SYDENHAM. 153 
whilst in front of the house where the shops in Sydenham Road 
now stand was a pleasant green. The house was an old one, 
dating from about 1660, but modernized. In 1723 the land here- 
abouts belonged to Mr. Edward Hodsdon, but towards the end of 
the century it had passed to Major Mayow Wynell Mayow. 
On the maps of the 18th century the part now known as Bell 
Green is marked as ‘‘Sydenham Green,” and shown as an open 
space. The name ‘‘Bell Green” appears in the Parish Registers at 
the end of the 18th century, but its origin is uncertain.. The 
tradition that there was a bell tower here to give notice of visitors 
to Place House is absurdly fanciful. The opening of the Crystal 
Palace Gas Works revolutionized the neighbourhood, bringing 
in their train not only the gas-holders and other buildings of the 
industry, but many streets of houses of the working classes. It 
is in fact the manufacturing district of the Borough. 
The Pool River, which joins the Ravensbourne midway 
- between this spot and Catford, is here crossed by a bridge leading 
into Southend Lane. An old bridge known as ‘‘Kengley Bridge,” a 
little lower down the stream, is now in the grounds of the Gas 
Works. In Southend Lane, on the nerthern side, is Firhill House, 
which, with the land around, is part of the educational endowments 
_ administered by the Leathersellers’ Company. A porticn known as 
“*Riddlesdown,” containing 15 acres, was purchased by the Rev. 
Abraham Colfe in 1631. 
The lane leads into Southend, the remaining hamlet within 
the parish, which still retains much of the appearance of a country 
village, with its mill pond and wooded slopes. 
CHAPTER VIII. 
SANGLEY, BELLINGHAM AND SOUTHEND. 
NSTEAD of entering Southend from Lower 
Sydenham, it will be more convenient to retrace 
our steps to the Town Hall, and proceed by way 
of the Bromley Road. On the right hand, or 
eastern side of the road, is Sangley, anciently 
known as Sanguinel or Sanguels, an old home- 
stead. The name occurs in the Court Rolls of the time of 
Edward II. In 1495, in-the will of Thomas Causton, of Becken- 
ham, he leaves his land called Sanguells, in Lewisham, to his 
son William, and in 1545, there is the will of Stephen Batt, of 
‘‘Sangues.” In 1627 occurs the burial of Thomas Coomes, of 
Sanguels Farm. The name seems to have been changed to Sangley 
early in the rgth century. Part of the old house of timber remained 
until a few years ago, when it was rebuilt, but the old kitchens 
