There are plenty of wooded areas and quiet, tree-lined roads that continue to give the name meaning. This south London eminence rises to the east of Dulwich and owes its development to the railway's fast and frequent service into the centre. The hilly land gives Forest Hill its character, but its unlikely hero is a tea merchant, who gave it a 21-acre park and museum. This splendid local asset has been transformed and extended, thanks to a £10 million lottery grant. There's a new Living Water aquarium, the African Words gallery and the Natural History gallery and its free summer concerts in the delightful gardens. The largest properties are usually found on the high ground, but few roads are homogenous - you'll find Victorian houses next to bay-fronted '30s semis. Victorian houses predominate though and top the popularity list.