The
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a
London boroughThe administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
in
south westSouth London is the southern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes.-Boundary Commission:...
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which forms part of
Outer LondonOuter London is the name for the group of London Boroughs that form a ring around Inner London.These were areas that were not part of the County of London and became formally part of Greater London in 1965...
.
It can been seen from a map that the borough is not entirely urbanised - there are some large areas of open space within the borough boundaries, including the largest urban park in Europe,
Richmond ParkRichmond Park is a urban park within London UK. Almost three times as large as New York City's Central Park, it is Britain's largest urban walled park, and the largest of the Royal Parks in London. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen....
. The borough is residential and home to some of the most affluent districts of London such as Barnes, Richmond and
East SheenEast Sheen, also known as 'Sheen' is an affluent suburb of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It forms part of the London post town in the SW postcode area....
.
The
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a
London boroughThe administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
in
south westSouth London is the southern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes.-Boundary Commission:...
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which forms part of
Outer LondonOuter London is the name for the group of London Boroughs that form a ring around Inner London.These were areas that were not part of the County of London and became formally part of Greater London in 1965...
.
Settlement
It can been seen from a map that the borough is not entirely urbanised - there are some large areas of open space within the borough boundaries, including the largest urban park in Europe,
Richmond ParkRichmond Park is a urban park within London UK. Almost three times as large as New York City's Central Park, it is Britain's largest urban walled park, and the largest of the Royal Parks in London. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen....
. The borough is residential and home to some of the most affluent districts of London such as Barnes, Richmond and
East SheenEast Sheen, also known as 'Sheen' is an affluent suburb of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It forms part of the London post town in the SW postcode area....
. The main suburban developments are
HamptonHampton is a suburban area, centred on an old village on the north bank of the River Thames, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in England. The population is about 18,000. It is served by Hampton railway station....
and
TeddingtonTeddington is a suburban area in the south-west of Greater London, England in the historic and former postal county of Middlesex on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham...
in the south,
TwickenhamTwickenham is a town and suburb in the south west of London, England: being the principal town by population and administrative centre of the Borough of Richmond upon Thames.-Pre-Norman:...
,
St Margarets-United Kingdom:*St Margaret's Primary School, Horsforth*St Margarets, London, an area of London*St Margarets, Hertfordshire or Stanstead St Margarets, Hertfordshire, a village in Hertfordshire*St Margarets, Herefordshire, a village in Herefordshire...
and
Whitton-People:* Donald Whitton, Canadian cellist, and teacher* Charlotte Whitton, Canadian feminist and Mayor of Ottawa* John Whitton, Australian rail engineer* Margaret Whitton, American actress...
in the central area west of the
River ThamesThe River Thames is a major river flowing through southern England. While best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows through several other towns and cities, including Oxford, Reading and Windsor....
, with the more central districts of Richmond,
KewKew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London.Kew is best known for being the home of the Royal Botanic Gardens...
,
MortlakeMortlake is a district of London, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes with East Sheen inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey until 1965.-Etymology:...
and Barnes following the loop of the river. It is the only London borough to straddle the Thames with districts on both sides of the river.
List of districts
- Barnes
- East Sheen
East Sheen, also known as 'Sheen' is an affluent suburb of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It forms part of the London post town in the SW postcode area....
- East Twickenham
St. Margarets is a suburb in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, about 9 miles west-southwest of central London. It is bounded by the River Thames to the east and the River Crane to the west and north; the northern limit, less well defined, has changed with local government boundary changes...
- Fulwell
Fulwell is located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames between Twickenham, Teddington and Hampton Hill. The name is first mentioned circa 1450 and probably derives from Full or Foul Well....
- Ham
- Hampton
Hampton is a suburban area, centred on an old village on the north bank of the River Thames, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in England. The population is about 18,000. It is served by Hampton railway station....
- Hampton Hill
Hampton Hill is a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, bounded approximately by Fulwell Golf Course to the north, Bushy Park to the east and the Longford River to the south and west...
- Hampton Wick
Hampton Wick is a Thames-side area, formerly a village, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in London, England.Once famous for its market gardens well into the twentieth century, it is now commuter-belt territory, housing developments having been built on these areas...
- Kew
Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London.Kew is best known for being the home of the Royal Botanic Gardens...
- Mortlake
Mortlake is a district of London, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes with East Sheen inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey until 1965.-Etymology:...
- North Sheen
North Sheen is an area of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.It forms part of the Richmond post town in the TW postcode area. Due to boundary and post code changes over many decades North Sheen is no longer a defined area. It has been divided by post code into Richmond...
- Petersham
Petersham is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the east of the bend in the River Thames south of Richmond, which it shares with neighbouring Ham. It provides the foreground of the scenic view from Richmond Hill across Petersham Meadows, with Ham House further along the River...
- Richmond
- St Margarets
-United Kingdom:*St Margaret's Primary School, Horsforth*St Margarets, London, an area of London*St Margarets, Hertfordshire or Stanstead St Margarets, Hertfordshire, a village in Hertfordshire*St Margarets, Herefordshire, a village in Herefordshire...
- Strawberry Hill
Strawberry Hill is an affluent area of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in Twickenham. It is a suburban development situated 10.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It consists of a number of residential roads centered around a small development of shops and serviced by Strawberry...
- Teddington
Teddington is a suburban area in the south-west of Greater London, England in the historic and former postal county of Middlesex on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham...
- Twickenham
Twickenham is a town and suburb in the south west of London, England: being the principal town by population and administrative centre of the Borough of Richmond upon Thames.-Pre-Norman:...
- Whitton
Whitton is a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, situated 10.7 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in central London...
Attractions, parks and open spaces
Parks take up a great deal of the borough and include
Richmond ParkRichmond Park is a urban park within London UK. Almost three times as large as New York City's Central Park, it is Britain's largest urban walled park, and the largest of the Royal Parks in London. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen....
,
Bushy ParkBushy Park is the second largest of the Royal Parks of London, at in area, and lies immediately north of Hampton Court Palace and Hampton Court Park, a few minutes' walk west of Kingston upon Thames...
,
Kew GardensThe Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. The director is Professor Stephen D. Hopper, who succeeded Professor Sir Peter Crane...
, and
Hampton Court ParkHampton Court Park – sometimes called the Home Park – is adjacent to Hampton Court Palace and Gardens in southwest London, United Kingdom....
. There are over 100 parks and open spaces within its boundary and of river frontage - five times more green and open space than any other London borough.
The borough is also home to the
National Physical LaboratoryThe National Physical Laboratory is the national measurement standards laboratory for the United Kingdom, based at Bushy Park in Teddington, London, England. It is the largest applied physics organisation in the UK....
and the attractions of
Hampton Court PalaceHampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London; it has not been lived in by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
,
Twickenham StadiumTwickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
and the
WWT London Wetlands CentreWWT London Wetland Centre is a wetland reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in the Barnes area of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, by Barn Elms....
draw both domestic and international tourism.
In December 2006,
Sport EnglandSport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport known as the DCM and S...
published a survey which revealed that residents of the Richmond upon Thames were the 2nd most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 29.8% of the population participate at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.
http://www.sportengland.org/index/get_resources/research/active_people/active_people_survey_headline_results.htm
History
The borough was formed in 1965 by the merger of the
Municipal Borough of TwickenhamTwickenham was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1868 to 1965.Twickenham Local Government District was formed in 1868, when the civil parish of Twickenham adopted the Local Government Act 1858. The district was governed by a local board of 27 members.The Local Government Act...
from
MiddlesexMiddlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
with the Municipal Borough of Richmond and the
Municipal Borough of BarnesBarnes was a local government district in north west Surrey from 1894 to 1965.It was formed as an urban district in 1894 and became a municipal borough in 1932....
from
SurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford...
; council offices were centred at
York HouseYork House is an historic stately home in Twickenham, England, and today serves as the Town Hall of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames...
in Twickenham. The name 'Richmond upon Thames' was coined at that time; it is now commonly but inaccurately used to refer to Richmond only.
The borough is twinned with
KonstanzKonstanz is a university town of around 80,000 inhabitants at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland.-Location:...
in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
,
FontainebleauFontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
in
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
and
Richmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Like all Virginia municipalities incorporated as cities, it is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, USA.
Politics
|
Overall control |
Conservative |
Lib DemThe Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems or just Liberals, are a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by a merger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party; the two parties had been in alliance for seven years, from shortly after the formation of...
|
Labour |
Others |
| 2006 |
Liberal Democrat |
19 |
35 |
- |
- |
| 2002 |
Conservative |
39 |
15 |
- |
- |
| 1998 |
Liberal Democrat |
14 |
34 |
4 |
- |
| 1994 |
Liberal Democrat |
7 |
43 |
2 |
- |
| 1990 |
Liberal Democrat |
4 |
48 |
- |
- |
| 1986 |
Liberal/SDP Alliance |
3 |
49 |
- |
- |
| 1982 |
Conservative (minority) |
26 |
26 |
- |
- |
| 1978 |
Conservative |
34 |
18 |
- |
- |
| 1974 |
Conservative |
36 |
10 |
8 |
- |
| 1971 |
Conservative |
37 |
3 |
14 |
- |
| 1968 |
Conservative |
54 |
- |
- |
- |
| 1964 |
Conservative |
41 |
- |
12 |
1 |
Transport
The borough is connected to central London by the
National RailNational Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
services of
South West TrainsSouth West Trains is the trading name of a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom, providing train services to the south-west of London, chiefly in Greater London and the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight, the area...
. The
London UndergroundThe London Underground, Underground or Tube is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire in the UK. The first section opened in 1863, and was the first underground railway system in the world, and, starting in...
,
District LineThe District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines and the third busiest overall on the Underground network. Out of the 60...
, serves Richmond and Kew Gardens stations: both are also served by
OvergroundLondon Overground is a commuter rail service in London, UK, the brand applied by Transport for London to the services on four railway lines: the Watford DC Line, the North London Line, the West London Line and the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.The name has been used since 2007, when TfL took over...
trains on the
North London LineThe North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
.
List of stations
The other stations are:
- Barnes
Barnes railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains....
- Barnes Bridge
Barnes Bridge railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains...
- Fulwell
Fulwell railway station, on the Shepperton branch line, is at Fulwell in the Richmond on Thames. It is in Travelcard Zone 6. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains.- History :...
- Hampton
Hampton railway station, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is on the Shepperton branch line. It is in Travelcard Zone 6. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains.- Services:...
- Hampton Wick
Hampton Wick railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. The suburb of Hampton Wick is on the opposite bank of the River Thames from Kingston upon Thames and lies at the eastern end of Hampton Court Park.The original station...
- Mortlake
Mortlake railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. Postal District and boundary changes over many years mean that Mortlake Station now serves the area...
- North Sheen
North Sheen railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station was opened by the Southern Railway in 1930. It is not near Sheen but is on the eastern edge of Richmond. The station and all trains serving it are operated by...
- St Margarets
St Margarets railway station, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in southwest London, is in Travelcard Zone 4. It was opened by the London & South Western Railway in 1876 on the existing line from Waterloo to Windsor. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West...
- Strawberry Hill
Strawberry Hill railway station serves Strawberry Hill in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains....
- Teddington
Teddington railway station is located in Teddington in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. The station is operated by South West Trains, as are all trains serving it.-Station layout:...
- Twickenham
Twickenham railway station is in Twickenham in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains.-History:...
- Whitton
Whitton railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. The ticket office is staffed 7 days a week during the day time. There are no ticket barriers or gates and...
Education
Richmond upon Thames is the
local education authorityA Local Education Authority was the part of a local council, or local authority , in England and Wales that was responsible for education within that council's jurisdiction...
for the borough, and has responsibility for 52 schools.
Sister cities
Richmond has three
sister citiesSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
, as designated by the Sister Cities International, Inc.:
Richmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Like all Virginia municipalities incorporated as cities, it is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
USA
FontainebleauFontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
KonstanzKonstanz is a university town of around 80,000 inhabitants at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland.-Location:...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
External links