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Kingswood House

Country houses in LondonGrade II listed buildings in the London Borough of SouthwarkGrade II listed houses in LondonHistory of the London Borough of SouthwarkHouses in the London Borough of Southwark
Kingswood, Dulwich
Kingswood, Dulwich

Kingswood House, formerly known as King's Coppice, is a Victorian mansion in South Dulwich, at the southerly tip of the London Borough of Southwark, England. It is a Grade II listed building.In 1811 William Vizard, the solicitor to Queen Caroline in her divorce from George IV, was granted a 63-year lease for Kingswood Lodge. When Vizard returned to his native Gloucestershire in 1831, others were granted the property leases. From 1891 the house was owned by John Lawson Johnston (inventor of Bovril) who extended the house and remodelled the facade including adding battlements. Johnston acquired the nickname Mr Bovril and because of its castellated features Kingswood became known locally as Bovril Castle. In the First World War Kingswood was used as a convalescence home for wounded Canadian soldiers. At this time it came to the notice of Lady Vestey who was doing social work in connection with the soldiers housed there. In 1919 her husband Sir William Vestey was granted an 80-year lease and in 1921 when he was raised to the peerage he became Baron Vestey of Kingswood in the County of Surrey. Kingswood was the Vesteys' main home until William's death. In 1956 London County Council acquired the site by compulsory purchase. Lord Vestey's estate had by now been developed into a large residential area with the grounds occupied by houses, flats and shops. Ownership of the house itself was vested in the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell and it was opened as a community centre and library. In 1965 it became the property of the London Borough of Southwark. It underwent substantial refurbishment in the 1980s and 1990s, and is still owned by the council and used for conferences, meetings, and civil marriages. In the grounds in front of Kingswood House there are still some remains of the Pulham features. In 2011 a blue plaque was erected on the side of the building to commemorate John Lawson Johnston and his residence there. The house is located just a few minutes walk from Sydenham Hill railway station.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Kingswood House (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Kingswood House
Lyall Avenue, London Dulwich (London Borough of Southwark)

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N 51.430484 ° E -0.0818181 °
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Kingswood House

Lyall Avenue
SE21 8PE London, Dulwich (London Borough of Southwark)
England, United Kingdom
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Kingswood, Dulwich
Kingswood, Dulwich
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Kingsdale Foundation School

Kingsdale Foundation School (KFS) is a British mixed secondary school with academy status in West Dulwich, London, with an age range of 11–19 (Year 7 to sixth form). Admissions to the school are coordinated by the Southwark London Borough Council as part of the Pan London Admissions Arrangements. However, many students live in surrounding boroughs, such as Lambeth, Lewisham and Croydon. The school was built by the London County Council and opened in 1958. It was originally built to accommodate close to 2,000 pupils. From the 1970s it developed a reputation for poor performance and examination results and in 1998 it was put under special measures.In an attempt to bring the school up to date, a new management team was put in place and the school formed a partnership with School Works, an initiative that uses better management and design to improve the attitude and results of failing schools. A£30 million package resulted in a state-of-the-art building utilising the existing structures and an improved environment for the pupils In August 2013, the school was identified as one of the most popular state secondary schools in the country.The school has designated specialisms in Mathematics, Physical Education and the Performing & Expressive Arts and offers scholarships for students who demonstrate an aptitude in these areas. Scholarships for Music and Physical Education are assessed on entry to Year 7, while Art and Mathematics scholarships are assessed once a student has secured a place at the school. Scholarships are worth approximately £1,000 per annum in additional support and resources.In July 2017, the school was judged by Ofsted, to be Outstanding in all categories of inspection, including in the Sixth Form.