The Normans

After the Roman administration and military left Britannia in the early 5th century, the population of London severely declined to just over 10,000 citizens by the early 11th century, down from 45,000 in 100 AD. It is hard to imagine London being populated by such a small number of people.

In 1086, William the Conqueror commissioned the publication of the famous Domesday Book—an economic report detailing the assets and land value of William’s newly annexed kingdom. It is in the Domesday Book that New Cross was first mentioned.

The Normans called the area Hacheham, meaning “Haecci’s Homestead” or “Haecci’s Estate.” Haecci was presumably the name of one of the Anglo-Saxon households that lived in the area at the time. Unfortunately for the Haecci clan, the new Norman government transferred ownership of Haecci’s Homestead to one of William the Conqueror’s generals, Gilbert de Maminot.

Gilbert de Maminot was a major player in William’s inner circle and was once Marshal of Dover Castle. Because of his military prowess, he gained titles to several pieces of land that became known as the ‘Maminot Barony.’ While living in the area, he built a castle situated where Sayes Court Park is now. This became known as Hacheham Manor.

Haberdashers and the 17th Century

Over the next few centuries, Hacheham gradually became known as “Hatcham.” While the deed to the land changed from de Maminot’s descendants to many families unrelated to the Norman baron, including members of the English crown (such as Elizabeth I), the area remained dominated by agriculture. Finally, in the 17th century, a pivotal transfer of ownership occurred, which would alter the course of Hatcham’s development.

An area in New Cross is still considered to be Hatcham today

The Haberdashers leased some of Hatcham to various clients, including Thomas Pepys, the brother of famous diarist Samuel Pepys, after whom Pepys Street in New Cross is named. Samuel Pepys first mentions Hatcham in his diary on Sunday, 19 July 1663, and at one point even refers to his brother as ‘Hatcham Pepys.’ During this time, in the 17th century, Hatcham gradually became known as New Cross. The first mention of this was in 1675 by writer John Evelyn, who wrote that he met a friend at “New Crosse.” Apparently, New Cross was named after a famous pub in the area, possibly The New Cross House.

Napoleon and the Industrial Revolution

When war broke out with Napoleon in the late 1790s, Parliament commissioned the building of a communication center atop what was then called Plowed Garlic Hill. The purpose of this communication center was to be part of a system that used smoke signals to convey information from the front lines in Europe to the military command center in London.

Dover Castle would receive messages from ships at sea—who would have received signals from inland Europe. Dover would then relay smoke signals onto Deal, who would illustrate the message to a communication tower in Shooters Hill, South London, which would then signal to Plowed Garlic Hill, New Cross. Plowed Garlic Hill, which later became known as Telegraph Hill, would then telegraph the information onto Westminster. This signaling system was how the Admiralty first heard the news that Wellington defeated Napoleon.

The view of The City from Telegraph Hill

In 1839 and 1849, two passenger railroad stations commenced business: New Cross and New Cross Gate Station. After this, industry flourished and housing construction accelerated, much of it funded by the Haberdashers. By the mid-1860s, the population of New Cross swelled to over 17,000 residents.

The Victorians

During the Victorian era, many new buildings popped up in New Cross, some of which still stand today. One of the most notable buildings erected is The Royal Navy School, which opened in 1843 and is a magnificent building. It has been renamed and repurposed several times since then but remains an educational establishment. Today it is Goldsmiths, University of London. The university specializes in the arts and design and is one of the reasons that New Cross is such an exciting, vibrant, and creative area today.

The Old Royal Navy School Building

Deptford Town Hall

Another is Deptford Town Hall, built at the end of the Victorian period, which has statues on the front boasting some of the great figures of Britain’s maritime tradition: Sir Francis Drake, Admiral Robert Blake, Lord Horatio Nelson, and an unknown admiral. Other notable constructions include the three Haberdasher Schools in the area, New Cross Fire Station, and the Early English Gothic style St Catherine’s Church.

During the Victorian age, historically significant people resided in New Cross as well. Prominent poet and playwright Robert Browning, who said “Our aspirations are our possibilities,” resided here in the 1840s. From an apartment close to The Five Bells pub, Charles Dickens wrote Our Mutual Friend, his final complete work. In this novel, Dickens used idyllic imagery inspired by New Cross to illustrate the setting. From 1892-1909, scientist Sir Barnes Wallis also resided in New Cross. After German bombing raids destroyed his beloved Millwall football ground during the Battle of Britain, Wallis vowed revenge. A few years later, he invented the world’s first bouncing bomb, which destroyed German dams during the Dambusters raid. A plaque dedicated to Wallis sits at 241 New Cross Road.

Robert Browning plaque, notice the Haberdashers coat of arms on the right hand side

The Post-War Years to Today

While the area continued to grow into the 20th century, New Cross sustained damage from the Luftwaffe’s bombing campaign in World War II. In the first 24 hours of The Blitz, 30 bombs were dropped on New Cross, yet the biggest tragedy happened towards the end of the war on November 25, 1944. At 12:26 pm, a V-2 bomb landed on Woolworth’s department store. It killed 168 people and injured another 123. It was the most devastating V2 attack of the war.

New Cross again found itself in a hotbed of distress when in 1977 several hundred members of the far-right National Front party attempted to march from New Cross to Lewisham, hoping to promote their platform. Thousands of New Cross residents took to the streets and blocked the demonstrators from proceeding. Fights broke out between the National Front and the counter-protesters, and only after 5,000 officers arrived at the scene did this battle conclude. This was then known as the ‘Battle of Lewisham.

Battle of Lewisham mural

First mentioned in the seminal Domesday Book as a sleepy agrarian area, New Cross has grown into a vibrant, friendly, and creative neighborhood with a flourishing music, art, and design scene. With a backdrop of rich history, beautiful Victorian buildings, and a strong community spirit, I’m proud to live and work in Hatcham, New Cross.

As New Cross continues to evolve, it remains a wonderful place to live and work. If you’re looking for a trusted partner to let and manage HMOs in the area, we offer comprehensive services to meet your needs. Feel free to contact us for more information.