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Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
:A monster sat down in Catford and just what the place needed. No offence meant: this southward extension of Lewisham High Street badly wanted stiffening. Now there is a punchy concrete focus (`you know, that funny new building') both close to and at a distance, from the desolate heights of the Downham Estate, where it stands straight to the afternoon sun. Rough concrete is put through all its paces, front convex eaves on Sainsbury's to a staircase tower which is either afflicted with an astounding set of visual distortions or is actually leaning. Again, no offence meant. Unlike many other avant-garde buildings, particularly in the universities, this one is done from real conviction, not from a desire for self-advertisement. The gaunt honesty of those projecting concrete frames carrying boxed-out bow windows persists. It is not done at you and it transforms the surroundings instead of despising them. This most craggy and uncompromising of London buildings turns out to be full of firm gentleness.''
In Rushey Green outside Eros House, the old village hand-pump from the 1850s survives. In 1974 the Catford shopping centre was built by the brutalist architect Owen Luder.
Broadway Theatre, Catford, which is a fine art deco building, adjoins the town hall. This is a curved stone structure decorated with shields and heraldic emblems and topped with an attractive copper-green spire. It was opened in 1932 as the Concert Hall and is now a Grade II listed building. The interior is in art deco style. The last cinema in the borough stood opposite the theatre until its closure in 2002. Catford also boasts a Territorial Army centre and a large Gothic police station (despite the largest police station in Europe being just down the road in Lewisham). In 2006, a large blue pipe sculpture was unveiled outside Eros House. In November 2010, there was a riot against student fees increase at the town hall which ended up making national news.
Catford's most prominent landmark is the Catford Cat, a giant fibreglass sculpture of a black cat above the entrance to the Catford Centre. This is a small shopping centre, housing Tesco and Iceland supermarkets as well as some independent shops in the punningly-named Catford Mews. There is a street market on Catford Broadway. Catford has several pubs and a variety of non-chain restaurants and cafes. Catford's oldest pub is the Black Horse and Harrow (now called the Goose on the Green) and Karl Marx is reputed to have been an occasional patron. The pub has existed since at least 1700 though the present building dates from 1897. Between 1932 and 2003, Catford Stadium was a successful greyhound racing track, but was demolished a few years back to make way for a new housing development. As of April 2009, the site of Catford Greyhound Stadium remains vacant and overgrown.
Catford was historically part of Kent until 1889, when it was absorbed into the new London County Council, along with the majority of the present day London Borough of Lewisham. Catford covers most of SE6 postcode district. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. The original gothic C of E St. Laurence church was located where Laurence House is today (known as the Catford Cathedral), but as part of the urban renewal of Catford in the 1960s, the church is now housed in a more modern style building 200 metres down Bromley Road. This church follows a traditional Anglican Mass and has their own choir.
There is a large Muslim community served by the Lewisham Islamic Centre, which also serves the needs of Muslims from all over Lewisham.
There are also Sikh, Buddhist and Hare Krishna temples.
Catford Southend F.C. were a once successful non-league side who groundshared with Charlton Athletic F.C. at The Mount stadium and nearly merged with. However, the deal was scuppered and Charton went onto Football League success while Catford Southend fell into obscurity. The most prominent Sunday League side now in Catford is Catford Strollers F.C. Catford also boast a large 5-a-side center with many teams. Catford Saints were a professional baseball side playing in the London Major Baseball League in the early 20th century.
The Catford Cycling Club was founded in 1886 and rose to European promience. In 1894 they built their own track south of Brownhill Road complete with a magnificent Pagoda grandstand. However, by the 1950s the majority of the track had been built over yet the club still flourishes to this day.
Cricket, bowls and tennis are represented in Catford in the form of Catford Wanderers and Catford and Cyphers sports clubs. Catford also has a skating club. Kent County Cricket Club have played at Catford several times in the past.
Nearest railway stations
Bus routes
Category:Districts of Lewisham Category:Districts of London Category:Major centres of London
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