Camberwell's Past
Camberwell's Past
NotesCamberwell was very popular from the late 18th century onwards for wealthy people, who wanted to live somewhere close to London which had fresh air and clean drinking water (supplied by its wells, the reason for Camberwell's name). Even in the 19th century, when London's population numbers exploded and places filled with houses, shops and factories, Camberwell was renowned for its private and public gardens and Camberwell Fair on Camberwell Green was one of its most famous events. However the fair was not always popular with residents because of its rowdy nature! You can see some of the items in this gallery at the new Camberwell library which opened in 2015.