Camberwell is located in the South East London borough of Southwark, and is nestled between the areas of Walworth, East Dulwich, Herne Hill, Peckham and Kennington. It is just over 2.5 miles from Charing Cross and its history can be traced as far back as the Domesday Book, where it appeared as 'Cambrewelle'.
The average price of property in Camberwell in 2021 was £604,572. This is cheaper than the overall average across the borough of Southwark, which was £676,000 during the same period. Additionally, Camberwell is considerably more affordable than the borough's most expensive area Dulwich Village, with its average price of £1,533,449. Conversely, Camberwell is more than £100,000 more expensive than the district of Newington, where the average property sold for £491,250.
Most of the properties that were sold in the Camberwell area during 2021 were flats, which fetched an overall average price of £453,611. Camberwell's terraced properties averaged £959,180, and the area's semi-detached properties bumped the overall average up slightly as they typically sold for £1,393445. These figures illustrate that property prices in the Camberwell area have remained fairly stable over the last couple of years.
What is living in Camberwell like?
Camberwell is home to a selection of Georgian and 20th century architecture, encompassing both high-rise tower blocks and elegant Georgian homes which appeal to both young professionals and families alike. It is generally seen as being a bit less trendy than nearby Peckham, however it still offers a wide selection of independent retailers and eateries alongside some more well-known names.
Camberwell has a strong art and cultural scene which is enhanced by the presence of Camberwell College of Arts. An array of notable people have attended this highly regarded educational institution including musicians Florence Welch and Des'ree, actor Tim Roth, director Joe Wright and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. The College is home to the Peckham Platform, which is a gallery showcasing work created by local artists. Camberwell is also home to the South London Gallery, which was founded in 1891 and hosts a selection of free exhibitions throughout the year.
Although Camberwell doesn't have its own railway station it is well positioned for access to Loughborough Junction and Denmark Hill. East Dulwich and Peckham Rye stations are also within a one mile radius, and all the area's stations are within zone 2. These stations are served by several services including those operated by Thameslink and Southeastern. As such travel to most of London and the South East is straightforward, and therefore why Camberwell is seen as a very commuter-friendly area. Getting to areas such as Clapham, Canada Water, Dover, Wimbledon, Luton Airport, St Albans and Blackfriars is simple, and that's just a small selection of the destinations commuters can easy reach from Camberwell.
Living in Camberwell pros and cons
Pro: Camberwell benefits from plenty of beautiful open spaces
Burgess Park is one of the largest in South London, and stretches across 140 acres. The park is home to a variety of notable features including a 19th century lime kiln and the Passmore Edwards library, baths and wash houses, which is now the home of the Lynn AC boxing club. Several other sports clubs are also based in the park including Southward Tigers rugby club and the Peckham BMX Club. A 5k ParkRun also takes place every Saturday morning.
The park's facilities include football pitches, tennis courts, a BBQ area, nursery, sports centre, summer cricket oval and winter rugby field. Additionally Chumleigh Gardens can be found in the heart of the park, which is a world garden with landscaping and planting designed to represent the diversity that can be seen in the area's population. The park was awarded a grant in 2009, and the money was used to upgrade footpaths, install lighting, refurbish the public toilets and create a new playground for children.
Camberwell Green is another open space for residents to enjoy, and occupies a vast 2.5 acre site.
Con: Camberwell is within the ULEZ zone
Despite sitting outside of the Congestion Charge zone, Camberwell is within the expanded ULEZ zone which is designed to reduce levels of air pollution across the city. As such those who want to drive vehicles that don't meet emissions standards within the zone will need to pay a daily charge which is currently £12.50.
In terms of its effect on air quality, between early January 2022 and early February 2022 levels of pollution in the air exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on 16 out of 30 days. This suggests that the scheme is working, however currently residents are exposed to levels of air pollution that exceed WHO's yearly guidelines by almost four times.
Is Camberwell a safe place to live?
In the Safer Neighbourhood Team area of Camberwell Green there were 3,189 crimes reported between January 2020 and December 2021. This was higher than in nearby Newington, Faraday and St Giles, but lower than in Rye Lane and North Walworth.
1,011 of those 3,189 reports were categorised as violent crimes, and a further 650 were cases of theft. The area also experienced 324 vehicle offences and 283 burglaries. If we look at this two-year period, we can see than crime peaked in Camberwell in July 2021 when there were 153 crimes recorded in that one month period. Notably however, between October 2021 and December 2021 crime fell from 148 reports in a four-week period to 118 reports.
Statistics from the Metropolitan Police illustrate that there were nine crimes per 1,000 residents recorded in November 2021. This was on par with the nine crimes per 1,000 residents recorded across the borough of Southwark, but marginally higher than the eight crimes per 1,000 residents reported across London.
Which celebrities live in Camberwell?
As well as the various well-known names in the art world who have attended Camberwell College of Arts, the district has also seen numerous other famous faces set up home in its streets.
Children's author Enid Blyton was born in the area, and Karl Marx initially settled here in 1849 when he and his family moved to the UK. Other notable residents include detective Jack Whicher, footballer Ben Watson, model Erin O'Connor, actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste and BBC war correspondent Jeremy Bowen.
Things to consider when moving to Camberwell
If you're specifically looking for an elegant Georgian property, the areas of Addington Square, Grove Lane and Camberwell Grove are home to some of the finest examples of this type of architecture in London. They are part of a conservation area and are located close to a variety of facilities including Burgess Park Tennis Centre.
Properties in this part of Camberwell are also well-positioned for schools as there are more than 30 within a one mile radius. Some of the most notable schools include Sacred Heart Catholic School on Camberwell New Road, John Ruskin Primary School on John Ruskin Street and Angel Oak Academy on Burcher Gale Grove, all of which have been rated as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted.
For young professionals keen to enjoy the local evening and night scene, there are plenty of trendy bars on Camberwell Church Street. The area is also home to a vast array of pubs, and although not as busy as Shoreditch, there's more than enough here to keep most entertained.