Month: October 2018

Do you live, work, play or pray in Charlton Riverside? Help us to tell your story

Neil Clasper

The Charlton Riverside area is set to undergo a dramatic transformation in the coming years, which will see it turn from a historically industrial area to a new residential district. Planning applications are starting to come in for new housing developments at Anchor & Hope Lane, Herringham Road and on the old Siemens factory site.

The Charlton Champion is committed to reporting on these developments as well as the campaigns, controversies and issues surrounding the masterplan and planning process (you can see what we’re written about the area and these issues over recent years here).

But we believe there’s something important missing from the story that’s been told to date, and that’s the people who live and work in the area now, and the changes that the new developments are bringing to their lives.

We’d like to help tell the stories of the people who live, work, run businesses, go to church, visit for leisure, or spend time in the Charlton Riverside area for whatever reason. This could be something as simple some photos of you, your community, your colleagues or business, or a longer interview with you about your life in the area.

We can’t do this alone, and are very keen to speak to anyone who would like to help with this project: individuals, residents’ associations, community groups, councillors, or other groups with an interest in the area.

If you’d like to get involved in any way, or have a story, photo or idea you’d like to contribute, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with The Charlton Champion here or simply email us at charltonchampion.se7[@]gmail.com.

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The Charlton Champion provides news and information about issues and events in London SE7.
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What’s happening at Charlton House’s Horn Fair 2018 this Sunday

Neil Clasper1 Comment

There’s a World War I flavour to this year’s Horn Fair, taking place this Sunday, 14th October, as Charlton House marks 100 years since it opened as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Hospital in 1918.

As well as children’s activities themed around Charlton House’s role in the recuperation of WWI soldiers, there’ll be an opportunity to make Venetian masks, meet Charlton House’s beekeepers, plus a wide variety of food and market stall, music, and a range of talks.  The Tea Rooms will be serving “some interesting recipes from World War I”.

Outside the house, there will also be an opportunity to see inside the Summer House, and from 12.30pm to visit St. Luke’s Church over the road.

See Charlton House’s website for the full details, or download the Horn Fair 2018 programme here.

Read The Charlton Champion‘s history of Charlton’s Horn Fair here.

SUPPORT THE CHARLTON CHAMPION

The Charlton Champion provides news and information about issues and events in London SE7.
– Help us by telling us your stories
– Buy Neil a coffee at ko-fi.com
– NEW! Become a monthly patron at patreon.com/charltonchampion
– NEW! Donate directly to the site at paypal.me/charltonchampion

‘Light up Charlton Park!’: Park users’ petition to Greenwich Council

Neil Clasper
Charlton Park’s skate park opened in October 2017

A petition asking Greenwich Council to install ‘low-level directed lighting’ around Charlton Park’s outdoor gym and skatepark has been launched by park users, including the Friends of Charlton Park, and Greenwich Skatepark Cooperative.

The groups “want the space to be used more inclusively in the evenings, by all park users, be it dog walkers, joggers, gym users, and skatepark users“. The petition points out that there is floodlighting for the nearby football pitches, but the skate park won’t be usable in the evenings once the clocks go back.

You can view and sign the petition here.

The Charlton Champion provides news and information about issues and events in London SE7.
– Help us by telling us your stories
– Buy Neil a coffee at ko-fi.com
– NEW! Become a monthly patron at patreon.com/charltonchampion
– NEW! Donate directly to the site at paypal.me/charltonchampion

Charlton Assembly Rooms given Grade II listing by Historic England

Darryl Chamberlain
Charlton Assembly Rooms
Part of the frontage of Charlton Assembly Rooms (photo: Neil Clasper)

The Assembly Rooms in Charlton Village have been given a Grade II listing by Historic England in recognition of the building’s special architectural and historic interest.

Opened in 1881 and funded by Sir Spencer Maryon-Wilson, whose family lived at Charlton House, the building continues to function as a community facility and is currently run by the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust.

It was used by Siemens for war production before being handed over to St Luke’s Church in 1946. But by the early 1970s, the building was under threat of demolition. It was saved by the Save Charlton Assembly Rooms Project, which handed the building to Greenwich Council in 1983.

Historic England says:

The Charlton Assembly Rooms, a community hall of 1881, designed by J Rowland in the Jacobean Revival style, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:
* a good example of a late-C19 Jacobean Revival style community hall, designed in an exuberant, thoughtful and richly decorated form;
* good quality materials are used to strong architectural effect, including red brick, terracotta and stone detailing;
* the exterior of the hall is little altered, and the interior retains its original plan and stage.

Historical interest:
* the assembly rooms illustrate the continued influence of Charlton House and the Church of St Luke with Holy Trinity on the community of Charlton during the late-C19 and C20;
* as an example of Victorian philanthropy, and the impact of a wealthy benefactor on community hall design.

Group value:
* with the Grade I Charlton House, through their shared Jacobean design characteristics and mutual benefactor;
* with the Grade II* Church of St Luke with Holy Trinity, with which it shares some classically inspired design characteristics, and through C20 use and ownership.

You can read more on the Historic England website.

18-32 Bowater Road
English Heritage has opted not to list 18-32 Bowater Road (photo: Neil Clasper)

Meanwhile, Historic England has issued a “certificate of immunity” for one of the former Siemens factory blocks by the Thames Barrier, 18-32 Bowater Road, meaning it cannot be given a national listing in the next five years.

Developer U+I plans to redevelop the site, keeping this building but demolishing adjacent 37 Bowater Road, as part of a scheme to build shops, offices and up to 520 homes. Both sites are locally listed by Greenwich Council.

The Charlton Champion needs your support to provide news and information about issues and events in London SE7.
– Help us by telling us your stories
– Become a monthly patron at patreon.com/charltonchampion
– Donate directly to the site at paypal.me/charltonchampion
– Buy Darryl a coffee at ko-fi.com