Blackheath Village

A painter, etcher and war artist, Francis Dodd studied at the Glasgow School of Art in 1893 and went on to study in Paris. He travelled extensively around Europe before moving to London in 1904.

Francis Dodd was a longtime resident of Blackheath and this watercolour is one of many he painted of the village and its immediate surroundings.The view is looking into Blackheath village from Lee Road. In the distance is the distinctive spire of All Saints Church.On th eright is the edge of Blackheath concert hall, now restored by the Blackheath Society.

Blackheath, so-called because of the dark colour of the soil in the area, was redeveloped in the 19th century when a number of houses were erected. The heath, an expansive area of grassland, became a public open space in 1871 and has been the site of fairs and sporting activities since.