Deptford Area Guide
Bordering the Royal Borough of Greenwich with its glamorous town centre, the vast green open space at Greenwich Park and the world famous Royal Observatory it’s no wonder Deptford has been living in the shadow of its neighbour for many years.
Rich in history, Deptford is the site of Henry VIII’s royal dockyard (now known as Convoys Wharf a prime development site), founded in 1513, where Queen Elizabeth I knighted Sir Francis Drake in 1581 after he circumnavigated the globe aboard the Golden Hind
In the early 20th century the dock yard closed and Deptford slipped into economic decline and derelict buildings made way for purpose-built housing. These 1960’s/1970’s housing developments still stand today and over the past decades surrounding areas such as Canary Wharf, Surrey Quays and Greenwich prospered from gentrification. The introduction of the Docklands Light Railway at the turn of the century has helped Deptford to become better connected and the area began to change once more. With new sleek modern developments, businesses and cafés Deptford soon followed suit.
Deptford truly is a place where all corners of the world meet! It has retained its South East London identity where Deptford Market & Douglas Way offer a traditional high-street and a Bric-a-Brac second-hand market. The market offers lots of fresh produce including, fish, multi-cultural food, fruit & veg, haberdashery etc.
Like many parts of London, gems such as Deptford do not stay hidden forever! Word on the street is that Deptford is the ‘New Peckham’. Being one of the more affordable areas in zone 2 with a lively, creative community and urban atmosphere it’s no wonder Deptford is now firmly on the map!
Property
St Johns has a variety of beautiful mid-Victorian architecture and rows of classic flat fronted Victorian houses along with enclaves of 17th-century cottages in Tanners Hill. This part of Deptford is protected by conservation status which includes the St John’s, Brookmill Road and Deptford High-street conservation areas.
Early 18th century terraces are situated in Albury Street with views of St Pauls Church and the grounds which are also protected by the Deptford high-street and St Pauls conservation area. Grand Victorian house border Deptford Park along with a mix of social housing and new river side developments. Along the Thames path bordering Greenwich are developments such as Paynes and Borthwick and Millennium Quay (where you find the statute of Peter the Great) offering luxury living with uninterrupted views across the City. These developments are popular with first time buyers and professionals due to proximity to the City and Canary Wharf.
Deptford’s appeal has been steadily growing and with a number of developments in the pipeline such as Convoys Wharf this will enhance the high-street and the historical importance of this part of South East London.
Transport Links
Rail: Deptford Station zone 2 makes it easy to travel into London. Trains to Cannon Street (13 minutes) and pass through London Bridge (7 minutes) where you can connect to the Jubilee and Northern tube line. Thameslink services to Blackfriars (14 minutes) Farringdon (19 minutes) and St Pancras (23 minutes)
Deptford Bridge on the Docklands Light Railway is 8 stops from Canary Wharf. New Cross Station has access to the Overground Line which serves Shoreditch (16 minutes), Dalston Junction and Highbury and Islington. St Johns has direct trains to London Cannon Street (16 minutes)
Bus: Travel to and from Deptford is just as accessible by bus the 47 (24hr to Shoreditch) 453 (24hr to Marylebone) 53 (24hr to Whitehall) and the 188 (24hr to Russell Square). The N1 night bus runs to and from Tottenham Court Road.
Road: Deptford residents can take advantage of the nearby A200 or A2 to get to Central London, or head south on the A2 and be on the M25 in just half an hour.
Going Out
Lining the streets of Deptford there are new hipster cafés and restaurants such as The Full Nelson, and Heaps Deli sat alongside West Indian takeaways, and traditional South London Pie n’ Mash shop Manze’s . The opening of Deptford Market Yard in 2016 marked a significant change for new independent business such as Hanks Burgers that serves up great burgers and beers and the The Taproom SE8 which makes amazing stone baked pizza.
Bar Stockton is a new addition to Deptford High Street serving late night cocktails, it’s the same team behind Buster Mantis who serve up Caribbean food. London Velo is a hangout café with a bike workshop out the back.
There are also some great traditional pubs such The Royal Albert , The Black Horse and a new addition The Brookmill serving loads of craft ales and great food.
Local Amenities
Wavelengths is the local leisure centre with everything you would expect. There is a kid’s fun pool, training pool, health suite, soft play and group exercises classes.
Next to the leisure centre you will find the Deptford Lounge which provides a range of community services including a public library, computer labs, study areas, a café, room hire and a roof-top ball court.
The Albany based in the heart of Deptford, is a performing arts centre with a history stretching back to the nineteenth century.
Deptford has three convenient stores, Asda along with a Tesco Express both on the high-street and a Co-op by Deptford Bridge DLR. There is also a Waitrose near Deptford Creek and a much larger Sainsburys in New Cross.
If you’re looking to buy, sell, rent or let in Deptford, contact Strickland & Co Estate Agents Deptford, we are an independent family run estate agent putting honesty, transparency and service at the heart of everything we do.
