Anerley Hill

by | Jan 27, 2021

Anerley Hill



In 1875, the name of Anerley Hill was abolished and the hill was included as part of Anerley Road. Officially in 1915, this section reverted back from Anerley Road to be known as Anerley Hill. The change of name therefore led to both Anerley Road and Anerley Hill being quoted, sometimes within the same newspaper article.

An article in the Norwood News on Saturday, 24 April 1875, states: -
The attention of the Board was called to the inconvenience occasioned by ‘Anerley’ and ‘Upper Norwood’ being the postal names of different parts of the hamlet of Penge, the name ‘Penge’ not being recognised by the postal authorities. The Board decided on the following alterations in the names of the streets in the hamlet:- the name of Anerley Hill to be abolished, the hill to be included as part of Anerley Road.

Until:

ANERLEY ROAD – ANERLEY HILL
Norwood News Friday, 1 October 1915
The committee reported: A vote of the ratepayers in the portion of Anerley Road situate between the top of the hill and Crystal Palace Station Road having been taken, and found to be almost unanimously in favour of altering the name of such part of Anerley Road to Anerley Hill, the committee recommended that such portion of Anerley Road be renamed to the occupiers of the houses on the north east side of such road between Ledrington Road and Crystal Palace Station Road, requiring them to number their houses 1 to 27 odd numbers inclusive. No 1 to be Carlton Lodge at the corner of Ledrington Road.

Maps and Land Ownership
 

 

 

Timeline
Anerley Hill: Introduction:

Anerley Hill / Road was a product of the 1827 Penge Common Enclosure which specified its construction, width and route from the Vicar’s Oak to Clay Lane (now known as Elmers End Road).  It was situated roughly halfway between  two existing routes running  east off the Norwood ridge – Old Cople Lane and Three Gate Lane (now known as Fox Hill). It clearly took advantage of a more gently sloping spur to avoid the steep drop offs running either side of it, along the ridge, and opened up the enclosure allotments to development.

The 1844 Hamlet of Penge Tithe Map, available in the Bromley Library archives, shows just six houses between what is now Hamlet Road and the top of Anerley Hill. Three of them still exist today, Harefield (No14), The Cottage (No 6) and St.Katherine’s (No4). The missing houses occupied the sites of what is now Pleydell Gardens, Grosvenor Court (No16) and the corner plot with Church Rd (i.e. the site that was to become The Royal Crystal Palace Hotel)

(Suggest inserting photos of tram and trolleybus on the hill)

 

2, Anerley Hill: RCPH – Suggest link to Buildings of Special Interest and insert Stephen’s excellent article about the RCPH, from Norwood Review 225.

“At this point upon a clear day could easily see the Thames from the principle entrance. Extensive views from the two acres of grounds. “(Picturesque  Norwood 1899)

2A Anerley Hill: Cadence: The former ball room of the RCPH and Robin Wood garage. Suggest link to Stephen’s article on Robin Wood (NS 225) in buildings of Special Interest section.

4, Anerley Hill (Nos 1 & 2 St.Katerine’s) & 6, Anerley Hill (The Cottage):

The existence of these houses, either side of an entrance drive into the large house known as Cintra, would imply that they were originally intended as gate houses -they would have stood opposite the gatehouse to Penge Place. However, the census of 1851 indicates that St.Katherine’s was a private school, run by three sisters, with eight boarding pupils aged 3-11 and The Cottage was occupied by a Laundress with a 13 year old son, who was a gardener, and three younger sons who were scholars. Perhaps the mother and eldest son worked at Cintra?

            St.Katherine’s

In the 1861 census Frederick Strange was resident at St.Katherine’s – he held the Crystal Palace catering contract from 1859-1866.

The Cottage:

The 1861 census shows a George Hantler  (Contractor, Builder and Property Proprietor) as resident

8-12 Anerley Hill (Formerly known as 1-3 Tower Terrace): This terrace must have been constructed between 1854 and 1861 as it is not visible in a photo of the Crystal Palace South Tower, under construction, and it exists in the 1861 census. A lease for Harefield, dated 31st Jan 1881 shows its uphill neighbour as “land demised to George Hantler “ – it must therefore be likely that the Mr Hantler actually built Tower Terrace.

 

14, Anerley Hill (Harefield House): See Buildings of Special Interest entry.

16, Anerley Hill (Grosvenor Court): (Site formerly occupied by The Hermitage Villa).

The Hermitage Villa was a near mirror image of Harefield, around the semi-detached stables/coach houses. It must have been built at the same time as Harefield (see Buildings of Special Interest). According to the 1861 census it was occupied by Thomas Jones (Jnr) whose father owned Cintra. Thomas Jones (Jnr) and his wife were owners of neighbouring Harefield House (via a trust). Census returns and street directories place various members of the Bertram family living at The Hermitage from at least 1867 to at least 1886. Members of the Bertram family held the Crystal Palace catering contract from 1866-1872 and 1878-1898.

18, Anerley Hill (Regency Court) – (Formerly The Tower; Star & Garter; Star Hotel)

1861 Census: William Westbrooke (Hotel Keeper of Star Hotel) + 5 relatives + 12 Boarders and 3 servants.

1867: Green & Co Directory- E. Westbrooke, Star Hotel

1871: Census: Elizabeth Westhead (Westbrooke?)  (Hotel Keeper-Star Hotel) + 2 relatives+1 boarder+4 servants

1880: P Dunn

1884: J.C.Turrall

1886 Burdette Upper Norwood –Star & Garter (Unoccupied)

1887: Sat 27th August Front Page of Norwood Review: Star & Garter Hotel furniture and fittings for auction. Bar fittings 7 pull beer engines.

1924-29 Crystal Palace School of Practical Engineering

20, Anerley Hill (formerly Cornwall Lodge)

22, Anerley Hill (formerly Home Lodge)

24, Anerley Hill (formerly Cintra Park Cottage)

26, Anerley Hill? (Could be current 28)  Cintra Park House

 

 

Building of the street
This information relates to Harefield House on Anerley Hill only

Attempt to identify owners and occupiers of 1850s Penge Common properties on Anerley Hill & Church Rd from the current Cintra Park to Belvedere Rd
The 1844 Tithe map shows the following properties on the Cintra Estate and along the current Church Rd to The Alma
 
1 Cintra House, with a small building on Church Rd, that is identified as stabling in later maps.
2 A building on the site subsequently occupied by the RCPH. Plot size c1 acre
3 St.Katherines
4 The Cottage
5 Harefield (Known to occupy 2 Roods and 8 Perches (.55 of an acre)
6 The Hermitage (Grounds marginally larger than Harefield).
7? Spring Grove Lodge is on the 1844 map and was part of The Cintra Estate auction in 1899 but may or may not have been owned by J Vere in 1851!
8

Two properties between Spring Grove Lodge and Belvedere Rd
9
Properties owned by J Vere included in the Hamlet of Penge Rates Book 1st June 1850 (Almost definitely J=Joseph)
Assessment No Name of occupier Description Name of Situation Estimated Extent Gross Estimated Rental £ Rateable Value £ Observations/Comments
A:R:P
55 Westrow(?) House & Garden Westow Hill* 01:01:16 110 85 Presumably this relates to Cintra House given the size of the rates. It may also include The Cottage and St.Katherine’s, as gate houses, as these do not appear elsewhere. However, this would be inconsistent with the Penge Place entries that are very detailed.
56    ”   (Empty) Land “ 11:03:02 25 25 Grounds of Cintra?
57 Thomas Jones Land “ 04:01:00 9 9 Grounds of Cintra?
58 Rowlands House & Garden Anerley Hill 03:03:34 85 70 Presume that this could be the property that was on the site of the RCPH
59 Howes “ “ 00:00:36 65 50 This must be Harefield but extent should be 2 Roods 8 perch! However, Rate is same as The Hermitage as would be expected. Vere was not really the owner at this point as he put it in trust for his daughter Ellen and nephew (Thomas Jones) when they married in 1848.
60 Maitland “ “ 00:02:09 65 50 Known to be at The Hermitage (Area is correct)
Total 22:00:17
NB Only Howes & Maitland appear in the 1851 census
The total acreage crudely looks similar to the 1899 Rushworth auction map of Cintra estate
Other Rate Book Assessments in Westow Hill* (all beloning to G. Amott)
NB There are two properties shown on the 1844 Penge Tithe Map between Spring Grove Lodge and the corner of Belvedere Rd.
52 G. Amott Gravel Pit Westow Hill* 00:02:32 10/- 7/-
53 Broomfield House & Garden     “ 00:01:20 30 20 A John Broomfield is shown in the 1851 census. There are a further seven one/two person households, in low grade jobs, in the census between Harvey (below) and the Belvedere Rd entries. Could Broomfield (an unmarried clerk at Phoenix Insurance with a housekeeper) also run the house as a boarding house.
54 Harvey “ “ 00:02:10 40 32 Robert Harvey, a Customs House Agent with a wife and two servants, appears in the 1851 census. The area seems compatible with Spring Grove Lodge which, although included in the 1899 Cintra park auction may not have been owned by Vere at the time.
*Presumably Westow Hill was the name given to the Penge side of what is now Church Road
Direct extract from the 1850 Rate Book held at Wandswoth Archives in Clapham Library

Architecture
 

 

 

Significant Street Buildings

    Harefield House, Anerley Hill

    HAREFIELD HOUSE—The Story of a House Through Time whose family have lived there since 1948 14 Anerley Hill, Upper Norwood, London, SE19 2AA (NB Anerley Hill was a fairly recent incarnation – forerunners were Westow Hill Rd, Annerley Rd. and Anerley Rd. …

    6 to 1 & 2 Paxton Terrace – 40 to 50 Anerley Road/Anerley Hill

    6 TO 1 & 2, PAXTON TERRACE (40 – 50 ANERLEY ROAD/ANERLEY HILL) (FOR NO 42 ANERLEY HILL, SEE SEPARATE RESEARCH) Paxton Terrace on the left, looking up towards the Crystal Palace, with Paxton Arms on the corner of Palace Road on the left, and corner …

    42 Anerley Hill

    5 PAXTON TERRACE (42 ANERLEY HILL/ROAD) (NOW KNOWN AS 42 ANERLEY HILL) View down Anerley Hill c1905 postcard showing Paxton Terrace on the right hand side Between Pleydell Avenue and The Paxton Arms 2022 [photo: J Ray-Heard]View looking up-hill (Nos 44 …

Social History
If you would like to contribute to this section, please click here.
Residents

If you would like to contribute to this section, please click here.
Memories
If you would like to contribute to this section, please click here.
War
The Second World War 1939 to 1945

No known bomb damage to this parade of shops, although Palace Road, Palace Square, nearby premises on Anerley Road (Hanover Parade and Brunswick Parade), Anerley Vale and Crystal Palace Station Road, suffered severely during WW2, on 10 & 11 July 1944.

42 ANERLEY HILL

Thane’s Cash Bazaar, shopkeeper John Walter Herbert and Fanny’s son Ralph John Thane (Bn 1883) married Ann Elizabeth Gardner (Bn 1879 D1944) in 1913.  He had been a Glove Warehouseman (1911 Census).

He joined the East Surrey Regiment, 9th Battalion (Private 22237) and was Killed in Action in Flanders on 21 March 1918, aged 34.

He is buried at Bellicourt British Cemetery, Bellicourt, Departement de l’Aisne, Picardie, France.

Hero: Ralph John Thane East Surrey Regiment 21 March 1918 Age 34 [Photo Credit: Billiongraves.com]

 

Census
Street Directories
Contribute to this street history