1. Bellingham

As is often the case, there are places to see at or near the start of the route and the number 47 is no exception.

The first place to see is the bronze statue of Sir Henry Cooper, a former heavyweight boxing champion. He was born in Bellingham and used the local Fellowship Inn to train and get prepared for a fight with Mohamed Ali at Wembley in 1963. It’s also worth a short walk to see the Fellowship Inn which a grade II listed building built in the 1920s.

2. Catford Centre

Alight from the bus and you’ll see the lovely Art Deco building which is the Broadway Theatre. A grade II listed building, the theatre was built in 1932. It has two auditoriums, an 800-seat main theatre and a small 80-seat studio theatre. The theatre’s programme consists of a diverse mix of theatre and music, including stand up comedy, nostalgia shows, pantomime, drama and children’s theatre.

Walking towards Catford Bridge, you’ll see some greyhound silhouettes that adorn the bridge which serve as a reminder of the greyhound stadium that existed between the two Catford stations.

Walk back towards Catford centre and you’ll come to Lewisham Town Hall. Outside the old town hall is a bronze statue entitled Pensive Girl by the sculptor Gerda Rubinstein. Another work of art is Waterline by Oliver Barratt. This structure is a reminder of the waters that once flowed through the green rushes which farmed watercress and celebrates the dynamic rhythm of life and change. Near the Pensive Girl statue is a memorial plaque for the 13 black teenagers who died in fire in New Cross in 1981.

3. Lewisham Park

The next stop is to see the Lewisham war memorial and Park. The park itself is small but pretty and has many trees and shrubs. The war memorial is made up of an obelisk with a coat of arms of the former Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham and has a motto in memory of all Lewisham people who lost their lives in both world wars. Almost adjacent to this memorial is the Lewisham Victoria Cross memorial in honour of the citizens of Lewisham awarded the Victoria Cross for valour.

Within walking distance of these memorials is St Mary’s Church Lewisham. It’s not always open to visit inside but the outside churchyard and therapeutic garden has much to see. Within the garden is a Prayer Tree, which was blessed during the first lockdown in 2020, in order to allow people to come and pray or just to quietly meditate. The garden at one time had been a burial ground until 1856 since when it was closed for burials and more recently used as an open space.

There has been a church at this site since at least 1100 and by mid-18th century, the old church was no longer fit for purpose. The new St Mary’s church was finished by 1777, with one of the first preachers being John Wesley.

4. Lewisham Centre

Within the centre is the Migration Museum which explores how the movement of people to and from Britain across the ages has shaped who we are – as individuals, as communities, and as a nation. There are a number of small exhibitions, showing the variety of ways and places that immigrants have immersed into life in Britain. There’s a lot to see here but it’s well spaced out and easy to navigate. Outside the entrance, still within the Shopping Centre, is a display entitled Wall, painted onto two separate surviving segments of the Berlin Wall by artists STIK and NOIR. The artists believe they have a duty to explain what life was like with the Berlin Wall in a way that hopes that young people will not repeat the mistakes of the past.

5. Thurston Road/Jerrard Street

A two minute walk from this stop is the Rivershrine Tunnel. The London School of Muralism has created a river scene where it seems as if you’re lying on the river bed looking up… then suddenly a kingfisher erupts into the serene scene. The colours the students have used are vibrant and evocative, livening up what would have been a dark tunnel.

6. Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and

7. Southwark Park

A quick visit here to see the Greenland Dock Bascule Bridge. Bascule is the French word for a seesaw or balance. The best know British bascule bridge is Tower Bridge, which is on a far larger scale than this one, which is actually no longer a working bridge. The bridge survives as a relic of the days of commercial shipping. 

Back on the 47 to Southwark Park and its bandstand. The original bandstand was installed in 1889 so that the local residents would have a venue to perform and listen to music in the park. In the 1950s the bandstand was removed and wasn’t replaced until 1999, with a replica of the original one, with many of the original features. Next to the park is the Albin Memorial Garden, which is dedicated in name to the Albin family, but is dedicated to the many families who now use the garden to remember those they have loved. The garden consists of a large number of different types of memorial, from the simplest plaque to the most elaborate sanctuary memorial.

8. Liverpool Street station

The final stop on this route takes in the Victorian Bath House. This hidden gem of a building is grade II listed. Turkish baths started to become popular in Britain in the 1860s, with this one in Bishopsgate opening in 1895. Although it looks small from the outside, it has two subterranean floors and in fact is now used as a venue for all types of functions. Many of the original features are still here – it’s worth arranging a visit to go inside and have a look around. And even if you can’t go in, the outside is a marvel in itself.

With all these bus journeys, it’s worth finding a day when it’s not raining as a lot of interesting places are outdoors. The number 47 is no exception though even if the weather is inclement, it’s a particularly good route.

Toilets that are free and open to the public:

• Lewisham Civic Suite
• McDonald’s Lewisham High Street
• Lewisham Shopping Centre