• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Guides / Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Lewisham

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Lewisham

Jan 17, 2020 By John Rabon

The London Borough of Lewisham had its origins as far back as the 6th Century when the Jute Leof settled in the area, making it “Leofshema”.  The name then evolved into Levesham and then the Lord Manor of Lewisham by the Saxon period.  As with much of inner London, it went from pastoral estate to suburban metropolis as London expanded and the Borough of Lewisham was officially created in 1965.  Today, it keeps this suburban atmosphere, full of parks and green space as well as interesting places to visit that contribute to the borough’s culture.  We’ve identified the top ten places we think you should visit and you can let us know what we’ve left out in the comments.

Dirty South

Dirty South isn’t just another pub, it’s one of London’s top music halls and an iconic performance venue in Lewisham.  After sustaining damage in the London riots of 2011, Dirty South reopened as a pub and restaurant featuring a menu with a number of American and Caribbean selections as well as a number of North American beverages and bespoke cocktails.

Lewisham Arthouse

The Lewisham Arthouse is a unique gallery that’s run as a cooperative of local artists and situated in a Grade II listed building on Lewisham Way.  You can guarantee with its focus on supporting local artists that the work on display is tied directly to the community.  In addition to the works on display, the Lewisham Arthouse also regularly hosts artist exhibitions and concerts.

Deptford Cinema

Building on Lewisham’s artistic community, Deptford Cinema is an art gallery, music venue, and independent not-for-profit cinema that provides the area with a dedicated film venue.  The cinema’s construction was funded by a Kickstarter campaign and largely run by a volunteer body, running not only independent films but seasons dedicated to individual directors such as Terry Gilliam, Spike Lee, and Akira Kurosawa, amongst others.

Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Not far from Lewisham, the Greenwich Foot Tunnel connects Millibank with Greenwich.  This historical footpath opened in 1902 and runs under the River Thames.  The entrance at either end is marked by a pair of glass domes and while a sign states that the tunnel is private property without a public right-of-way, approximately 4,000 people use it per day to cross the river.

Mountsfield Park

Mountsfield Park is one of the largest green spaces in Lewisham with an area of 32 acres.  It was built in 1845 as a wedding gift for Henry Tabbats Stainton by his father and gifted to Stainton’s widow in 1903 who subsequently turned it into a public park in 1905.  In addition to its fields and flora, the park features sports fields, a children’s play area, and hosts many large events for the borough.

Brockley Market

One of the jewels of Lewisham, Brockley Market is the top shopping destination, especially for locally-sourced food and ingredients.  Aside from serving primarily as a farmers’ market, there’s a great amount of street food in this car park market for breakfast, brunch, and lunch to suit any taste.  Since Brockley Market is cash-only, make sure to hit the atm first before you go and try to get there early at 10AM, as the most popular items tend to sell out quickly.

Telegraph Hill Park

South London’s answer to Primrose Hill is Telegraph Hill, featuring a park that’s just under ten acres and offers some spectacular views of the city.  The park is split into two areas, an upper and a lower park, with the upper park offering the best views and being the only part that is open to dogs.  The lower park features the children’s play area, ball courts, and hosts a farmers’ market.

Nunhead Cemetery

Just west of Lewisham, Nunhead Cemetery is famous for being one of the “Magnificent Seven” Victorian cemeteries in the city.  While a cemetery may seem like a morose place to visit, Nunhead is full of beautiful stone and marble monuments to many eminent citizens who are interred there.  It also features a number of memorials to soldiers and political martyrs as well as a great view of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Manor House Gardens

Thomas Lucas laid out the gardens around Manor House in 1773 and the house and gardens remained in private ownership until they were sold to the London County Council in 1898.  The Council refurbished the grounds and opened them to the public in 1902.  The gardens are eight acres in size and feature a ball field, lake, ball courts, a play area, and a walled flower garden.  The house itself is Grade II listed and features an elegant library.

Horniman Museum and Gardens

The Horniman Museum is one of the finest natural history museums in London, opened in 1901 and featuring a wide array of exhibits dedicated to anthropology, music, plants, and wildlife.  The Horniman has a “hands on” exhibit that allows visitors to touch and interact with certain objects in the museum’s collection while also featuring rotating exhibits and weekly events.  Plan your time wisely because it’s easy to spend most of your day here.

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Guides, Top 10 London

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • V&A set to open first major UK exhibition on Renaissance sculptor Donatello
  • Ten National Trust Properties in London
  • What’s On in London Events for February 2023
  • Only Fools And Horses musical to close in West End after four years
  • Artist Ai Weiwei to launch first design-focused exhibition at London’s Design Museum
  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in