oak Park. Bus: 122, 171, 172, P4, P12 (then walk) |
| Research Updated | 5 February 2024 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Friends of Blythe Hill Fields was established in October 2003 to promote the increased use, access to and enjoyment of Blythe Hill Fields. The group liaises with partners such as Lewisham Council, in order to maintain existing facilities as well as develop and install new ones. Together with local residents, Lewisham Council and national wildlife and park groups, the Friends are currently working on several new projects, including a community wildlife garden, a Tiny Forest, enhanced meadows, trees and habitats for targeted ‘at risk’ species, which are all covered in a comprehensive Biodiversity plan.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ366738 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Lewisham |
| Site Management | Greenscene Department, Glendale Grounds Management |
| Dates | 1935 |
| Designers | LCC |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Lewisham |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Archaeological Priority (London-Lewes Roman Road) |
| Other LA Designation | Public Open Space; LV2 |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
0.8 hectare public park. The park currently features London Plane trees as well as some ornamental trees eg Catalpa; and a set of children's swings. The railings are late 20th Century. There is a mixture of hard-standing paths and informal paths. The development of the Ravensbourne Park Estate began in the 1820s north of Catford Bridge. The estate was only gradually built over leaving the current space. A number of the early houses survive including the villas at 60-62 Ravensbourne Park opposite Ravensbourne Park Gardens. After WWI the area became fully developed and the current public gardens date from c.1960s/70s.
Brockley Hill Park Estate Ornamental Garden is a hidden private garden owned and managed by residents of adjoining properties represented by a Trust formed in 1853, an arrangement common in Kensington and Westminster but unusual in south-east London. By the mid C19th the land was being developed by the Conservative Land Society as Brockley Hill Park Estate, offering plots for detached and semi-detached houses, a few shops, a church (not built) and an area reserved for an Ornamental Garden. In 1929 the Trustees purchased the two vacant plots that had been left for the access road for the church, ensuring that there was no road access to the garden. In 1951 Lewisham Borough Council wished to purchase the garden for public open space but this was vigorously opposed and the proposal was abandoned. The park consists of three terraces, the upper and lower of which are wooded with the middle terrace occupied by tennis courts since at least 1913.
Ladywell Fields is a public park situated on three historic fields that in medieval times were part of the manor of Lewisham. The area, through which the Ravensbourne river runs, is named after a medicinal well recorded from the at least the C15th. The arrival of the railways in the 1850s gradually brought development to the area and in 1889 the land between the river and the railway was purchased and opened as Ladywell Recreation Ground. Because the area was liable to flooding the river channel was straightened and enlarged, weirs were added, and the meadows were drained and landscaped. Between 2007 and 2011 the park has undergone significant enhancement schemes, which have focused on re-naturalising the river corridor, improving the landscape for wildlife as well as people.