Maze Hill

Maze Hill is an area in Greenwich and Blackheath, in south-east London, lying to the east of Greenwich Park, and west of the Westcombe Park area of Blackheath. It is part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, and takes its name from the main thoroughfare, Maze Hill. It gives its name to Maze Hill railway station.

Maze Hill
Maze Hill is located in Greater London
Maze Hill
Maze Hill
Location within Greater London
OS grid referenceTQ402780
London borough
Ceremonial countyGreater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLondon
Postcode districtSE10
Dialling code020
PoliceMetropolitan
FireLondon
AmbulanceLondon
London Assembly

The road is believed to have taken its name from Sir Algernon May,[1] who lived nearby until 1693, or after Robert May who lived there in 1683. 'Moys Hill' is marked on Rocque's 1745 map,[2] 'Maize Hill' on Greenwood's 1827 map,[3] and 'Maze Hill' on Bacon's map of 1888.[4]

While working as Surveyor to the Royal Hospital, the architect Sir John Vanbrugh lived (1719-1726) in a house of his own design, now known as Vanbrugh Castle, overlooking the park on what is now Maze Hill.[5] Immediately to the north of Vanbrugh Castle was Mayfield Lodge, once used to print The Kentish Mercury, and from 1861 a Rescue Society for Females home (marked as ‘female reformatory’ on maps) which was demolished in 1906.[2]

The southern end of Maze Hill is adjacent to an area marked on Rocque's 1745 map as 'Vanbrugh Fields', with his name surviving in local street names including 'Vanbrugh Park' and 'Vanbrugh Hill'.

Royal Ordnance Factories F.C. played some matches at Maze Hill.

One of the two sites of the comprehensive secondary school, The John Roan School, is situated at the southern end of Maze Hill[6] (the other is on Westcombe Park Road). Greenwich District Hospital (and its predecessor, St Alfege's Hospital) was sited at the northern end of Maze Hill until its closure in 2001 and demolition in 2006; the site is now occupied by a residential development surrounding a Royal Borough of Greenwich leisure centre, library and services complex.

The southern part of Maze Hill (plus Westcombe Park) falls within the Blackheath Westcombe ward of the Royal Borough of Greenwich; the northern area of Maze Hill is in Peninsula Ward.[7]

References
  1. Maze Hill, Hidden London Gazetteer. Accessed: 18 August 2015
  2. Railway London Bridge to Gravesend. Maze Hill, Edith's Streets. Accessed: 18 August 2015. The map is An Exact Survey of the citys of London Westminster ye Borough of Southwark and the Country near ten miles round / begun in 1741 & ended in 1745 by John Rocque Land Surveyor; & Engrav'd by Richard Parr (6 of 6)
  3. Greenwood's Map - A Single Panel Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed: 19 August 2015.
  4. Greenwich, Deptford, Lewisham, Blackheath (London & Suburbs 1888 Sheet 30)
  5. "Vanbrugh Castle". Greenwich Guide. Archived from the original on 29 November 2009. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  6. The John Roan School (upper School), Greenwich http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-504217-the-john-roan-school-upper-school-greenw
  7. Ward Map, Royal Borough of Greenwich. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
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