Lewisham is one of the largest inner London boroughs, and one of the youngest, with its population of around 250,000 people having an average age of just 35.

The first record of Lewisham - 'Liofshema' - occurs in a charter of 862, when the town formed part of a Saxon manor covering a large part of Greenwich and Woolwich.

The manufacture of steel for weapons and armour was among the early industries thanks to the large number of mills in the area.

Lewisham became fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuries. Various mansions and large homes were built in the area.

The arrival of the railway in 1849 led to major development throughout the area.

Residential estates such as Granville Park were constructed, along with a network of terraced housing. The mansions formerly lining the High Street were replaced with retail premises.

The new commercial core of the town was further expanded by a number of banks and department stores.

By the late 19th century, Lewisham had become an established London suburb.

From 1945, much of the town centre was extensively redeveloped, with the addition, in the 1970s, of the distinctive high-rise Citibank headquarters and a modern covered shopping centre.

Lewisham High Street, the impressive length of which led James I to proclaim 'he would be king of Lewsham', is now pedestrianised to create a traffic-free street market and an open space.

Lewisham's profile will be raised further in years to come, with the Urban Renaissance in Lewisham (URL) programme receiving almost £16 million in funding from the Single Regeneration Budget towards a comprehensive town centre improvement scheme.