The former Catford Constitutional Club will be brought back into use as part of an ambitious plan for the regeneration of Catford Town Centre.
The locally listed Victorian building – in use as a pub and community venue – was forced to close in August 2019 because of structural issues.
Julian Watson writes: John Coulter, the Lewisham historian, first highlighted the story of Elmwood farmhouse in his Lewisham history and guide, 1994.
The building dates from 1735 and was built by Nelgarde Doggett. Read the excellent blogger @running_past who posted on the building in 2019.
The original semi-visible building has somehow survived generations of neglect and decay.
The Victorian front extension was until recently the successful Catford Constitutional Club pub, which was closed by LBL last year because of structural concerns.
However, £1.6 million from the Mayor of London should transform it.
It’s a sad fact that neglected historic buildings become almost invisible and can then be demolished with no outcry.
Opposite St Mary’s Church in Lewisham high street is the Hire Shop, comprising two 18th century buildings.
No. 295 has had its mansard roof chopped off and replaced with a flat roof making it uninteresting and 297 has a corrugated iron roof.
The newsagents and off-licence right opposite the church is a somewhat mutilated 1770s house.
Surviving invisibly in Rushey Green almost opposite Brownhill Rd is an 18th cent house ‘Springfield’ which is now three shops and very neglected.
I’m sad to say, that directly opposite the house is an historical interpretation board that doesn’t mention it.
The name of this house is very significant because there was a spring in the garden that fed the picturesque stream that flowed down Rushey Green and the high street until the creation of a sewer in 1855 broke through the clay layer – draining the stream, the Lady Well, the Ladywell Mineral Spring and, possibly, the mysterious well in the crypt of St Mary’s Church.
Brooklands House, c1720 in the high street on the corner of Whitburn Rd was demolished a few years ago. It was very neglected but interesting. It was replaced by a Tesco and flats above. The Tesco later closed and is still empty. A fragile heritage!