God's Gift

We went on one of our safaris today, to the leafy environs of Dulwich. A fascinating place indeed - a remnant of Olde England nestling uncomfortably close to some rather less salubrious parts of South London such as Lewisham, Peckham and Brixton.

And such a history! The whole area between the high points of Crystal Palace and Herne Hill was purchased in Elizabethan times by an actor and theatrical magnate called Thomas Alleyn, under whose benevolence such esteemed institutions as Dulwich College ("The College of God's Gift"), almshouses and other religious and educational buildings were founded. He established a toll-road that still exists today, and the village itself remains to a great degree preserved as a result of his estate and its influence. Very Mapp & Lucia...

Dulwich is the birthplace of such luminaries as Enid Blyton and Anne Shelton, and currently home to a host of famous people like Jo Brand, Margaret Thatcher and James Nesbit - the place reeks of money!

We walked around the grounds of the famous Dulwich Picture Gallery, established at the end of the C18th when no permanent home could be found for a collection of paintings destined for Poland (a country that by then had been carved up by Russia, Prussia and Austria and no longer existed). Its founders are buried in a mausoleum on the site, and Sir John Soanes' innovative design for the dome was the inspiration for the later design of the top of the GPO's iconic red telephone box.



We wandered the village and passed by the College, through the lovely park and up Forest Hill past the Horniman Museum - a strange and beautiful Arts an Crafts building - stopping for lunch in Dulwich's magnificent Crown and Greyhound pub en route.

Tons of history, magnificent brickwork, and a genuine "village" feel - all within fifteen minutes of London Bridge or Victoria. A grand day out!

Dulwich local website