Things you didn't know about Forest Hill

Forest Hill—it's all in the name
Did you know that there are actually more than 20 different places in the world called Forest Hill—including a bunch in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and South Africa?

A pool of history in Forest Hill
Forest Hill's Dartmouth Road is home to London's oldest swimming pool—built in 1884.

Forest Hill charmed a top architect
Forest Hill is well known for a range of architectural styles, and has been described as "delightful" by Sir Norman Foster—one of the world's foremost architects. The heart of the town centre is classified as a conservation district.

Dumbledore—an art-deco wizard in Forest Hill?
Michael Gambon, who plays Albus Dumbledore in the film versions of the Harry Potter books, used to live in Forest Hill when he was in his twenties. He lived in Forest Croft, an art deco-style mansion block.

Close but no canal
After just 35 years of existence, the Croydon Canal that runs through Forest Hill had the dubious pleasure of being the first canal to be abandoned by an Act of Parliament in 1836. Some blamed its failure on the large number of locks it used.

From Black Forest to Forest Hill...
Forest Hill and the surrounding areas have one of London's larger German communities. German resistance hero Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor here and has a church named after him. Lewisham has even had a German-born mayor.

"The forest with a big hill"
Forest Hill was supposedly so-named after this phrase became popular to describe the area in the 18th century, the hill referred to being Sydenham Hill. At 112m (367 ft), it is one of the highest points in London and offers spectacular views.

Crystal Palace and Queen Victoria's maid of honour
When the Crystal Palace was moved to Sydenham from Hyde Park after the 1851 Great Exhibition, next-door Forest Hill also received a cash injection with many large homes being constructed on the western side. One of these, called Tudor Hall, was probably first occupied by one of Queen Victoria's maids of honour.

Near Forest Hill you can't see the wood for the trees at One Tree Hill
Near Forest Hill lies the famous One Tree Hill where Queen Elizabeth I is said to have sat under the shade of an oak tree and had lunch with one Sir Richard Bukleley. Since then, the tree has been called the Oak of Honor and the parkland around it Honor Oak Park.