Peckham Rye Park - a question from 1902

[edhistory]

The LCC "Parks" handbook of 1902 has this entry for Peckham Rye Park.

I understood that the Homestall Farm buildings had already been incorporated into the park before 1902.

What are the properties referred to? What happened next?

John K

[jimmah]

I think there were some houses in the area where the oval flowerbed is now, and I think they were demolished in the 30s. Could it be these?

[Tony Rabbit]

Dear Ed. I think that this property was probably 'Charlton House'. It was the larger of the properties purchased with the land. It was a leasehold which was one of the last leases to expire. I think it was pulled down in the 1930's but would have to search land records to determine absolutely.

This link may be useful to you and you could also contact 'FOPYP' 'Friends of Peckhan Rye Park' on the same link.

http://www.foprp.org.uk/#/becoming-a-park/4543697137

Regards.

[mikeb]

This map shows Charlton House, along with Homestall Farm and other buildings in what is now the park. It's Ordnance Survey 1871, surveyed in 1863 and taken from here

http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/southwark/assets/maps/east-dulwich/1891

[edhistory]

Mikeb,

Here are two more maps. The problem with all these maps is they are not normally a snapshot in time but span a period in time.

Also the only (small and fuzzy) image I've seen of Charlton House.

John K

[mikeb]

John

I think you're probably well-ahead of me, but have you seen the LONDON SOUTH OF THE THAMES by Sir Walter Besant? [http://www.archive.org/stream/surveyoflondon09besauoft/surveyoflondon09besauoft_djvu.txt]. This dates from 1912 and includes the following passage on Peckham Rye and the houses.

==========

Homestall Farm is surrounded by the Rye Park, and though still tenanted and used as a farm the ground belongs to the London County Council. This property and the houses standing to the west cost ?51,000, and their leases still have a few years to run. In making this property into a park, which was opened to the public in 1894, stabling, cottages, and an old pottery were removed, and the grounds laid out with tennis-courts, a cricket-ground, and a playground for children. The farm-house on this property is over two hundred years old, and with its weather-boarded sides and quaint windows looks very picturesque in comparison with the new keeper's lodge alongside.

==========

The other reference I can see refers to Charlton House being pulled down in the 1920s but is unsourced:

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/461/a_to_z_of_parks/662/peckham_rye_park_and_common/1

Mike

[edhistory]

The Early History page on the Friends of Peckham Rye Park web-site is "interesting". For the rest, remember the topography of the park as you read.

www.archive.org has scans of a large number of useful books for East Dulwich History. However, all pre-1914 books with material about East Dulwich need to be treated with caution. This includes the 1912 VCH which some people treat as authoritative.

The Besant is an elegant and attractive book, but the information provided needs examination.

Before 1905 the London County Council Parks Department (probaby directed by Sexby himself) had developed a "rural walk" between the Homestall Farm buildings. This is said to have been popular.

In 1908 the Parks Department invited tenders to tarmac the site of the former Homestall Farm buildings.

And the legal disputes continued...

The park opened in 1894. By 1895 Camberwell Council had launched legal action against the LCC alleging that the park had encroached upon Camberwell property.

John K

bthrough thehTh

[edhistory]

I can't see a photo of the fountain mentioned on the FORPR web-site on the site so I've attached a copy here. It's taken from Sexby's "Municiplal Parks [...]" 1905 edition. The same photo appears in the 1898 edition but not so well reproduced. This gives a terminus ante quem.

English Heritage have recently released two high resolution photos of the farm house and the interior of the barn taken on 11 July 1908. EH state the buildings were demolished in August 1908.

John K