152 ' BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM. 
worship in the parish for those who had separated from the Church 
of England. A chapel was afterwards erected on this site about 
1760, of which Dr. John Williams, author of a concordance of the 
Greek Testament, an enquiry concerning the discovery of America, 
and other works, was minister from 1767 to 1794. It was then 
leased to Hugh French, Esq., M.D., who converted it into a chapel- 
of-ease to the Parish Church, his son, the Rev. Pinkstan Arundel 
French, being incumbent for many years. 
The house now occupied by Lady Grove, widow of Sir George 
Grove, is one of the few remaining 18th century houses of the dis- 
trict, and a good specimen of a weather-boarded house of its date. 
The Free Library, which was built in 1904, stands at the 
corner of Home Park, one of the open spaces provided by the 
PLaTE 71.—ViEW ON THE SYDENHAM CANAL. 
Lewisham Borough Council. The park, 8 acres in extent, was 
acquired in 1901, part of the purchase money being provided by the 
County Council. It is formed out of a portion of the grounds of a 
house known as Home Park Lodge. 
The ground between Sydenham Road_and Perry Vale remained 
farm land down to about 1870, and has been opened up for building 
at various dates during the last 25 and 30 years. In the Mayow 
Road, which practically bisects it, is the Sydenham and Forest Hill 
Recreation Ground, an open space of 174 acres, acquired and 
maintained by the Lewisham. Borough Council, which contains 
several fine old trees. The house and grounds of Mr. Mayow 
Adams occupied the site of Earlsthorpe Road and adjacent roads, 
