What is Eltham?
[[File:Eltham wards.png|thumb|256px| Map 1. The three current Eltham [[wards in the United Kingdom|electoral wards]] (green), in the [[Eltham (UK Parliament constituency)|Eltham constituency]] (yellow) within the [[Royal Borough of Greenwich]] (light grey)]] [[File:Eltham Palace - interior, composite view of entrance hall.jpg|thumb|250px|The art deco interior of the Palace]] '''Eltham''' is a district in the [[south]] of [[London]] in the [[Royal Borough of Greenwich]]. The [[London Plan]] says Eltham is one of 35 major centres in [[Greater London]].<ref name=london_plan_f08>{{cite web|url=http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/docs/londonplan08.pdf |author=Mayor of London |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]] |title=London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2004) |date=February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602000714/http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/docs/londonplan08.pdf |archive-date=2 June 2010 |df=dmy |author-link=Mayor of London }}</ref> As a [[residential area]] (a [[suburb]]), the main features, apart from the [[housing]], are the schools and the shops. It was once an elite area with a palace ([[Eltham Palace]]) that dates back to the 13th century. It is now the biggest [[shopping]] area in S.E. London. The Palace was made over in the 1930s. Stephen Courtauld had it made up in [[art deco]] style. The [[Courtauld]] family was immensely rich at the time. The Palace still has a few parts which date back in time to its former royal use. It is now owned by [[English Heritage]]. The three wards of Eltham North, South and West have a total population of 35,459. [[Eltham College]] is a [[public school]] (independent fee-paying school) in [[Mottingham]], southeast London. Eltham and Mottingham were part of the same parish. Secondary schools in Eltham include [[Eltham Hill School]] for Girls, [[Harris Academy Greenwich]], [[St Thomas More Catholic School, Eltham|St Thomas More Catholic School]] and [[Stationers' Crown Woods Academy]]<ref>Web site:http://ww