Walking along Shooters Hill in the 1840s with the help of Darrell Spurgeon

Severndroog Castle, 1784

It’s another story from Shooters Hill.

Over the last few days I have been wandering over the tiny community that lived on this northern edge of Eltham.

And today it’s the landmarks courtesy of Darrell Spurgeon and his Discover Eltham which was published in 1992 and issued as a revised edition in 2000.

The walk along Shooters Hill contains much about the place including Christ Church, the Ypres milestone, the Memorial Hospital, and Castle House Lodge along with Eltham Common the various woods and Holbrook House.

And for those who want to drop down beyond the summit there is even more.

But today I rather fancy staying the land marks which would have been familiar to the people who lived here in the 1840s, and of these I have chosen Castle House Lodge, Severndroog Castle, Holbrook House, and the Bull Inn.

“Castle House Lodge, 5. An early 19th century house, originally the lodge for Castle House (built 1823 demolished 1948) whose site is now in the grounds of the Memorial Hospital.

Severndroog Castle, 8.A tall triangular battlemented tower with hexagonal turrets, surrounded by trees in Castle Wood; and extraordinary Gothic folly, it was built to a design of Richard Jupp in 1784. 

The original main entrance is on the south-west face; the other original entrance doors are blocked, with only the fanlights remaining; the small doors under the turrets were added later.  The inscription on the stone plaque over the original main entrance on the south west face is inscribed on a tablet

'Severndroog Castle was built by the widow of Sir William James, a commander in the East India Company, to celebrate his naval exploits, in particular the capture in 1755 of the island fortress of Severndroog off the Malabar Coast of India.  At the time the castle was just north of the grounds of the James mansion of Park Farm Place, Eltham.'

Holbrook House, 162 Shooters Hill.  A stuccoed villa circa 1838, which may incorporate some late 18th century structure; the bay window was added in 1862, and extensions to the rear in the late 19th century.

The Bull, 19. A red brick pub of 1881, ....... the date stone (‘built 1749, rebuilt 1881’)is over the original corner entrance now bricked up.  About 65 metres to the east is a horse mounting block with three steps, dating back at least to 1750.  

It is in front of the site of the orginal pub called the Bull, which was a large and well known tavern, built circa 1749 9possibly much earlier) and demolished in 1881.  The block was re-erected here in 1929, but almost certainly the wrong way up.”

Like many I have fond memories of wandering the woods and especially of Severndroog Castle.

Now I am not given over to idle speculation especially of the historical kind but I do wonder whether the four children of George and Mary Field who ran the Bull in the June of 1841  wandered across the road an into Castle Wood to the folly.

It may be romantic tosh but it is a powerful link back to the community who lived on Shooters Hill a hundred and seventy years ago.


Pictures; Severndroog Castle and map from Discover Eltham

* Discover Eltham, Darrell Spurgeon, Greenwich Guide Books, 2000

On Shooters Hill with Mrs Craven and George Field in the June of 1841

I have decided to head north of Well Hall to Shooters Hill in search of a story. 

Back in the 1830s and 40s, it was a mixed bunch of those deriving an income from the land and the well off.

So of our forty two people in gainful employment in the June of 1841 the largest group were those who described themselves as agricultural labourers, farm servants or gardeners.

These were followed by those of “Independent means” along with one solicitor, a governess, a tea broker and a publican.

They lived fairly close together on the southern side of Shooters Hill on a stretch facing the Bull Inn.

And I guess quite a few of our band of workers would have spent time in the company of George Field who along with his wife Mary ran the Bull Inn.

Not that I would expect the Bull was ever frequented by Louisa Crewe who rented 21 acres  from the Crown and lived in Hazelwood House which was a big enough pile for it to be marked and named on the tithe map of 1844.

She had not long become a widow.

But of her, her employees and the others in Shooters Hill more next time.
Location, Shooters Hill , London

Picture; detail from the tithe map of Eltham, courtesy of Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone, http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/kent_history/kent_history__library_centre.aspx

The Post Office on Shooters Hill

A short series looking at the story behind the picture.

We are on Shooters Hill at number 53, and today it is a convenience store but once it a post office, and I am indebted to my friend Jean who supplied the picture and story behind it.

“This is the old post office on Shooters Hill which was the dropping point for Eltham’s mail carried by the Dover Mail Coach, after the post office was taken away from the old Red Lion in the 1830s.  

This building continued as Shooters Hill post office until 1971.”

Picture; of the former Post Office in 1977 from and text from Jean Gammons