| Richmond | |
|---|---|
 Richmond Riverside | |
  Richmond Location withinGreater London | |
| Area | 5.38 km2 (2.08 sq mi) |
| Population | 21,469 (North Richmond and South Richmond wards 2011)[1] |
| • Density | 3,991/km2 (10,340/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TQ1874 |
| • Charing Cross | 8.2 mi (13.2 km) ENE |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | RICHMOND |
| Postcode district | TW9, TW10 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
| 51°27′22″N0°18′04″W / 51.456°N 0.301°W /51.456; -0.301 | |
Richmond is a town in southwest London,[nb 1][2][3][4][5] 8.2 miles (13.2 km) west-southwest ofCharing Cross. It stands on theRiver Thames, and features manyparks and open spaces, includingRichmond Park, and many protectedconservation areas,[6] which include much ofRichmond Hill.[7] A specificAct of Parliament protects the scenic view of theRiver Thames from Richmond.[8]
Richmond was founded following KingHenry VII's building in the early 16th century ofRichmond Palace (so named in 1501), from which the town derives its name. (The palace's manor itself took its name from King Henry'searldom ofRichmond, North Yorkshire, the original Richmond.) The town and palace became particularly associated with QueenElizabeth I (r. 1558–1603), who spent her last days there. During the 18th century,Richmond Bridge connected the two banks of the Thames, and manyGeorgian terraces were built, particularly aroundRichmond Green and on Richmond Hill. Those that have survived remain well preserved, and many have been designatedlisted buildings on account of their architectural or historic significance. The opening ofRichmond railway station in 1846 was a significant event in the absorption of the town into a rapidly expanding London.
In 1890, the town of Richmond, formerly part of the ancientparish of Kingston upon Thames in the county ofSurrey,became a municipal borough, which was later extended to includeKew,Ham,Petersham and part ofMortlake (North Sheen).[9] The municipal borough was abolished in 1965, whenlocal-government reorganisation transferred Richmond from Surrey toGreater London.[10]
Since 1965, Richmond has formed part of theLondon Borough of Richmond upon Thames. As of 2011[update] it had a population of 21,469 (in the North Richmond and South Richmond wards). It has a significant commercial and retail centre with a developed day and evening economy. The name "Richmond upon Thames" refers to the London borough as a whole, not to the town of Richmond.
The area was known in the medieval period as Shene,[11] a name first recorded (asSceon) in the 10th century, and which survives in the neighbouring districts ofEast Sheen (also known as Sheen) andNorth Sheen. The manor entered royal hands, and themanor house eventually became known as Sheen Palace, before being largely destroyed by fire in 1497.Henry VII rebuilt it and in 1501 named itRichmond Palace, in allusion to hisearldom of Richmond and his ancestralhonour of Richmond inYorkshire. The associated settlement took the same name, although for some years the two names were often used in conjunction (for example, "Shene otherwise called Richemount").[12][13]
Henry I lived briefly in the King's house in "Sheanes".[14] In 1299,Edward I, the "Hammer of the Scots", took his whole court to the manor house at Sheen, a little east of the bridge and on the riverside, and it thus became a royal residence;William Wallace was executed in London in 1305, and it was in Sheen that theCommissioners from Scotland went down on their knees before Edward.
Edward II, following his defeat by the Scots at theBattle of Bannockburn in 1314, founded amonastery forCarmelites at Sheen. When the boy-kingEdward III came to the throne in 1327, he gave the manor to his motherIsabella. Edward later spent over£2,000 on improvements, but in the middle of the work, Edward himself died at the manor, in 1377.Richard II was the first English king to make Sheen his main residence, which he did in 1383. Twelve years later, Richard was so distraught at the death of his wifeAnne of Bohemia at the age of 28 that, according toRaphael Holinshed, the 16th-century Englishchronicler, he "caused it [the manor] to be thrown down and defaced; whereas the former kings of this land, being wearie of the citie, used customarily thither to resort as to a place of pleasure, and serving highly to their recreation".[15] It was rebuilt between 1414 and 1422, butdestroyed by fire in 1497.[16]
Following that fire, Henry VII built anew residence at Sheen, and in 1501 he named it Richmond Palace.[17] The theatre company to whichShakespeare belonged performed some plays there during the reign ofElizabeth I.[17] As Queen, Elizabeth spent much of her time at Richmond, as she enjoyedhunting stags in the "Newe Parke of Richmonde" (nowOld Deer Park). She died at the palace on 24 March 1603.[18] The palace was no longer in residential use after 1649 but, in 1688,James II ordered its partial reconstruction, this time as a royalnursery. The bulk of the palace had decayed by 1779, but surviving structures include the Wardrobe,Trumpeters' House (built around 1700), and the Gate House, built in 1501. The Gate House has five bedrooms and was made available on a 65-year lease by theCrown Estate Commissioners in 1986.
Beyond the grounds of the old palace, Richmond remained mostly agricultural land until the 18th century.White Lodge, in the middle of what is nowRichmond Park, was built as ahunting lodge forGeorge II, and during this period the number of large houses in their own grounds – such asAsgill House andPembroke Lodge – increased significantly. These were followed by the building of further important houses, includingDowne House,Wick House andThe Wick onRichmond Hill, as this area became an increasingly fashionable place in which to live.Richmond Bridge was completed in 1777 to replace a ferry crossing that connected Richmond town centre on the east bank with its neighbouring district ofEast Twickenham. Today, this bridge, together with the well-preservedGeorgian terraces that surroundRichmond Green and line Richmond Hill to its crest, now haslisted building status.[19]
As Richmond continued to prosper and expand during the 19th century, much luxurious housing was built on the streets that line Richmond Hill, as well as shops in the town centre to serve the increasing population. In July 1892, the Corporation formed ajoint-stock company, the Richmond (Surrey) Electric Light and Power Company, and this wired the town for electricity by around 1896.
Like many other large towns in Britain, Richmond lost many young people who fought in theFirst andSecond World Wars. They are commemorated at theRichmond War Memorial, which now commemorates both wars and was installed in 1921 at the end of Whittaker Avenue, between the Old Town Hall and the Riverside.[20] In the Second World War, 96 people were killed inair raids, which also resulted in the demolition of 297 houses.[21]
The town of Richmond is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which is governed byRichmond upon Thames London Borough Council. The most recent election was in May 2022 when theLiberal Democrats retained control of the council;[22] in a January 2024 by-election the Liberal Democrats gained theConservatives' only Council seat.[23] Richmond town is divided into two wards – North Richmond, which has three Liberal Democrat councillors, and South Richmond, with two Liberal Democrat councillors and one from theGreen Party.
Richmond town forms part of theRichmond Park constituency for theUK Parliament. TheMP, since 2019, isSarah Olney from the Liberal Democrats.[24] Richmond is also part of theSouth West constituency for the London Assembly, which has been represented byGareth Roberts from the Liberal Democrats since 2024.
Richmond, earlier known asShene, was part of the large ancientparish of Kingston upon Thames in theKingston hundred ofSurrey. Split off from Kingston upon Thames from an early time, the parish ofRichmond St Mary Magdalene formed theMunicipal Borough of Richmond from 1890.[25] The municipal borough was expanded in 1892 by the addition ofKew,Petersham and theNorth Sheen part ofMortlake;[9] in 1933,Ham was added to the borough.[9] In 1965, the parish and municipal borough were abolished by theLondon Government Act 1963, which transferred Richmond toGreater London. Together with the formerMunicipal Borough of Twickenham and the formerMunicipal Borough of Barnes, it formed a new borough, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.[26]
Richmond sits opposite East Twickenham on what is technically the south bank of theRiver Thames but, because of the bends of the river, the town is immediately north and north-east of its nearest stretch of river. The Thames curves around the town, and then Kew, in its course; starting fromPetersham, it returns to a more direct west–east direction. The river is still tidal at Richmond, so, to allow major passenger and goods traffic to continue to operate during low tide, a half-tidelock was opened in 1894 and is used when the adjacentweir is in position. This weir ensures that there is always a minimum depth of water of 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) toward the middle of the river between Richmond andTeddington, whatever the state of the tide. At the lock and weir there is afootbridge across the river.
Richmond is well endowed with green and open spaces accessible to the public. At the heart of the town sitsRichmond Green, which is roughly square in shape and together with the Little Green, a smaller green space stretching from its south-east corner, is 12 acres (4.9 hectares) in area. The Green is surrounded by well-usedmetalled roads that provide a fair amount of vehicle parking for both residents and visitors. The south corner leads into the main shopping area of the town; at the west corner is the oldgatehouse which leads through to other remaining buildings of the palace; at the north corner is pedestrian access toOld Deer Park (plus vehicle access for municipal use). The park is a 360-acre (1.5 km2)Crown Estate landscape extending from the town along the riverside as far as the boundary with theRoyal Botanic Gardens at Kew, aUNESCO World Heritage Site. This contains wide green lawns and sports facilities, and the Grade I listed formerKing's Observatory erected forGeorge III in 1769. The town's main shopping street,George Street, is also named after the king.[27][28]
The town centre lies just below 33 ft (10 m) above sea level. South of the town centre, rising from Richmond Bridge to an elevation of 165 ft (50 m), is Richmond Hill. Just beyond the summit of Richmond Hill isRichmond Park, an area of 2,360 acres (9.6 km2; 3.69 sq mi) of wildheath and woodland originally enclosed for hunting, and now forming London's largestroyal park.[29] The park is anational nature reserve,[30] aSite of Special Scientific Interest[31][32] and aSpecial Area of Conservation[33] and is included, at Grade I, onHistoric England'sRegister of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England.[34] It was created byCharles I in 1634[35] as adeer park and now has 630red andfallow deer[36] that roam freely through much of the park. The park has a number of traffic and pedestrian gates leading to the surrounding areas ofSheen,Roehampton,Putney,Kingston andHam.
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, with Richmond North and Richmond South as two of itswards, has the least poverty in London.[37] The town of Richmond has the largest commercial centre in the borough and is classified as amajor centre according to theLondon Plan. It is an established up-market shopping destination.[38] Its compact centre has approximately 50,000 m2 of retail floor-space that is largely focused onGeorge Street, The Quadrant and Hill Street. It comprises almost exclusively high street chains, the largest of which areMarks & Spencer,Boots,Tesco Metro andWaitrose. The remaining town centre stores are largely single units.
Mostly independent businesses line the narrowalleyways running off George Street towards Richmond Green and up Richmond Hill, and there is afarmers' market in Heron Square on Saturdays. Richmond has one large stand-alone supermarket,Sainsbury's, with parking for 420 cars, to the east of the town near North Sheen railway station.
There are shops, restaurants and cafes on the crest of Richmond Hill lining Friars Stile Road, as well as along Kew Road towards theBotanic Gardens, and on Sheen Road.
Richmond also offers a wide variety of office accommodation and is the UK/European headquarters of several multi-national companies, includingeBay,PayPal andThe Securitas Group, as well as the head offices of a number of national, regional and local businesses. London'sEvening Standard has described Richmond as "the beating heart of London's growing technology industry".[39]
TheThames is a major contributor to the interest that Richmond inspires in many people. It has an extensive frontage around Richmond Bridge, containing many bars and restaurants. Richmond Riverside owes much of its neo-Georgian style to the architectQuinlan Terry, who was commissioned to restore the area (1984–87). Within the river itself at this point are the leafyCorporation Island and the two smallFlowerpot Islands. The Thames-side walkway provides access to residences, pubs (including theWhite Cross) and terraces, and variousgreens, lanes and footpaths through Richmond. The stretch of the Thames below Richmond Hill is known as Horse Reach and includesGlover's Island.[40] There aretowpaths and tracks along both sides of the river, and they are much used by pedestrians, joggers and cyclists.Westminster Passenger Services Association boats, licensed byLondon River Services, sail daily betweenKew andHampton Court Palace, calling at Richmond in each direction.
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Richmond Green has been described as "one of the most beautiful urban greens surviving anywhere in England".[41] It is roughly square in shape, and its open grassland, framed withbroadleaf trees, extends to roughly twelve acres (4.9 hectares). On summer weekends and public holidays the Green attracts many residents and visitors. It has a long history of hosting sporting events; from the 16th century onwards tournaments andarchery contests took place on the Green, and there have beencricket matches since the mid-18th century,[42] continuing to the present day. Until recently, the first recorded inter-county cricket match was believed to have been played on Richmond Green in 1730 betweenSurrey andMiddlesex. It is now known, however, that an earlier match betweenKent and Surrey took place inDartford in 1709.[43]
To the west of the Green isOld Palace Lane, running gently down to the river. One of the oldest roads in Richmond, it was originally a route from the river, where goods were loaded and unloaded by crane, to the "tradesmen's entrance" to Richmond Palace.[44] Adjoining to the left is the renowned terrace of well-preserved three-storey houses known as Maids of Honour Row. These were built in 1724 for themaids of honour (trusted royal wardrobe servants) ofQueen Caroline, thequeen consort ofGeorge II. As a child, theVictorian explorerRichard Burton lived at No. 2.[45]
Today the northern, western and southern sides of the Green are residential while the eastern side, linking with George Street, is largely retail and commercial. Public buildings line the eastern side of the Little Green and pubs and cafés cluster in the corner by Paved Court and Golden Court – two of a number ofalleys that lead from the Green to the main commercial thoroughfare of George Street. These alleys are lined with mostly privately ownedboutiques.
The view from the top westward toWindsor has long been famous, inspiring paintings by masters such asJ. M. W. Turner andSir Joshua Reynolds[8] and also poetry.[8] One particularly grand description of the view can be found inSir Walter Scott's novelThe Heart of Midlothian (1818). It is a common misconception that the folk song "Lass of Richmond Hill" relates to this hill, but the young woman in the song lived in Hill House atRichmond in theYorkshire Dales.[46]
Apart from the greatrugby stadium at Twickenham and the aircraft landing and taking off fromHeathrow, the scene has changed little in two hundred years. The view from Richmond Hill now forms part of the Thames Landscape Strategy which aims to protect and enhance this section of the river corridor into London.[47]
A broad, gravelled walk runs along the crest of the hill and is set back off the road, lined with benches, allowing pedestrians an uninterrupted view across the Thames valley with visitors' information boards describing points of interest. Sloping down to the River Thames are theTerrace Gardens that were laid out in the 1880s and were extended to the river some 40 years later.[48]
A commanding feature on the hill is the formerRoyal Star and Garter Home; in 2013 it was sold for development and converted into residential apartments.[49] During theFirst World War an old hotel on this site, theStar and Garter, which had been a popular place of entertainment in the 18th and 19th centuries but had closed in 1906, was taken over and used as amilitary hospital.[50] in the early 1920s it was replaced by a new building providing accommodation and nursing facilities for 180 seriously injured servicemen. This was sold in 2013 after thecharitable trust running the home concluded that the building no longer met modern requirements and could not be easily or economically upgraded. The trust opened an additional home inSolihull, West Midlands, and the remaining residents in Richmond moved in 2013 to a new purpose-built building inSurbiton.[51]
At the top ofRichmond Hill, opposite the former Royal Star and Garter Home, sits theRichmond Gate entrance toRichmond Park. The park is anational nature reserve,[52] aSpecial Area of Conservation (SAC),[53][54] and aSite of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).[55][31] The largest ofLondon's Royal Parks,[56] it was created by Charles I in 1634 as adeer park and now has over 600red andfallow deer. Richmond Gate remains open to traffic between dawn and dusk.
King Henry's Mound, a Grade II listed[57]Neolithicburial barrow,[58] is the highest point within the park. From the mound there is a protected view, established in 1710, ofSt Paul's Cathedral in theCity of London over 10 miles (16 km) to the east. At various times the mound's name has been connected with Henry VIII or with his father Henry VII.[58] However, there is no evidence to support the legend that Henry VIII stood on the mound to watch for the sign from St Paul's thatAnne Boleyn had been executed at theTower and that he was then free to marryJane Seymour.[58]
King Henry's Mound is in the grounds ofPembroke Lodge, which is Grade II listed.[59] In 1847 this house became the home of the thenPrime Minister,Lord John Russell,[60] who conducted much government business there and entertainedQueen Victoria, foreign royalty, aristocrats, writers (Dickens,Thackeray,Longfellow,Tennyson) and other notable people of the time, includingGiuseppe Garibaldi. It was later the childhood home of Lord John Russell's grandson, the philosopher, mathematician and social criticBertrand Russell.[61] It is now a popular restaurant with views across theThames Valley.
Built as ahunting lodge forGeorge II by the architectRoger Morris,White Lodge was completed in 1730. Its many famous residents have included members of the Royal Family. The future kingEdward VIII was born at White Lodge in 1894;[62] his brotherPrince Albert, Duke of York (the future George VI) andthe Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) lived there in the 1920s. TheRoyal Ballet School (formerly Sadler's Wells Ballet) has been based since 1955[63] at the lodge, where younger ballet students continue to be trained.
Also in the park and Grade II listed isThatched House Lodge, which is still a royal residence. Since 1963 it has been the home ofPrincess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, a first cousin ofQueen Elizabeth II. GeneralDwight D Eisenhower, who later becamePresident of the United States, lived there during theSecond World War.[64]
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TheMuseum of Richmond, inRichmond's Old Town Hall, close to Richmond Bridge, has displays relating to the history of Richmond, Ham, Petersham and Kew. Its rotatingexhibitions,[65] education activities and a programme of events cover the whole of the modern borough. The museum's highlights include 16th-century glass fromRichmond Palace and a painting,The Terrace and View from Richmond Hill, Surrey byDutch draughtsman and painterLeonard Knyff (1650–1722), which is part of the Richmond upon Thames Borough Art Collection.[66] Admission to the museum is free.[67]
TheRiverside Gallery, also at the Old Town Hall, features temporary exhibitions by local artists including paintings, prints and photographs. Admission is free.
Richmond has two theatres.Richmond Theatre on Little Green is a Grade II* listed lateVictorian structure designed byFrank Matcham[68] and restored and extended byCarl Toms in 1990. The theatre has a weekly schedule of plays andmusicals, usually given by professional touring companies, and pre-West End shows can sometimes be seen. There is a Christmas and New Yearpantomime tradition and many of Britain's greatestmusic hall and pantomime performers have appeared here.
Close toRichmond railway station is theOrange Tree Theatre which was founded in 1971 in a room above the Orange Treepub.[69] As audience numbers increased, there was pressure to find a more accommodating space and, in 1991, the company moved to its current premises within a converted primary school.[69] The 172-seat theatre was built specifically as atheatre-in-the-round. Exclusively presenting its own productions, it has acquired a national reputation for the quality of its work for staging new plays, and for discovering undeservedly forgotten old plays and neglected classics.[70]
The town has two cinemas, thearthouseCurzon in Water Lane and anOdeon cinema with a total of seven screens in two locations, the foyer of one having the accolade of being the onlyhigh street building visible from Richmond Bridge, and the second set being situated nearby in Red Lion Street. The Odeon on Hill Street, built in 1930, is inArt Deco style and is Grade II listed.[71]
There are numerous public houses and bars throughout Richmond's town centre, and along the river and up the hill, with enough variety to cater to most tastes. One of the oldest is The Cricketers, serving beer since 1770, though the original building was burned down in 1844. It was soon replaced by the present building.Samuel Whitbread, founder ofWhitbread Brewery, part-owned it with the Collins family who had a brewery in Water Lane, close to the old palace.[72] Grade II listed pubs include theWhite Cross,[73] theOld Ship[74] and theBritannia.[75]
Many of the major restaurant chains can be found within 500 metres of Richmond Bridge. There are also plenty of privately owned restaurants with culinary offerings from around the world, including French, German, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Thai.
The Bingham Riverhouse hotel[76] was awarded its firstMichelin star in 2010.[77] Overlooking the Thames, it is in a Grade II listed building dating from about 1760.[78]
 | |
 | |
| Abbreviation | RLHS |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1985[nb 2] |
| Founder | John Cloake |
| Legal status | registered charity (no. 292907)[79] |
Region served | Richmond,Kew,Petersham andHam[79] |
| Membership | 400 |
Chair | DrSimon Targett |
Main organ | Richmond History (journal);The Richmond Local History Society Members' Newsletter (published three times a year) |
| Budget | £12,290[79] |
| Staff | none |
| Website | richmondhistory |
 | |
| |
| Formation | 1957 |
|---|---|
| Type | civic society andconservation group |
| Legal status | charitable incorporated organisation (no. 1169079)[80] |
Region served | Richmond,Kew,Petersham andHam[80] |
| Membership | 1100 |
Chair | Louise Fluker |
Main organ | The Richmond Society Quarterly Newsletter[81] |
| Budget | £91,000[82] |
| Staff | none |
| Website | richmondsociety |
TheRichmond Local History Society explores the local history of Richmond, Kew, Petersham and Ham.[79] It organises a programme of talks on history topics[83] and visits to buildings of historical interest.[84] The Society publishes a newsletter three times a year, an indexed journal (Richmond History) and other publications.[85]
The Richmond Society is acivic society andconservation group which was founded in 1957 by a group of local residents, originally to fight against the proposal to install modern lamp posts around Richmond Green. It acts as apressure group concerned with preserving Richmond's natural and built environment, monitoring and influencing development proposals and presenting annual awards[86] for buildings and other schemes which make a positive contribution to Richmond. It also organises meetings on topics of local interest and a programme of guided walks and visits, and publishes a quarterly newsletter.[81][87] The Society's patrons are:Anita Anand; ProfessorIan Bruce;John, Lord Lee of Trafford; SirTrevor McDonald; Ronny, Baroness van Dedem; andLord Watson of Richmond.[88]
With a third of the borough being green and open space, Richmond has much to offer in the way of leisure activities.
Skiffs (fixed seat boats) can be hired by the hour from localboat builders close to the bridge, with opportunities to row upstream towards the historic propertiesHam House andMarble Hill House. Richmond Canoe Club,[89] founded in 1944 and now one of Britain's biggestcanoe clubs,[90] is also on the towpath south of Richmond Bridge.
Richmond is part of theLondon Cycle Network, offering on and off-road cycle paths throughout the area, including along theThames towpath and in Richmond Park.[91]
Richmond Park also hasbridle paths, and horses can be rented from a number ofstables around theperimeter of the park.
Ham Polo Club is on the Petersham Road at the bottom of Richmond Hill. The club was established in 1926 and is now the onlypolo club in London; it is popular withpicnickers during the summer months.[92]
Old Deer Park provides open recreation areas, football, rugby and other pitches, and has a leisure centre,Pools on the Park. The leisure centre is run by the borough council, and has 33m indoor and outdoor pools and a fitness centre.
The park also includes theRoyal Mid-Surrey Golf Club[93] with both golf andpitch and putt courses, and the Richmond Athletic Ground, home toRichmond F.C. andLondon Scottish rugby clubs.[94][95]
An additional sports ground at Old Deer Park is home to both theRichmond Cricket Club and theLondon Welsh rugby union club, as well as tennis courts and a bowling green.[96][97] The Prince's Head Cricket Club holds fixtures onRichmond Green throughout the summer.[98]
Richmond Hockey Club, a founder member ofEngland Hockey, was established in 1874 and was based from then until 2001 atOld Deer Park. It now plays at theUniversity of Westminster Sports Grounds inChiswick and competes in theMen's England Hockey League and theLondon Hockey League.[99][100]
5KParkrun events take place every Saturday morning atOld Deer Park[101] andRichmond Park.[102]
| Ward | Detached | Semi-detached | Terraced | Flats and apartments | Caravans/temporary/ mobile homes/houseboats | Shared between households[103][1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Richmond | 142 | 1,093 | 1,546 | 1,963 | 0 | 27 |
| South Richmond | 384 | 653 | 1,092 | 2,995 | 0 | 44 |
| Ward | Population | Households | % Owned outright | % Owned with a loan | Area (hectares)[103] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Richmond | 10,649 | 5,168 | 26 | 30 | 272 |
| South Richmond | 10,820 | 4,047 | 28 | 24 | 266 |
The town and theborough of Richmond have been popular destinations for Germanexpatriates andGerman British since at least the 19th century. Richmond resident SirMax Waechter, a German-born businessman and advocate of a federal Europe, donatedGlover's Island to the local council in 1900. TheGerman School London opened in nearby Petersham in 1971, continuing the popularity of Richmond for German families settling in London.[104]
According to the 2011 census, thirty per cent of Richmond households do not have a car or van. This figure is well above the borough average of 24%, which may be related to the excellent transport links in the area and the lower proportion of families as reported in the 2001 census. A half of households have one car, in line with the borough average.[105]
Richmond is served by a number ofTransport for London bus routes.[106]
Richmond's mainarterial road, theA316, running between Chiswick and theM3 motorway, bisects Old Deer Park and the town to its north. The town's onlydual carriageway, it was built in the 1930s, cutting off Richmond from Kew and entailing the construction ofTwickenham Bridge. This road expands into three lanes and motorway status three and five miles west respectively.
The town centre is on theA307, which used to be the main link between London and north-west Surrey, and was previously one of the main routes of thePortsmouth Road before that was diverted; and on theA305, which runs from East Sheen and overRichmond Bridge to Twickenham.
The nearest acute hospitals, both of which includeaccident and emergency departments andmaternity units, are:
Richmond has nine groups ofalmshouses and a tenth is scheduled to open later in 2025.[108] Six are of historical interest and some were founded in the 16th century. They are all managed by TheRichmond Charities, which also managesCandler Almshouses and Wright's Almshouses inTwickenham, Christchurch Road Almshouses in East Sheen and Colston's Almshouses and Juxon's Almshouses in Mortlake.
| Name | Location | Number of almshouses | History | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Duppa's Almshouses | The Vineyard | 10 | The original almshouses were founded in 1661 (onRichmond Hill) byBrian Duppa,Bishop of Winchester. They were rebuilt in 1851 on the present site and areGrade II listed. |  |
| Church Estate Almshouses | Sheen Road | 10 | Most of the buildings, designed by William Crawford Stow and now Grade II listed, date from 1843 but the charity that built them is known to have existed in Queen Elizabeth I's time and may have much earlier origins. | .jpg) |
| Hickey's Almshouses | Between Sheen Road and St Mary's Grove | 50 | William Hickey, who died in 1727, left the income of several properties on Richmond Hill in trust to provide pensions for six men and ten women. In 1822 the charity's funds were boosted by a major donation from Elizabeth Doughty. Twenty almshouses, designed byLewis Vulliamy, and a chapel and two gate lodge cottages, were built in 1834 and are Grade II* listed. The property, which includes another 29 buildings behind the almshouses, now consists of 49 flats and cottages, a laundry and a workshop. |  |
| Houblon's Almshouses | Worple Way | 11 | Now Grade II* listed, these were founded in 1757 by Rebecca and Susanna Houblon (who built nine almshouses). A further two almshouses were added in 1857. |  |
| Michel's Almshouses | The Vineyard | 17 | These were founded in the 17th century by Humphrey Michel. The original ten almshouses, built in 1696, were rebuilt in 1811. Another six almshouses were added in 1858. They are Grade II listed. |  |
| Queen Elizabeth's Almshouses | The Vineyard | 4 | These were founded by Sir George Wright in 1600 (during Elizabeth I's reign) to house eight poor aged women. Known originally as the "Lower almshouses", they were built in Petersham Road, a few hundred yards south of what is now Bridge Street. By 1767, they were almost derelict. In 1767, William Turner rebuilt the almshouses on land at the top end of his estate in The Vineyard. Funds for the rebuilding were raised by public subscription. The almshouses were rebuilt again in 1857. They were damaged during the Second World War and replaced with four newly built houses in 1955. |  |
A seventh set of almshouses,Benn's Walk (now with five almshouses), was built in 1983.[109]
An eighth set of almshouses is 10–18 Manning Place (with nine almshouses), just offQueen's Road. The property was built in 1993 and was purchased by The Richmond Charities in 2017.[110]
A ninth set of almshouses, Elizabeth Twining Almshouses (with five almshouses) in Mitre Mews, was opened byPrince Richard, Duke of Gloucester in April 2025.[111][112][113]
A further set of almshouses, the Elizabeth Doughty Almshouses (with 12 flats), will open on Queen's Road later in 2025.[108][114]
TheRichmond and Twickenham Times has been published since 1873.[115] TheTwickenham & Richmond Tribune, a weekly online newspaper, has been published since 2016.[116]
For centuries, Richmond was home to the country's royal family. It also has a long list of famous residents, both past and present.
Richmond is a popular filming location. Thevillage green, divided intoThe Green and Little Green, has Georgian splendour, stately listed buildings and paved alleyways leading to thehigh street. It is a magnet for film crews, particularly when recreating a city square or row of townhouses of bygone years. In 2011,The Crimson Petal and the White was filmed there,[117] as wasDownton Abbey in July 2014.[118] Many other films and TV shows have featured The Green or Little Green, includingAgatha Christie's Poirot,[119]Simon Schama's Power of Art andPeter Rabbit 2.[120]
TheApple TV+ sports comedy television seriesTed Lasso is set in Richmond. Several filming sequences take place on The Green,[121] Ted Lasso and other characters in the series are shown drinking at the Prince's Head pub (rebranded as The Crown and Anchor)[122][123] and Ted lives in number 9½ Paved Court (actually No. 11A).[122]
Richmond Theatre ranks as a major film location; it has featured inThe Naked Truth (1957),[124]Bugsy Malone (1976),The Krays (1990),Evita (1996),Bedazzled (2000),The Hours (2002),Finding Neverland (2004)[125] andThe Wolfman (2010).[126]
Richmond Park has featured in many films and TV series.
As well as a location for films, Richmond Park is regularly featured in television programmes, corporate videos and fashion shoots. It has made an appearance onBlue Peter,Inside Out (the BBC regional current affairs programme) and BBCSpringwatch.[128] In 2014 it was featured in a video commissioned byThe Hearsum Collection[134] and in 2017 in a television film featuring and narrated byDavid Attenborough, which was produced by theFriends of Richmond Park.[135]
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