Welcome to the site for the Telegraph Hill Society in London, SE14
We are a group of residents and non-residents who work to protect the historical features of the Telegraph Hill conservation area and ensure all residents enjoy a good quality of life here.
We campaign for improvements to the area, including for the successful restoration of the Victorian park at the top of Telegraph Hill… and by supporting the society, you have a say on what planning applications are approved by Lewisham council.
Telegraph Hill rises to around 50 metres at its highest point and was formerly known as Plowed Garlic Hill. It gained its current name from a semaphore telegraph station which was stood on the summit of the hill circa 1795 – 1836.
An illustration of the Telegraph Hill semaphore station ( from an early engraving) which was established in 1795 and was the third in line from the Admiralty. The messages went from there to St George’s in the Fields, then Telegraph Hill, then Shooter’s Hill and on to Deal and Dover. A second route, established later, went down to Portsmouth via One Tree Hill.