A new trial access to Forest Hill station will implements from 30th July 2022 which is designed to make the station more pedestrian friendly.
The car park will remain open except the side closest to WH Smith. This side of the car park will be converted into a pedestrian friendly space with additional plants and flowers. We hope that this will improve the welcome to Forest Hill and encourage events to take place in the town centre.
Drop-off and parking at the station will still be possible through the existing vehicle entrance, but this will also function as the exit from the car park. During the trial period the impact of the scheme will be monitored to see if the scheme works for all the community, and consider whether any changes are necessary to turn this into a permanent change.
Once the changes are in place we would welcome your feedback (positive or negative) to understand the views of the community.
30 June 2022
Station Forecourt Changes
01 June 2022
Anise Gallery Presents "Shrine of the Goat"
10th - 12th June 2022 at The Old Chapel, 27-33 Malham Road, London SE23 1AH
Hidden within the bizarre dystopian world that is the Shrine of the Goat lies a fragile environment. The goats appear to have control but are they protecting it or taking it over? Tiny morsels of plant life remain in the hope that one day they will thrive once again.
Working with performance artist, theatre director and curator Jacek Ludwig Scarso, and building on previous collaborations performed at Tate Modern, theatrical live scenes are merged with music and an integrated VR Performance in response to the unique site of The Old Chapel, creating a dreamscape where visitors and performers intermingle.
Physically and virtually immersed in a surreal habitat, visitors are confronted with the image of goats as a poignant metaphor for stubborn resilience and an unpredictable future.
Playful, bizarre and mysterious, the piece directly responds to LFA‘s ‘act’ theme, using performance as a vehicle to interact with the idea of architecture as spectacle, and to poetically reflect on the fragility of an urbanised ecosystem.
Further information and ticket booking via Anise Gallery. Tickets are £5 for adults and free for children.
24 May 2022
Edible Plant Giveaway
Saturday 28th May - 2pm at Forest Hill station
This year the Forest Hill Society is once again able to offer a free edible “starter” plant to any one who comes to our tables at Forest Hill station on Saturday afternoon, 28th May. We aim to encourage people to grow their own edible plants, or plants with edible products.
No need for a garden, these plants can be grown on a window ledge in any old container. Our plants are provided by the Forest Hill Library garden team, Sydenham Gardens and Kilmorie School.
We recommend coming down as soon as possible after 2pm as plants go quickly. We would particularly welcome families at 2pm to give children a chance to grow these edible plants. If you don't have children who wish to grow the plant then you are most welcome, but we want to give priority to children for the first 15-20 minutes.
23 May 2022
FREE DRAMA WORKSHOP - May 25th
FREE DRAMA WORKSHOP as part of Lewisham Borough of Culture 2022
As part of Borough of Culture TEATRO VIVO have been made 'Artists of Change' working with the Climate resilience team at the council.
The end result will be a 20-minute show that will be performed twice in every ward in the borough - representing what the people of Lewisham think the borough should be doing around climate, greening, and reaching net zero by 2030.
After working with the climate team, we're reaching out to residents to hear what they want to say and we’d love for you to get involved. We’re running a drama workshop in each ward in the borough including one at Albion Millennium Green on Wednesday, May 25th 6.00-7.30pm.
To participate, please contact email@foresthillsocety.com
For more information then please visit www.teatrovivo.co.uk
27 April 2022
Old Photos of Forest Hill from SE23.life
Nice old photos of The Forester’s Arms, currently know as the All Inn One
and the Forest Hill Hotel, including floor plan).
Forest Hill Station
1910
1911
Some film from 1964 driving up from Lordship Lane to junction with South
Circular then down into Forest Hill and round under the railway bridge.
You may notice there are works happening down London road… nothing much changes eh?
(link takes you to relevant bit @ 3:10 ish but there may be more you notice)
From Facebook. 1971 apparently.
I saw this pic the other day which I thought was gorgeous. 1960 apparently
Here’s a blast from the past - Spiggy’s on Dartmouth Road
Here you go, it became a Dairy in 1927:
An old favourite!
In the 1870’s the Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro painted Lordship Lane station from the bridge in Sydenham Hill Woods looking north at the Crystal Palace High Level Railway. What was open countryside then is all overgrown now, but there are a few visible pointers to the old railway track.
I’ve led walks for friends along the railway route from Nunhead to Crystal Palace a couple of times. Here’s an overlay of some current views with the painting to compare. The accuracy of his drafting, of the landscape and especially of the houses that are still there is, as you might expect, excellent.
In his painting, centrally we see the railway line, then the station
buildings, just beyond them was a bridge over Lordship Lane heading into
the current Horniman
Nature Trail, at the back of Woodvale. To the right in the distance we
see the hill on which Horniman Gardens now stand. In the near right
foreground now stand the apartment blocks of the Sydenham Hill Estate.
Finally, left of centre, the red house with the cream house left of it
on the corner of Woodvale.
this pic appeared on Twitter recently, the original wooden bridge from which Pissarro painted Lordship Lane station. Don’t know the date - guessing around 1900 from the dress of the two children pictured?
Lordship Lane Station looking north in c. early 1920’s
Lordship Lane Station looking north in the early 1950’s
Photo from Brian Halford collection
Lordship Lane Station looking south during demolition in 1956
Photo by John L. Smith
The site of Lordship Lane Station looking north east in July 2007
Photo by Nick Catford 
Aerial view showing the site of Lordship Lane Station - the platforms are shown in black. The arrow indicates the camera position and direction of the photograph above.
Click here for more pictures of Lordship Lane Station
Click here for pictures of Cox’s Walk footbridge south of Lordship Lane Station
Click here to see literature advertising the ‘Palace Centenarian’ - the last train
and this is one side of the station, a 2 storey building with steps up to platform level.
Best Photos of SE23 from SE23.life
SE23.life attracted incredible local photographers. Here are a few of the best, selected by anon5422159 and other contributors.
@Foresthillnick classic Robin shot
Information for New Residents
One Tree Hill, Honor Oak
Welcome to Lewisham
- The highest number of parks and green spaces of any London borough.
- London’s largest free fireworks at Blackheath each year.
- The first borough to have a directly-elected Young Mayor .
- The UK’s only Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the Trinity Laban in Deptford, designed by Herzog and de Meuron.
- Home to the eternally popular Horniman Walrus , on display since 1901
View over Honor Oak Reservoir, photo by @Mike_Hemmings
In the Media
- The Independent:
“Spotlight on Forest Hill” - The Evening Standard:
“Spotlight on Honor Oak” - City AM:
“Focus on Forest Hill”
Horniman Museum, Forest Hill
General Information
- Where to live in Forest Hill / Honor Oak
- Schools, churches, doctors, sports, politics etc (Forest Hill Society)
- Local services and businesses etc (SouthLondonGuide.co.uk )
- Famous Forest Hill / Honor Oak Residents
Photo by @clausy
Council Services
Article first published on SE23.life forum based on user contributions.