This ancient thoroughfare, once rural, lies in East Dulwich, today a southern suburb of London, England.It runs north-south from Goose Green to Dulwich Common. The lane is filled with fashionable bars and restaurants. The architecturally meritorious Dulwich Library, which opened on 24 November 1897 is on the lane. Lordship Lane is also home of the unusual listed builiding, the so-called "Concrete House". This locality is also the subject of Lordship Lane Station, Dulwich, an 1871 painting by Camille Pissarro [1] (http://www.artchive.com/artchive/P/pissarro/pissarro_lordship.jpg.html), which now hangs at the Courtauld Institute in London. Lordship Lane was once the home of the children's author, Enid Blyton

History of the lane

Lordship Lane is East Dulwich's oldest street. It is an ancient thoroughfare that significantly predates the late 19th century developments. [2] (http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/southwark/dulwich/lordship-lane-01.htm)[3] (http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/southwark/dulwich/lordship-lane-03.htm)The area was transformed from fields and market gardens to Victorian suburbs in the period 1865 – 1885. The area was the development of two estates. The area between Wood Vale, Barry Road and Lordship Lane was part of Friern Manor Farm, a large dairy farm, and the area to the west and bounded by Lordship Lane, Barry Road and East Dulwich Road was part of the Bower-Smith estate. Friern Manor Farm was purchased by the British Land Company, which sold it on as building plots.

The "Concrete House"

One of the most architecturally interesting buildings in the area is at 549 Lordship Lane. The so-called "Concrete House" is a derelict grade II listed building and is an example of 19th century concrete house. It is believed that it is the only surviving example in England.

The Concrete House was built in 1873 by Charles Drake of the Patent Concrete Building Company. In 1867 the builder had patented the use of iron panels for shuttering rather than timber.

It is listed on English Heritage's Buildings At Risk register.

External links

• History of the Lordship Lane area (http://www.lordshiplane.co.uk/history/index.htm)
• English Heritage on the Concrete House (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/default.asp?wci=mainframe&URL1=default.asp%3FWCI%3DNode%26WCE%3D6744)
• Lordship Lane website (http://www.lordshiplane.co.uk)