SE21, SE22
Nearest Tube: North Dulwich

This part of south-east London is located just to the south of Peckham and Camberwell. The district is named after the Manor of Dulwich that used to be situated here, and it is believed to mean “the meadow where dill grows”.

For most of its history the district was rural and sparsely populated, with the community centred around the small hamlet of Dulwich Village. With no main roads in the district the area remained largely isolated until well into the 17th century.

Things changed when the College of God’s Gift at Dulwich (now Dulwich College) was founded and the area became known as a place of education. And then in the 18th century the district was a popular spa resort.

During this period the area saw some development, with several mansions being built by wealthy residents. But it was the industrial expansion of London in the 19th century that transformed the district into the suburb that it is today.

The railway reached the area in the 1850s and over the next few decades large estates were built, transforming Dulwich into a fashionable residential area.

Due to careful planning and conservation over the years, Dulwich retains several areas of parkland and woodland. The architecture has also been preserved in many areas, making the district one of the more pleasant of London’s suburbs.

Visitors to the area can visit the Dulwich Picture Gallery on College Road or the nearby Horniman Museum in Forest Hill.