Editing Tulse Hill

{{Short description|Area in London, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Tulse Hill
| country = England
| region = London
| population = 
| os_grid_reference = TQ315735
| map_type = Greater London
| coordinates = {{coord|51.4452|-0.1091|display=inline,title}}
| post_town = LONDON
| postcode_area1 = SW
| postcode_district1 = SW2
| dial_code = 020
| constituency_westminster = [[Dulwich and West Norwood (UK Parliament constituency)|Dulwich and West Norwood]]
| london_borough = Lambeth
| static_image_name = Holy Trinity, Tulse Hill (geograph 4322671).jpg
| static_image_caption = Holy Trinity Church, Tulse Hill (built 1855–6)
| postcode_area2 = SE
| postcode_district2 = SE21, SE24, SE27
| constituency_westminster1 = [[Clapham and Brixton Hill (UK Parliament constituency)|Clapham & Brixton Hill]]
}}

'''Tulse Hill''' is a district in the [[London Borough of Lambeth]] in [[South London]] that sits on [[Brockwell Park]]. It is approximately five miles from [[Charing Cross]] and is bordered by [[Brixton]], [[Dulwich]], [[Herne Hill]], [[Streatham]] and [[West Norwood]].

==History==
The area known as Tulse Hill is part of the former [[manorialism|Manor]] or Manors of '''Bodley, Upgroves and Scarlettes''' whose precise boundaries are now uncertain. The name of the area comes from the Tulse family who came into ownership of farmland in the area during the period of the [[Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth]] in the 1650s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Brockwell Park, Friends of Brockwell Park|url=http://www.brockwellpark.com/history/history.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402164351/http://www.brockwellpark.com/history/history.htm|archive-date=2 April 2009|access-date=5 November 2006}}</ref> [[Henry Tulse (Lord Mayor)|Sir Henry Tulse]] was [[Lord Mayor of London]] in 1683 and his daughter Elizabeth married [[Richard Onslow, 1st Baron Onslow]].<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43031 'Lambeth: The parish', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 50-64. Date accessed: 15 May 2011]</ref> The land remained in Onslow ownership until 1789 when most of it was purchased by William Cole. The estate was further divided on Cole's death in 1807.

The western part was left to "Mercy Cressingham, spinster" (now commemorated by the [[Cressingham Gardens]] estate in the area) and the eastern part -now mostly occupied by [[Brockwell Park]] - was left to Richard Ogbourne who promptly sold it on to John Blades.

In 1810 Tulse Hill Farm was the only building in the western part of the area. The [[enclosure]] of land in the parish of [[Lambeth (parish)|Lambeth]] in 1811 led to the construction of Effra Road in the area immediately to the north. Together with improvements to Brixton Road by the local [[turnpike trust]] this greatly improved road communications with central London, and the value of the local landholdings.

Mercy Cressingham eventually married Dr Thomas Edwards, who took the initiative in buying extra land to make an access from [[Brixton Hill]] in 1814 and laying out two new roads, Lower Tulse Hill Road (now known simply as Tulse Hill) and Upper Tulse Hill Road (now Upper Tulse Hill), by 1821. A plan of 1821 in the [[Royal Institute of British Architects|RIBA]] Library shows a proposed speculative development of both the Edwards estate and the adjacent Blades estate with large detached villas, although only the former actually came to fruition. The new roads were adopted by the parish in 1822.

An 1832 map shows that Tulse Hill still had only a few buildings on the new roads in contrast to nearby recently developed areas in [[Brixton]] and [[West Norwood|Norwood]] and the longer established hamlet of [[Dulwich]].<ref>[http://www.londonancestor.com/maps/london-south-th.htm Genealogy & Family History, London Ancestor website]</ref> However, by 1843, there was a continuous line of houses, predominantly detached and usually with separate coach houses along the full length of Lower Tulse Hill Road from Brixton to the top of the hill.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}}

Development of the area to the east of this road commenced in 1845 when Trinity Rise was built to connect Upper Tulse Hill with Norwood Road. Holy Trinity Church on Trinity Rise was built in 1855-6 and is now [[grade II listed]].

Major development of the area further east did not come until the opening of the [[Herne Hill railway station|Herne Hill]] and [[Tulse Hill railway station|Tulse Hill]] railway stations in the 1860s.

Most of the original villas with large gardens on the original Edwards-Cressingham landholding have been redeveloped at much higher densities for [[council housing]] since the 1930s.

The most prominent survival of 19th century Tulse Hill is Berry House, later called Silwood Hall, and now forming the front part of [[St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls]], a [[Church of England]] secondary school which outlasted the nearby 1950s schools before its closure in 2024.

The redevelopment of Tulse Hill after [[World War II]] by the [[London County Council]] had included the construction of two large secondary schools - [[Tulse Hill School]] and [[Dick Sheppard School]] (originally for girls only). Both schools have now closed, and their sites have been redeveloped for housing of very contrasting types. The Dick Sheppard School site was redeveloped as Brockwell Gate,<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.brockwellgate.com/Home| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090307192205/http://www.brockwellgate.com/Home| archive-date = 2009-03-07| title = Brockwell Gate - home (Brockwell Gate)}} </ref> a gated [[Regency style]] with houses and apartments overlooking Brockwell Park. The site of Tulse Hill school was redeveloped as affordable housing.

== Politics ==
Tulse Hill is represented on the [[Lambeth London Borough Council]] by councillors for the Brixton Rush Common, St Martin's, and West Dulwich wards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Borough, neighbourhoods and wards {{!}} Lambeth Council |url=https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/your-community/facts-figures/borough-neighbourhoods-wards |access-date=2022-02-04 |website=beta.lambeth.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> All three wards are held by the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] although the ward now known as West Dulwich was historically a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] ward until the [[2014 Lambeth London Borough Council election]]. Tulse Hill is represented in the London Assembly by [[Marina Ahmad]] and in Westminster by [[Helen Hayes (politician)|Helen Hayes]] and [[Bell Ribeiro-Addy]].

In March 2022 Lambeth Council initiated a consultation with residents as to renaming the area, to avoid a possible association with [[Henry Tulse (Lord Mayor)|Henry Tulse]] who was once a board member of the [[Royal African Company]],  a slave-trading concern in the seventeenth century.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shah |first1=Furvah |title=London suburb Tulse Hill could be renamed due to its slavery links |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/tulse-hill-rename-slavery-racism-b2042538.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=24 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

== Transport ==
[[File:TULSE HILL WARD - PARISH MAP, TULSE HILL.jpg|thumb|A map showing Tulse Hill as it appeared in 1918.]]
===Buses===
The area is served by [[London Bus]]es routes [[London Buses route 2|2]], [[London Buses route 68|68]], 196, 201, 322, 415, 432, 468 and P13.

===Rail===
[[Tulse Hill railway station]] ([[Travelcard Zone 3|Zone 3]]) is served by the [[Southern (Govia Thameslink Railway)|Southern]] Metro via [[Peckham Rye railway station|Peckham Rye]] line (to [[London Bridge station|London Bridge]]) and the [[Thameslink]] [[Wimbledon station|Wimbledon]] loop (to [[St Albans City railway station|St Albans]] via [[Blackfriars station|Blackfriars]], [[City Thameslink railway station|City Thameslink]], [[Farringdon station|Farringdon]], and [[St Pancras railway station|St Pancras]]). The railway bridge over the A205 was frequently subject to vehicle strikes until a new warning system was installed in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=Tom |date=2017-03-06 |title=Huge drop in lorry strikes at 'cursed' low bridge in Tulse Hill |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/lorry-strikes-at-notorious-low-bridge-in-tulse-hill-drop-by-a-third-after-hightech-signs-installed-a3482856.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=The Standard |language=en}}</ref> 

Nearby stations provide services to [[London Victoria station|Victoria]] from [[Herne Hill railway station|Herne Hill]] and [[West Dulwich railway station|West Dulwich]] (via the [[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]] Metro [[Bromley South railway station|Bromley South]] line) and from [[West Norwood railway station|West Norwood]] (via the Southern [[Crystal Palace line]]). 

The nearest [[London Underground]] station is [[Brixton tube station|Brixton]] on the [[Victoria line]].

===Roads===

At the southern end of Tulse Hill is a major road junction between the [[A204 road|A204]] (''Tulse Hill''), [[A205 road|A205]] (''South Circular'') and the [[A215 road|A215]] (''Norwood Road'') where the historic Tulse Hill Hotel stands.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Urban|first=Mike|date=2020-09-17|title=A short illustrated history of the Tulse Hill Hotel in Tulse Hill, SE24|url=https://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2020/09/tulse-hill-tavern-history/|access-date=2022-02-25|website=Brixton Buzz|language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Cultural references in literature==
The "Tulse Hill Parliament", a political club, features in [[P. G. Wodehouse]]'s comic novel ''[[Psmith in the City]]''. The author attended [[Dulwich College]], which is in the vicinity.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wodehouse|first=P.G.|title=Psmith in the City}}</ref>

[[Noel Streatfeild]]'s novel "''Tennis Shoes''" (1937) is written about a family who live in Tulse Hill.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Tennis Shoes|isbn=978-0141361147|last1=Streatfeild |first1=Noel |date=16 June 2021 |publisher=National Geographic Books }}</ref>

Samson Young, protagonist in [[Martin Amis]]'s ''[[London Fields (novel)|London Fields]]'' goes to Tulse Hill to buy drugs.<ref>{{Cite book|title=London Fields|isbn=0-224-02609-7|last1=Amis |first1=Martin |year=1989 |publisher=J. Cape }}</ref>

Jason Strugnell, a fictional poet in [[Wendy Cope]]'s ''Making Cocoa For Kingsley Amis'', lives in Tulse Hill and mentions it a couple of times in "his" poems.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Making Cocoa For Kingsley Amis|year=1986 |publisher=Faber|isbn=9780571137473}}</ref>

Tulse Hill and its surrounding areas are locations in [[Mark Billingham]]'s crime novel "''In The Dark''".<ref>[[Little, Brown & Company]], 2008, {{ISBN|1-4087-0069-7}}</ref>

==Prominent buildings==
[[File:Brockwell Hall.jpg|thumb|Brockwell Hall sits at the top of [[Brockwell Park]].]]
*''Brockwell Hall'' - built 1811–1813, [[Grade I and II* listed buildings in the London Borough of Lambeth|grade II listed]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=BROCKWELL HALL, Non Civil Parish - 1080511 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1080511|access-date=2022-02-24|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}</ref>
*''[[Brockwell Lido]]'' - opened 1938, grade II listed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BROCKWELL LIDO, Non Civil Parish - 1390519 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1390519|access-date=2022-02-24|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}</ref>
*''Carisbrooke'' - mid 19th century villa, grade II listed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CARISBROOKE, Non Civil Parish - 1081074 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1081074|access-date=2022-02-24|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}</ref>
*''[[Holy Trinity Church, Tulse Hill|Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Rise]]'' - built 1855–6, grade II listed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, Non Civil Parish - 1249628 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1249628|access-date=2022-02-24|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}</ref>
*''[[St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls|St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls]]'' - built mid 19th century, grade II listed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=FRONT BLOCK OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, Non Civil Parish - 1081071 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1081071|access-date=2022-02-24|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}</ref>
*''[[Strand School]]'' - Grammar School building, opened in 1913 in Elm Park; it is now called Elm Court School.
*''166 Tulse Hill'' - early-mid 19th century villa, grade II listed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=166, TULSE HILL, Non Civil Parish - 1357961 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1357961|access-date=2022-02-24|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Julian Cope]], lead singer of band [[Teardrop Explodes]], lived at 149a Tulse Hill in the late 1980s where, as he described in his autobiography ''Repossessed'', he had a 40&nbsp;ft [[Scalextric]] track and an extensive collection of [[Corgi Toys|Corgi]], [[Dinky Toys|Dinky]] and other toy cars.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Richards|first=Sam|date=2010-12-04|title=Recreated rock residences – a wish list|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/dec/04/house-made-me-keith-richards|access-date=2022-02-04|work=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Michael Finnissy]], composer<ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael finnissy|url=http://www.michaelfinnissy.info/biography2.php|access-date=2022-02-04|website=www.michaelfinnissy.info}}</ref>
* Sir [[William Henry Harris]] was a chorister at Holy Trinity Church towards the end of the 19th century.
* The astronomers Sir [[William Huggins]] and his wife Margaret Lindsay, Lady Huggins, had a home and observatory known as Huggins' Observatory from about 1850 until 1915 at 90 Upper Tulse Hill. It no longer stands but was at the approximate location of today's Vibart Gardens.<ref>{{Cite web|title=William Huggins {{!}} The Royal Society|url=https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/s/rs/people/fst00199581|access-date=2022-02-04|website=makingscience.royalsociety.org}}</ref>
* The Ionides family lived there between 1838 and 1864. [[Alexander Constantine Ionides]] was Greek consul, art patron and donor. His son [[Constantine Alexander Ionides]] left his collection of [[Old Masters]] to the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Whistler Etchings :: Biography|url=https://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk/catalogue/biog/?nid=IoniAC|access-date=2022-02-04|website=etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Museum|first=Victoria and Albert|title=The Family of Alexander Constantine Ionides {{!}} Watts, George Frederick (OM, RA) {{!}} V&A Explore The Collections|url=https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O81538/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]], guitarist in The Clash, lived in Christchurch House on Christchurch Road with his aunt during his childhood years.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rich|date=2012-02-16|title=History 1955: Mick Jones & Paul Simonon are born in Brixton|url=https://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2012/02/history-1955-mick-jones-paul-simonon-are-born-in-brixton/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=Brixton Buzz|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Early influences|url=http://www.theclash.org.uk/TheClash.htm|access-date=2022-02-04|website=www.theclash.org.uk}}</ref>
* [[Arthur Mee]] (1875–1943), British writer, journalist and educator, author of ''[[The King's England]]'' and ''[[The Children's Encyclopædia]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arthur Mee: Author|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/arthur-mee/|access-date=2022-02-04|website=English Heritage}}</ref>
* [[Jean Charles de Menezes]] (1978–2005), Brazilian man killed by officers of the [[Metropolitan Police Service|Metropolitan Police]] at [[Stockwell tube station|Stockwell station]] after he was wrongly deemed to be involved in the previous day's [[21 July 2005 London bombings|failed bombing attempts]].{{cn|date=May 2025}}
* [[John Sentamu]], previous [[Archbishop of York]], was vicar of Holy Trinity Church for 13 years.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4102960.stm Profile: Archbishop John Sentamu, BBC]</ref>
* [[Euan Uglow]], artist.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://hidden-london.com/gazetteer/tulse-hill/ Hidden London]
*[https://www.norwoodforum.org/ Norwood Forum]
*[https://www.slbi.org.uk/ South London Botanical Institute]
*[https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol26/pp155-166 Tulse Hill and Brockwell Park | British History Online]
*[http://www.thehockeyclub.co.uk/ Tulse Hill & Dulwich Hockey Club]

{{LB Lambeth}}
{{Areas of London}}

[[Category:Districts of the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Areas of London]]
[[Category:History of the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Streets in the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Geography of the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:District centres of London]]