Description
To the west of Avery Hill Park and behind Holy Trinity Church and adjacent housing, is a small area of public open space that contains remmants of the medieval brick Conduit Head, which once housed a weir arrangement controlling the supply of water to the moat at Eltham Palace, later used to provide water to the palace itself. The small site consists of open amenity grass, with some perimeter trees.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Conduit Meadow |
|---|---|
| Site location | off Southend Crescent, Eltham |
| Postcode | SE9 |
| What3Words | ///causes.dogs.agrees |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Greenwich |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Eltham then bus; New Eltham then bus. Bus: 132, 162, 286, B13. |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2006 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The remains of the old conduit in Conduit Meadow near Holy Trinity Church is recorded in R R C Gregory's 'The Story of Royal Eltham' in 1909. Gregory describes how the water was originally brought to the reservoir here through wooden pipes from a spring in the Warren, and from the conduit it was 'conveyed to all the houses of the Crown. It was first conducted to "Step-stile" house and gardens, thence through the Park, supplying on its way the Mansion, thence, by way of what is now the "Chestnuts" it went to the Palace. By means of branches it supplied the old houses about the Court Yard.' The old conduit was discarded in 1838 when a new conduit was built with iron replacing the wooden ones. Holy Trinity Church was erected in 1889, designed by G L Street.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ435742 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.01225 |
| Site Ownership | RB Greenwich |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces Department |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Conduit Head. LBC: Holy Trinity Church |
| 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 | Greenwich |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | abuts Area of Special Character of Metropolitan Imp |
| Other LA Designation | Green Chain; Green Chain Walk |
Gallery
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
Avery Hill Park was formed from parkland of Col. John North's Victorian mansion, Avery Hill, built for him c1888. By 1891 his estate was over 270ha, including land now known as Shooters Hill Woodlands, which was used partly for shooting and some let for farming. On his death in 1896 the estate was auctioned, much of it eventually purchased in 1902 by the LCC, some land remaining in private usage. Avery Hill Park was opened in 1903/04 and includes remains of the gardens close to the house and wider parkland with some fine trees. The mansion and its Winter Garden are in separate ownership of University of Greenwich. The old East Lodge remains at the park entrance on Bexley Road, while the West Lodge provides the main entrance to the University.
Royal Blackheath Golf Course is laid out on the former Great Park of Eltham Palace, incorporating the new landscape of Eltham Lodge that was established after Sir John Shaw took over the lease of the Palace estate from the Crown in 1663. Eltham Lodge was built for Shaw in 1664 and is now the golf clubhouse. Other remnants of the earlier landscape include C17th garden walls and an early-mid C19th garden pavilion. The history of golf at Blackheath dates back to the arrival of James I from Scotland and the Blackheath Golf Club was instituted in 1608. The prefix Royal was added in c.1849 and in 1923 the club moved from Blackheath to merge with Eltham Golf Club, which had been established in 1892, leasing the former Great Park for its golf course.
Avery Hill was a late Victorian Italianate villa built for Colonel John Thomas North in c.1888 with fine gardens and an enormous conservatory where he housed his winter garden. North initially rented the estate and 20 acres of land but by 1891 had expanded it to over 270 ha, which included much of what is now Shooters Hill Woodlands, and it was used partly for shooting and some let for farming. On his death in 1896 the estate was auctioned, much of it eventually purchased by the LCC, part becoming Avery Hill Park. From 1906 the mansion was used as a college of education, Avery Hill College. The well-stocked Winter Garden is open to the public, and to the west are terraced flower gardens.
