Editing Blackheath, London (section)

==History==
===Etymology===
;Records and meanings
[[File:Southern Side of the Whitefield Mount, Blackheath Common.jpg|thumb|left|The Whitefield Mount is a mound on Blackheath Common]]
The name is from [[Old English]] spoken words 'blæc' and 'hǣth'. The name is recorded in 1166 as ''Blachehedfeld'' which means "dark,<ref name="Mills">{{Cite book| author=Mills, A.D. | title= Dictionary of London Place Names |publisher=Oxford  |isbn=978-0199566785 | date=11 March 2010 }}</ref> or black heath field" – field denotes an enclosure or clearing. [[Samuel Lewis (publisher)|Lewis]]'s topological dictionary opines, considering the adjective developed equally into derived term bleak, that Blackheath "takes its name either from the colour of the soil, or from the bleakness of its situation" before adding, reflecting Victorian appreciation, mention of "numerous [[Victorian house|villas]] with which it now abounds...it is pleasantly situated on elevated ground, commanding diversified and extensive views of the surrounding country, which is richly cultivated, and abounds with fine scenery".<ref name=sl>''A Topographical Dictionary of England'', ed. [[Samuel Lewis (publisher)|S. Lewis]] (London, 1848), pp. 270-275. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-dict/england/pp270-275, accessed 11 August 2019.</ref> It was an upland, open space that was the meeting place of the [[hundred (county subdivision)|hundred]] of [[Blackheath, Kent (hundred)|Blackheath]].<ref name="Mills"/>

;Formal name for estates around the heath
By 1848 Blackheath was noted as a place with two [[chapelry|dependent chapels]] under Lewisham [[vestry]] and another, [[St Michael and All Angels, Blackheath|St Michael and All Angels]], erected 1828-1830 designed by [[George Smith (architect)|George Smith]]. The latter made use of £4000 plus land from land developer [[John Cator]],<ref>[https://www.se3.org.uk/history/ se3.org.uk] St Michael and All Angels community website</ref> plus a further £11,000 from elsewhere.<ref name=sl/> The name of Blackheath gained independent official boundaries by the founding of an Anglican parish in 1854 (construction of the parish church, [[All Saints' Blackheath|All Saints]], began in 1857), then others (in 1859, 1883 and 1886) which reflected considerable housing built on nearby land.<ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10080393  St John's, Blackheath] showing as offshoot E.P. of Greenwich E.P. since 1854 ''Vision of Britain'' (website), © 2009–2017, the [[University of Portsmouth]]</ref><ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10149990 All Saints, Blackheath] E.P. an offshoot E.P. of Lewisham E.P. since 1859 ''Vision of Britain'' (website), © 2009–2017, the [[University of Portsmouth]] and others</ref><ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10039253 The Ascension, Blackheath] – an offshoot E.P. of Lewisham E.P. since 1883 ''Vision of Britain'' (website), © 2009–2017, the [[University of Portsmouth]] and others.</ref><ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10039265 Blackheath Park] (St Michael and All Angels, formerly St Peter's) – an offshoot E.P. of Charlton E.P., Kidbrooke Liberty and Lee E.P. since 1886 ''Vision of Britain'' (website), © 2009–2017, the [[University of Portsmouth]] and others.</ref> In local government, Blackheath never saw independence;<ref name=vision>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/20186/units Units covering this area] ''Vision of Britain'' (website), © 2009–2017, the [[University of Portsmouth]] and others</ref><ref name="achurchnearyou.com">[http://www.achurchnearyou.com/search/?lat=51.468&lon=0 Parish locator and church information by grid reference], ''A Church Near You'', [[Church of England]], retrieved 2019-08-11</ref> at first split between the Lewisham, Lee, Charlton and Greenwich vestries or civil parish councils and Kidbrooke liberty,<ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10041120/boundary Boundaries of Boundary Map of Kidbrooke Pariochial Liberty/Civil Parish] ''Vision of Britain'' (website), © 2009–2017, the [[University of Portsmouth]] and others.</ref> which assembled into [[Greenwich District (Metropolis)|Greenwich]], [[Plumstead District (Metropolis)|Plumstead (in final years called Lee)]] and [[Lewisham District (Metropolis)|Lewisham District]]s then re-assembled with others into Greenwich and Lewisham [[metropolitan borough]]s in 1900.<ref name=vision/>

;Etymological myth
An [[urban myth]] is Blackheath could derive from the [[Great Plague of London|1665 Plague]] or the [[Black Death]] of the mid-14th century. A local burial pit is nonetheless likely during the Black Death, given the established village and safe harbour (hithe) status of [[Greenwich]]. At those times the high death rate meant that a guaranteed churchyard burial became impractical.

===Archaeology===
A key [[Ancient trackway#Great Britain|Celtic trackway]] (becoming a [[Roman road]] and later [[Watling Street]]) scaled the rise that is shared with [[Greenwich Park]] and a peak {{convert|1|mi}} [[boxing the compass|east-by-southeast]], [[Shooters Hill]]. In the west this traversed the mouth of [[Deptford Creek]] (the [[River Ravensbourne]]) (a corruption or throwback to earlier pronunciation of deep ford).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/early_history/transport_rs.shtml|title=Roman and Saxon Roads and Transport|work=dartfordarchive.org.uk|author=Dartford Grammar School|publisher=Kent County Council}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Patrick Hanks|author2=Flavia Hodges|author3=A. D. Mills|author4=Adrian Room|title=The Oxford Names Companion|date=2002|location=Oxford|publisher=the University Press|isbn=978-0198605614|page=1003}}</ref> Other finds can be linked to passing trade connected with royal palaces. In 1710, several Roman urns were dug up, two of which were of fine red clay, one of a spherical, and the other of a cylindrical, form; and in 1803, several more were discovered in the gardens of the [[Earl of Dartmouth]] and given to the [[British Museum]].<ref name=sl/>

===Royal setting===
[[File:The Pagoda (9175938843).jpg|thumb|The Pagoda, built 1760]]
Certain monarchs passed through and their senior courtiers kept residences here and in Greenwich.  Before the [[House of Tudor|Tudor]]-built [[Palace of Placentia|Greenwich Palace]] and Stuart-built [[Queen's House]], one of the most frequently used was [[Eltham Palace]] about {{convert|2.5|mi|km|1}} to the southeast of the ridge, under the late [[Plantagenet]]s, before cessation as a [[Royal Residences of the United Kingdom|royal residence]] in the 16th century.

On the north side of the heath, [[Ranger's House]], a medium-sized red brick Georgian mansion in the [[Palladian]] style, backs directly onto Greenwich Park.  Associated with the Ranger of Greenwich Park, a royal appointment, the house was the Ranger's official residence for most of the 19th century (neighbouring [[Montagu House, Blackheath|Montagu House]], demolished in 1815, was a royal residence of [[Caroline of Brunswick]]). Since 2002, Ranger's House has housed the [[Julius Wernher|Wernher Collection]] of art.

The Pagoda is a notably exquisite home, built in 1760 by Sir [[William Chambers (architect)|William Chambers]] in the style of a traditional Chinese pagoda. It was later leased to the [[George IV|Prince Regent]], principally used as a summer home by Caroline of Brunswick.

===Meeting point===
[[File:Blackheath.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|An aerial view of the heath looking south, with [[All Saints' Blackheath|All Saints' Church]] in the centre rear of the heath]]

Blackheath was a rallying point for [[Wat Tyler]]'s [[Peasants' Revolt]] of 1381,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wat Tyler and the Peasants Revolt|url=https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Wat-Tyler-the-Peasants-Revolt/|access-date=2020-12-03|website=Historic UK|language=en-GB}}</ref> and for [[Jack Cade]]'s Kentish rebellion in 1450 (both recalled by road names on the west side of the heath). After camping at Blackheath, [[Cornwall|Cornish]] rebels were defeated at the foot of the west slope in the [[Cornish Rebellion of 1497|Battle of Deptford Bridge]] (sometimes called the Battle of Blackheath) on 17 June 1497.

In 1400, [[Henry IV of England]] met here with Byzantine Emperor [[Manuel II Palaiologos]] who toured western royalty to seek support to oppose [[Bayezid I|Bayezid I (Bajazet)]], the Ottoman Sultan. In 1415, the lord mayor and aldermen of London, in their robes of state, attended by 400 of the principal citizens, clothed in scarlet, came hither in procession to meet [[Henry V of England]] on his triumphant return from the [[Battle of Agincourt]].<ref name=sl/>

Blackheath was, along with [[Hounslow Heath]], a common assembly point for army forces, such as in 1673 when the [[Blackheath Army]] was assembled under [[Marshal Schomberg]] to serve in the [[Third Anglo-Dutch War]].  In 1709–10, army tents were set up on Blackheath to house a large part of the 15,000 or so German refugees from the [[Palatinate (region)|Palatinate]] and other regions who fled to England, most of whom subsequently settled in America or Ireland.<ref>Lucy Forney Bittinger, ''The Germans in Colonial Times'' (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1901), p.67</ref>

With Watling Street carrying stagecoaches across the heath, en route to north Kent and the [[English Channel|Channel]] ports, it was also a notorious haunt of [[Highwayman|highwaymen]] during the 17th and 18th centuries. As reported in Edward Walford's ''Old and New London'' (1878), "In past times it was planted with [[gibbet]]s, on which the bleaching bones of men who had dared to ask for some extension of liberty, or who doubted the infallibility of kings, were left year after year to dangle in the wind."<ref name=Walford>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=45277 'Blackheath and Charlton', ''Old and New London'': Volume 6 (1878), pp. 224-236] accessed: 4 November 2009</ref> In 1909 Blackheath had a local branch of the London Society for Women's [[Suffrage]].<ref>By Elizabeth Crawford, ed. ''The Women's Suffrage Movement: a reference guide, 1866-1928'', ''s.v.'' "Blackheath"</ref>

===Mineral extraction===
The Vanbrugh Pits, known locally as the Dips,<ref>{{Cite web|title=History {{!}} Friends of Westcombe Woodlands|url=http://www.westcombewoodlands.org/history/index.html|access-date=2020-12-03|language=en-US}}</ref> are on the north-east of the heath. A former gravel workings site,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.londongardensonline.org.uk/gardens-online-record.asp?ID=LEW004 |title=London Gardens Online |publisher=London Gardens Online |access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref> it has long been reclaimed by nature and form a feature in its near-flat expanse; particularly attractive in spring when its [[gorse]] blossoms brightly.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/openspaces/parks/blackheath/Pages/Vanbrugh-Pits.aspx |title=Vanbrugh Pits on Blackheath |publisher=Lewisham.gov.uk |access-date=15 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728033837/http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/openspaces/parks/blackheath/Pages/Vanbrugh-Pits.aspx |archive-date=28 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Vanbrugh Park===
The remains of the pits and adjoining neighbourhood Vanbrugh Park, a north-east projection of Blackheath with its own church, so also termed '''St John's Blackheath''',<ref>[https://www.achurchnearyou.com/search/?lat=51.474&lon=0.02 St John's Blackheath: Parish locator and church information by grid reference], ''A Church Near You'', [[Church of England]], retrieved 2019-08-11</ref> are named after Sir [[John Vanbrugh]], architect of [[Blenheim Palace]] and [[Castle Howard]], who had a house with very large grounds adjoining the heath and its continuation Greenwich Park. The house which was originally built around 1720 remains, remodelled slightly, [[Vanbrugh Castle]]. In his estate he had 'Mince Pie House' built for his family, which survived until 1911.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/lewisham/assets/galleries/blackheath/mince-pie-house |title=Mince Pie House, Vanbrugh Fields, Blackheath, c. 1910 &#124; Lewisham Galleries |publisher=Ideal Homes |date=29 September 2010 |access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref>

Its church, [[St John's Blackheath|St John the Evangelist's]], was designed in 1853 by [[Arthur Ashpitel]].<ref name="Homan30–31">{{cite book|last=Homan|first=Roger|title=The Victorian Churches of Kent|year=1984|publisher=Phillimore & Co. Ltd|location=Chichester|isbn=0-85033-466-7|pages=30–31}}</ref> The [[Blackheath High School]] buildings on Vanbrugh Park include the [[Church Army Chapel, Blackheath|Church Army Chapel]].

===Blackheath Park===
[[File:Lewisham Met. B Ward Map 1916.svg|thumb|A map showing the Blackheath ward of Lewisham Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916.]]
Blackheath Park occupies almost all of former {{convert|0.4|mi2|adj=on}} [[Sir Gregory Page, 2nd Baronet|Wricklemarsh House]].<ref>In 1669, [[Sir John Morden, 1st Baronet]] purchased it for £4,200; the mansion and {{convert|283|acre|km2}} were sold in 1783 by [[Sir Gregory Page-Turner, 3rd Baronet]] for £22,000 to John Cator.</ref> Developed into [[upper middle class]] homes by [[John Cator]], it forms the south-east of Blackheath: from Lee Road, Roque Lane, Fulthorp Road and the Plantation to all houses and gardens of right-angled Manor Way. Built up in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it contains large and refined [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] and [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] houses – particularly [[Michael Searles]]' crescent of semi-detached/terrace houses linked by colonnades, The Paragon ({{circa|1793-1807}}).<ref>Howard Colvin, ''Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840'', 3rd ed. 1995, ''s.v.'' "Searles, Michael".</ref> Its alternate name, the Cator Estate, extends to lands earlier those of Sir [[John Morden]], whose [[Morden College]] (1695) is a landmark in the north, with views of the heath. The estate has 1950s and '60s [[Span Developments|Span]] houses and flats with gardens with discreet parking.

Its Anglican church ([[St Michael and All Angels, Blackheath|St Michael & All Angels]]) is dubbed the ''Needle of Kent'' in honour of its tall, thin spire (it is also nicknamed the ''Devil's Pick'' or the ''Devil's Toothpick''). Nearby, within the Blackheath Park conservation area, is [[Our Lady of Christians Church, Blackheath|Our Lady of Christians Church]], a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] church built from 1890 to 1891 and designed by Alfred Edward Purdie in the [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival style]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alfred Edward Purdie |url=https://victorianweb.org/art/architecture/purdie/index.html |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=victorianweb.org}}</ref> It has a complete set of stained glass windows by [[Hardman & Co.]] and it is a [[Grade II listed]] building.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blackheath - Our Lady Help of Christians |url=https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/blackheath-our-lady-help-of-christians/ |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Taking Stock |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Other churches===
[[File:Church of the Ascension, Blackheath (01).jpg|thumb|right|The Church of the Ascension in Blackheath, a Grade II* structure]]
The Church of the Ascension (see [[Grade I and II* listed buildings in the London Borough of Lewisham|local II*]] [[listed building]]s) was founded by Susannah Graham late in the 17th century.<ref name=asc>{{NHLE|num=1192114|desc=Church of The Ascension}}</ref> Its rebuilding was arranged about 1750 by her descendant, the [[William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth|1st Earl of Dartmouth]].<ref name=asc/> Further rebuilding took place in the 1830s leaving at least parts of the east end from the earlier rebuild. At this time galleries for worshippers overlooked three sides.<ref name=asc/> 

===Ownership and management of the heath===
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Metropolitan Commons Supplemental Act 1871
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to confirm a scheme under "The Metropolitan Commons Act, 1866," relating to Blackheath.
| year                  = 1871
| citation              = [[34 & 35 Vict.]] c. lvii
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 29 June 1871
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = [[Metropolitan Commons Act 1866]]
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/34-35/57/pdfs/ukla_18710057_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
Under the '''{{visible anchor|Metropolitan Commons Supplemental Act 1871}}''' ([[34 & 35 Vict.]] c. lvii), the management of the heath passed by statute to the [[Metropolitan Board of Works]]. Unlike the commons of Hackney, Tooting Bec and Clapham, its transfer was agreed at no expense, because the [[Earl of Dartmouth]] agreed to allow the encroachment to his manorial rights. It is held in trust for public benefit under the [[Metropolitan Commons Act 1866]] ([[29 & 30 Vict.]] c. 122). It passed to the [[London County Council]] in 1889, then to the [[Greater London Council]], then in 1986 to the two boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham, as to their respective extents. No trace can be found of use as common land but only as minimal fertility land exploited by its manorial owners ([[manorial waste]]) and mainly for small-scale mineral extraction. Main freeholds (excluding many roads) vest in the Earl of Dartmouth and, as to that part that was the Royal Manor of Greenwich, the [[Crown Estate]]. The heath's chief natural resource is gravel, and the freeholders retain rights over its extraction.