Blackheath is separated from Greenwich by Shooters Hill. It runs down as far as the High Road. Dartmouth Row, near Blackheath Hill and west of the heath, contains Georgian houses. South of the heath there are streets such as The Pagoda, Eliot Hill and South Row containing large Victorian houses with a view of the heath. There is a sought-after council estate in Fulthorpe Road. North of the heath, the streets of Vanbrugh Park and St John’s Park are actually on the north side of Shooters Hill but regarded as part of Blackheath. These also contain desirable Victorian houses.

East of Lee Road is Blackheath Park and the Cator Estate. This was an estate laid out by John Cator in Georgian times. The estate has its own entrances so it was an original gated community. The estate takes in the roads from Blackheath Park down to Manor Way. There are now a huge variety of houses from Victorian through to 1960s houses. It is regarded as a very desirable area. On the other side of Lee road there are attractive Georgian and Victorian houses in the streets round Belmont Park and Dacre Park.

Shooters Hill Road has nothing to do with drug use; it commemorates the fact that the heath was particularly renowned for its highwaymen in the 18th century.

History books say that Henry VIII welcomed Ann of Cleves as his new wife with an elaborate display on Blackheath. She must have been quite startled. I imagine you would get arrested for it nowadays.

Blackheath was the site of many other historical events. The official welcome for Henry V returning after his victory at the Battle of Agincourt was held there. Charles II was welcomed at Blackheath when he returned from exile.

Despite all that notoriety, the way the area got its name was pretty unimaginative. Blackheath was a heath and it’s soil was particularly black, so they called it Blackheath!