Denmark Hill is an area and road in Camberwell, in the London Borough of Southwark. It is a sub-section of the western flank of the Norwood Ridge, centred on the long, curved Ruskin Park slope of the ridge. The area and road is said to have acquired its name from Queen Anne's husband, Prince George of Denmark, who hunted there. It is part of the A215 which north of its main foot, Camberwell Green, becomes Camberwell Road and south of Red Post Hill becomes named Herne Hill, another district. Its postcode is SE5. North-east and south-easterly slopes of the same eminence are named Grove Hill and Dog Kennel Hill, on top of which the summit is shared with Champion Hill, the only divide being proximity to the respective two affluent streets which intersection on Camberwell descent. From Camberwell Green northwards the land is much lower and very gently sloped as in northern Brixton at its other foot, in the west. There are good views across central London from vantage points. On a clear day some viewers can read the time on the Big Ben clockface.
History
In John Cary's map of 1786 the area is shown as Dulwich Hill. The only building apparent is the "Fox under the Hill". The present "Fox on the Hill" pub is a hundred yards or so further up, on the site of former St Matthew'sVicarage adjacent to a triangle of land rumoured to be a "plague pit" or burial ground. The name of the area was changed in honour of the husband of Queen Anne, Prince George of Denmark. The area is home of the Maudsley Hospital and King's College Hospital, and also of Ruskin Park, named after John Ruskin, who once lived nearby. The preface to his work Unto This Last is dated "Denmark Hill, 10th May, 1862". The Institute of Psychiatry is based behind the Maudsley Hospital, a school of King's College London. The college also has a hall of residence immediately east at Champion Hill. The Salvation Army's William Booth Memorial Training College on Champion Park which was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott was completed in 1932; it towers over south London. It has a similar monumental impressiveness to Gilbert Scott's other south London buildings, Battersea Power Station and Bankside Power Station, although its simplicity is partly the result of repeated budget cuts during its construction: much more detail, including carved Gothic stonework surrounding the windows, was originally planned. Shepherd's Bush F.C. played in the area as Old St Stephen's F.C.
Ruskin Park is a public park at the centre of the long curved slope and half of crest summit area which is Denmark Hill. It was opened on 2 February 1907 with and in 1910 a further were added on the south side of the park. It is named after John Ruskin, who lived near the park.
