Did you know that...
Lewisham is home to an ancient, yet new stone circle. Sounds confusing, right? The stones that make up this stone circle are approximately 400 million years old, while the central flagstone and Caithness flagstones that put St. Norbert’s Gate into place are roughly 350 million years old. Built to mark the millennium, Hilly Fields Stone Circle is comparatively new.
The area is known for having the biggest police station in Europe, roughly 10,000m2 in size. It was founded in 2004 on Lewisham High Street.
Well-known people who were born or have lived in Lewisham include Sid Vicious, Jessica Hynes, Gary Oldman, Louise Redknapp, Alexander McQueen, Maxi Priest, and Danny Baker. Other notable people include Steve Wright, Jude Law, Edith Nesbit, Mica Paris, Robert Browning, and Ian Wright.
Kate Bush, a famous musician, lived in Lewisham. Bush became the first female artist to achieve a UK number one with a self-written song.
Lewisham SE13 name derives from Leofshema. Leof from the Jute tribe settled in the area in the 6th century and founded the settlement. In 1944, a buzz bomb destroyed the high street resulting in hundreds of victims including fatalities.