The Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill combines internationally significant collections on anthropology and musical instruments with an aquarium, a butterfly house and a natural history collection. The attraction is free and family-friendly. The gardens are also part of its history: they were officially opened to the public on 1 June 1895. Here, nature and diverse cultural collections come together in one place.
Collections, Stages and Local History
In New Cross, the Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art is a free public gallery in a renovated Victorian bathhouse. The Broadway Theatre in Catford offers a different focus: this Grade II listed building has a long history of variety, comedy and Black theatre productions. It is also home to the historically significant 1932 Compton organ, designed for classical concerts, community concerts and theatre use.
In Deptford, The Albany is a leading arts centre with music, theatre and family performances, as well as other events, taking place throughout the year. For orientation, The Albany is about 250 metres from Deptford station, served by National Rail. If you are interested in the borough’s history, Lewisham Heritage offers another point of entry: its history reaches back more than 500 years, with the earliest entry dating from 1476. The reading room is in Catford Library. Resources available there include historical maps, photographs, local history books, microfiche records and electoral registers.
Green Spaces and Wildlife Watching
Beckenham Place Park is Lewisham’s largest green space, covering 98 hectares. Large areas of ancient woodland are ideal for woodland walks. You can visit Sue Godfrey Nature Reserve for free all year round; there are entrances on all four sides. More than 200 species of wildflowers, shrubs and trees have been recorded there over the past 15 years. This gives the small nature reserve its own distinct focus alongside the park’s extensive woodland.
Water also shapes several natural spaces. The ponds and wetlands at Dacres Wood Nature Reserve originated from the old Croydon Canal and are of great importance for nature conservation. A naturalistic space was created in the northern part of Ladywell Fields by diverting the river. With a little luck, you may spot resident kingfishers and a heron there. The upper part of Telegraph Hill Park offers views across London. At Deptford Creek, the Creekside Discovery Centre protects and enhances unique river and wildlife habitats; it also offers a Low Tide Walk.
Woodland Walks and Routes
Downham Woodland Walk is a narrow strip of mostly ancient woodland, stretching for just over one and a half kilometres. Most of it is thought to be ancient woodland. The Green Chain Walk runs along this route between Beckenham Place Park and the nature reserve at Hither Green Grove Park. This brings woodland scenery together with a longer route without reducing the walk to a single park.
The Waterlink Way runs from Deptford Creekside to Beckenham Place Park and is an almost traffic-free route for walking and cycling. The section between Ladywell Fields and Lower Sydenham is recommended for relaxed family cycling and for people using a wheelchair, handcycle or pushchair. Check route conditions before setting out. Beckenham Place Park also has quieter on-road and off-road cycle routes, some nearby and others running through the park.
Markets and Ways to Shape Your Trip
The historic Lewisham Market on Lewisham High Street sells fresh food, fabrics, clothing and household goods. Brockley Market in Lewisham offers fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood, cheese, doughnuts, cookies and fresh bread. The markets have different focuses: alongside food, Lewisham offers fabrics, clothing and household items, while Brockley’s selection ranges from fresh produce to bread and sweet treats.
If you are looking for a holiday rental for a stay in Lewisham, you can shape your trip around your own interests: collections and theatre history, nature and walks, or the markets. These different themes offer several ways to discover Lewisham without prescribing a fixed order for your visit.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Newham, Ealing, Wandsworth, Enfield, Waltham Forest, Bromley, Bexley, Merton.
For the broader travel overview: Greater London.
