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Area Guides
Belvedere Area Guide
Our area guide for Belvedere offers a brief overview of the town and its attractions, properties, schools, history, council tax and public transport links.
Overview
Belvedere is the first Kentish town you arrive at when leaving London heading eastwards, bordering Abbey Wood, Erith and the River Thames. Belvedere is divided into its own little districts, including Upper Belvedere, Lower Belvedere, Nuxley Village, Bostall Heath and Lesnes Abbey. Belvedere is popular with young commuters as its close to two mainline stations that run directly into central London. The postcode for Belvedere is DA17 and it falls in the London Borough of Bexley.
Shopping
Belvedere is a modest town and the best selection of shops can be found in Nuxley Village, where you’ll find banks, two small supermarkets and a variety of independent stores. Lower Belvedere is home to one of the largest B&Q Warehouse in the country and there are plans to add an Asda to the site. A wider selection of shops can be found in nearby Erith and Bexleyheath.
Attractions
Lesnes Abbey is Belvedere’s best attraction. Here you’ll find the ruins of an ancient abbey – a scheduled ancient monument – while the neighbouring park and heath are a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The ruins are complemented by formal flower gardens and the Lesnes Abbey Wood is famed for its bluebell display in spring. There’s also a children’s play park to the side of the ruins and an additional play park in Nuxley Village. There’s also one of London’s biggest splash parks at the top of Heron Hill. Bostall Heath borders Belvedere and it offers great woodland walks. Erith & Belvedere FC is the local football team and they ground-share with Welling FC.
Food and Drink
Head to Nuxley Village for the best food and drink choices. There are a number of eat-in restaurants in the village, including the highly regarded Spice Master Indian and a traditional pie and mash shop. The Leather Bottle pub is a popular choice for food, as well as drink. Belvedere has a good selection of pubs, including The Eardley Arms, The Vic and The Fox.
History
Belvedere was originally part of Lesnes Heath, which used to stretch from the area of Lesnes Abbey to Erith, and constituted the estate of Sir Culling Eardley. A pub in Nuxley Village, The Eardley Arms celebrates his connection with the area. Belvedere was subject to several bombing raids during WWII as it was close to a number of munitions factories.
Property market
The variety of property available in Belvedere is one of its redeeming features, as well as the modest prices compared to other parts of London. You’ll find everything from Victorian houses to modern one-bedroom flats. The three-bedroom semi-detached homes built in the 1930s remain a popular choice.
Council Tax
Belvedere is in the Bexley borough and these are the council tax valuation details for London Borough of Bexley for the year 2011/2012.
| Band | Valuation | Council Tax |
|---|---|---|
| A | Up to and including £40,000 | £958.94 |
| B | £40,001 - £52,000 | £1118.76 |
| C | £52,001 - £68,000 | £1278.59 |
| D | £68,001 - £88,000 | £1438.41 |
| E | £88,001 - £120,000 | £1758.06 |
| F | £120,001 - £160,000 | £2077.70 |
| G | £160,001 - £320,000 | £2397.35 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £2876.82 |
Education
There are two very sought-after primary schools in Belvedere - Bedonwell Infant and Junior School and Belmont Primary School. Other schools in Belvedere and other immediate neighbourhoods include:
- St Augustines of Canterbury CoE Primary School
- Hillsgrove Primary School
- Lessness Heath Primary School
- St Thomas More Catholic Primary School
- Northwood Primary School
Secondary schools can be found in nearby Welling and Bexleyheath
Hospitals
The nearest hospital to Belvedere is Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich and Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup.
Transport Links
Belvedere has its own train station with trains travelling direct to central London, including stops at Lewisham (for the DLR), London Bridge, Waterloo East, Cannon Street and Charing Cross. There is speculation over a Crossrail station proposed for neighbouring Abbey Wood train station. Buses running through Belvedere take passengers to Abbey Wood, Thamesmead, Bexleyheath, Woolwich (for the DLR) and Sidcup.