IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Church Road, LONDON, SE19 2TF

I took this picture in 1993 because the hoardings appearing around the former Palace Hotel (and the closure of the little shops on the ground floor) suggested that it might soon be demolished. In fact, it has subsequently been redeveloped and shops (and a Chinese restaurant) once again occupy the ground floor, with flats (still not particularly swish) on the floors above. Notice the traffic in the foreground heading northwards: since the early 2000s the roads in the Crystal Palace Triangle have been one-way and only southbound traffic uses this street. The distant zebra crossings mark the roads entering the roundabout that at this time controlled the junction at the top of Anerley Hill - this is now (2012) a crossroads controlled by traffic lights.

An ampersand (&) in blue, shadowed green, is overlain with the letters AGaIN in grey. Milestone Road drops away, lower right.

One of the steep roads in the area – see Image and related images. There's a distant wooded landscape – it must be Kent. The mural, left, is seen more fully in Image

Busy Church Road is on the left. The corner building is the closed Cambridge pub, now in the hands of Pedder Development Consultancy. The circular feature on the roof is seen in a 2015 photo: Image but not in 2011 for example: Image There are two signs on a photo of 2013: Sold, and Courage Fine Ales.

Late 19th Century former pub at the junction of Church Road and Westow Hill. Following closure in 2011 and long term disuse, it reopened as a restaurant, Cocos, in early 2024. In the right background is Bank Chambers, 77 Westow Hill, with a date plaque of 1884. Formerly a branch of the NatWest Bank, it now houses the offices of a firm of solicitors.

Looking along Westow Hill. On the left is the former Cambridge, a late 19th Century pub at the junction with Church Road and Westow Hill. Following closure in 2011 and long term disuse, it reopened as a restaurant, Cocos, in early 2024. On the far right is Bank Chambers, 77 Westow Hill, with a date plaque of 1884. Formerly a branch of the NatWest Bank, it now houses the offices of a firm of solicitors.

At this time the three roads of the Upper Norwood triangle were all two-way: the triangle turned into a one-way system two or three years after this. At the same time, the roundabout at the top of Anerley Hill, seen on the distant direction sign, became a crossroads controlled by traffic lights.

Milestone Road, Crystal Palace. 17% steep hill down sign.