Toponymy Hither Green acquired its name as it was closer to
Lewisham than Further Green located on Verdant Lane. The original Hither Green was located where the present day George Lane intersects with Hither Green Lane. The area now occupied by Hither Green is thought to have originally been a hamlet called Romborough, which was wiped out in the
Black Death.
Origins Hither Green had remained a largely wooded area through the medieval times but by the 18th century most of the trees had been felled, and the first houses were built. Additional houses appeared through the 19th century, many of them quite substantial residences.
Development Mountsfield Park Mountsfield Park opened in August 1905 and has grown through several acquisitions since then. The location of the original park included the substantial residence called Mountsfield, home of noted
entomologist Henry Tibbats Stainton. The house was demolished but remnants of the garden remain. Additional acres were bought from the School Board for London and six allotments from Trinity College. And when
Charlton Athletic football club gave up the football ground at the bottom of the hill in 1923 the park had grown to 28 acres. Bombing damage to a terrace of houses along the south side of George Lane saw this also added to the park. The final addition came in 1994 when a large majority of the Catford Boys School playing field was added. Other nearby parks include
Manor House Gardens and Manor Park to the east.
Park Fever Hospital The Park Fever Hospital (latterly Hither Green Hospital) was opened by the
Prince of Wales in 1897 for the treatment of infectious diseases such as scarlet fever or diphtheria. The hospital was designed by
Edwin T. Hall, the architect behind London's
Liberty & Co. department store. The hospital and local area suffered extensive bombing damage during the Second World War. All that remains of the hospital is the water tower with its large clock faces (now the emblem of Hither Green) which is illuminated at night, and several of the hospital's outbuildings. In 1997 the hospital closed and site was developed as a housing estate called
Meridian South.
Corbett Estate Much of the Victorian terraced housing dates from the late 19th century when
social reformer and Scottish
Member of Parliament (MP)
Archibald Cameron Corbett built numerous houses on 278 acres of land he purchased from North Park Farm, this was to become known as the Corbett Estate. A booking hall was added to the east side of Hither Green Station to cater for people living on this new estate. Many of the road names are of Scottish origin, as Corbett was a Scot. Due to his Quaker origins, the area was devoid of a public house and remains so. He gave the land for St Andrew's Church, dedicated to Scotland's patron saint.
St. Swithun's Church In November 1888, the new parish of St. Swithun's was created. Designed by
Ernest Newton the foundation stone was laid in July 1892 and the church, built of red Wrotham brick with Bath stone windows, was completed in 1904. Its organ previously came from
Blenheim Palace.
Wesleyan Church, Hither Green Lane The large non-conformist
Wesleyan Church, designed by Josiah Gunton, standing in the angle of Hither Green Lane and Wellmeadow Road, was completed in 1900 to accommodate 700 people. It was built by C. Castle & Son of Lower Clapton of red brick with a nave, two aisles, a transept, chancel, organ chamber and galleries on three sides, along with a tall pinnacled tower. On the night of 11–12 September 1940, the church was destroyed in
the Blitz. What was left of the church was torn down and the site was subsequently occupied by council-built flats.
Hither Green TMD Hither Green TMD was opened by the
Southern Railway in 1933. It remains in use in a reduced capacity as a
DB Cargo UK depot. == Governance ==