Description
Streatham came into existence as 'the hamlet on the road' - the road is the Roman road Stane Street heading south towards what is now the Sussex coast. A road still defines the area - the A23 with Brixton to the north and Croydon to the south. This has led to a long high street with a variety of independent and chain shops.
The housing includes Art Deco apartments and Victorian and Edwardian villas and terraces. This is combined with the conservation area of Streatham Village and open space, e.g. Streatham Common.
History
There are records of a Saxon church at St Leonard's and 'Estreham' is recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book. The area was largely rural and unchanged until the 18th century when wells and a spa became popular. Large houses were here including Park Hill which was the home of Henry Tate. The railway came in 1856 and in the 19th and 20th-century entertainment was a feature of Streatham, including theatres, cinemas, ice skating and a ballroom. Streatham was a middle-class area with retail opportunities including a department store and the first Waitrose was here in the 1950s.
Leisure & Amenities
Places to go and things to do:
- Streatham Tate Library
- Mark Bennet Community Centre
- Streatham Festival
- Hideaway jazz club
Active Life:
- Streatham Common
- Tooting Bec Lido
Eating and drinking ideas:
- Boyce da Roca
- Beyrouths
- Pratts & Payne
- Hood
- The Railway pub
Transport
Three railway stations:
- Streatham - for Southern and Thameslink trains to London Bridge, Croydon, Blackfriars
- Streatham Hill for Southern trains to Croydon and London Bridge
- Streatham Common for Southern trains to London Victoria, Caterham, Epsom
- A23 road to the south coast.