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{{Short description|Town in Greater London, England}}{{distinguish|Richmond, North Yorkshire}}{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

factoids

| london_borough = Richmond upon ThamesRichmond Park (UK Parliament constituency)>Richmond Park00BDGG00BDGJ|population}}}}00BDGG00BDGJyear}}){{london ward populations|reference}}| area_total_km2 = 5.38| civil_parish = | post_town = RICHMOND| postcode_area = TW| postcode_district = TW9, TW10| dial_code = 020| os_grid_reference = TQ1874| charingX_distance_mi = 8.2| charingX_direction = ENE| static_image_name = Richmond Riverside, London - Sept 2008.jpg| static_image_caption = Richmond Riverside}}Richmond is a town in south-west London,The London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended) categorises the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames as an Outer London borough. Although it is on both sides of the River Thames, the Boundary Commission for England defines it as being in South London or the South Thames sub-region, pairing it with Kingston upon Thames for the purposes of devising constituencies. However, for the purposes of the London Plan, Richmond now lies within the West London region.WEB, Office of Public Sector Information,www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1963/cukpga_19630033_en_1, London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended), 26 July 2017, WEB, Boundary Commission for England,boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/London-Initial-proposals-summary.pdf, London Initial proposals summary, September 2016, 12 December 2022, BOOK,assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/250941/7032_iii.pdf, Boundary Commission for England, Fifth Periodical Report Cm 7032B, 9780101703222, March 2007, 12 December 2022, WEB,www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/publications/2009/docs/london-plan-initial-proposals.pdf, Mayor of London, Greater London Authority, A new plan for London: Proposals for the Mayor’s London Plan, April 2009, 14 July 2020,webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20111002011427/http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/publications/2009/docs/london-plan-initial-proposals.pdf, 2 October 2011, Mayor of London, {{convert|8.2|mi}} west-southwest of Charing Cross. It stands on the River Thames, and features many parks and open spaces, including Richmond Park, and many protected conservation areas,NEWS, Conservation Areas, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames,www.richmond.gov.uk/media/11444/conservation_area_map-2.pdf, 12 December 2022, which include much of Richmond Hill.WEB,www.richmond.gov.uk/cas_5_richmond_hill.pdf, Richmond Hill Conservation Area 5, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, 31 January 2014, dead,www.richmond.gov.uk/cas_5_richmond_hill.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20131110122114www.richmond.gov.uk/cas_5_richmond_hill.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20131110122114www.richmond.gov.uk/cas_5_richmond_hill.pdf, 10 November 2013, A specific Act of Parliament protects the scenic view of the River Thames from Richmond.WEB,www.richmond.gov.uk/services/libraries/branch_libraries/local_studies_collection/local_history_notes/the_view_from_richmond_hill, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, The view from Richmond Hill, Richmond Libraries’ Local Studies Collection, 22 October 2020, 4 December 2022, Richmond was founded following King Henry VII’s building in the 16th century of Richmond Palace (so-named in 1501), from which the town derives its name. (The palace’s manor itself took its name from King Henry’s earldom of Richmond, North Yorkshire, the original Richmond.) The town and palace became particularly associated with Queen Elizabeth I ({{reign | 1558 | 1603}}), who spent her last days there. During the 18th century, Richmond Bridge connected the two banks of the Thames, and many Georgian terraces were built, particularly around Richmond Green and on Richmond Hill. Those that have survived remain well-preserved and many have been designated listed buildings on account of their architectural or historic significance. The opening of Richmond 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 ancient parish of Kingston upon Thames in the county of Surrey, became a municipal borough, which later extended to include Kew, Ham, Petersham and part of Mortlake (North Sheen). The municipal borough was abolished in 1965, when local-government reorganisation transferred Richmond from Surrey to Greater London.BOOK, Young, K., Garside, P., amp, Metropolitan London: Politics and Urban Change 1837–1981, Edward Arnold (publisher), Edward Arnold, London, 1982, 9780713163315, registration,archive.org/details/metropolitanlond0000youn, Since 1965 Richmond has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. {{As of | 2011}} 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” often refers, incorrectly, to the town of Richmond: in fact (unlike the case of nearby Kingston upon Thames), the suffixed form should properly apply only to the London borough.

History

Name

The area was known in the medieval period as Shene,AV MEDIA,www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT8HQwmZxAo&t=31s, Plantagenet Sheen to Tudor Richmond: royal passions, piety and power, London, 8 April 2024, 17 May 2024, Richmond Local History Society, Elizabeth Hallam Smith, Hallam Smith, Elizabeth, a name first recorded (as Sceon) in the 10th century, and which survives in the neighbouring districts of East Sheen (also known as Sheen) and North Sheen. The manor entered royal hands, and the manor house eventually became known as Sheen Palace, before being largely destroyed by fire in 1497. Henry VII rebuilt it and in 1501 named it Richmond Palace, in allusion to his earldom of Richmond and his ancestral honour of Richmond in Yorkshire. 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“).“Richmond”, in Encyclopædia Britannica, (9th edition, 1881), s.v.BOOK, J E B, Gover, A, Mawer, Allen Mawer, F M, Stenton, Frank Stenton, The Place-Names of Surrey, English Place-Name Society, 11, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1934, 65–66,

Royal residence

File:A View of Richmond Palace published in 1765.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Richmond PalaceRichmond PalaceHenry I lived briefly in the King’s house in “Sheanes”. 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 the Commissioners from Scotland went down on their knees before Edward.Edward II, following his defeat by the Scots at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, founded a monastery for Carmelites at Sheen. When the boy-king Edward III came to the throne in 1327, he gave the manor to his mother Isabella. 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 wife Anne of Bohemia at the age of 28 that, according to Holinshed, the 16th-century English chronicler, 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”. It was rebuilt between 1414 and 1422, but destroyed by fire in 1497.WEB,blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/richmond-lost-palace/, Richmond: the lost palace, Goringe, Marcus, 12 July 2016, The National Archives (United Kingdom), 23 July 2018, Following that fire, Henry VII built a new residence at Sheen, and in 1501 he named it Richmond Palace. The theatre company to which Shakespeare belonged performed some plays there during the reign of Elizabeth I.WEB,www.richmond.gov.uk/media/6334/local_history_richmond_palace.pdf, Richmond Palace, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Local History notes, 7 January 2024, As Queen, Elizabeth spent much of her time at Richmond, as she enjoyed hunting stags in the “Newe Parke of Richmonde” (now Old Deer Park). She died at the palace on 24 March 1603.BOOK, Black, J. B., J. B. Black, The Reign of Elizabeth: 1558–1603, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1936, 1945, 410–411, 5077207, The palace was no longer in residential use after 1649, but in 1688, James II ordered its partial reconstruction, this time as a royal nursery. 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. This has five bedrooms and was made available on a 65-year lease by the Crown Estate Commissioners in 1986.

18th- and 19th-century development

File:1-6 Old Palace Terrace.jpg|thumb|Georgian houses at Old Palace Terrace on Richmond GreenRichmond GreenFile:Richmond clock tower5269r.jpg|thumb|The town’s former fire station, built in the late 19th century, with a distinctive lantern clocklantern clockBeyond the grounds of the old palace, Richmond remained mostly agricultural land until the 18th century. White Lodge, in the middle of what is now Richmond Park, was built as a hunting lodge for George II, and during this period the number of large houses in their own grounds â€“ such as Asgill House and Pembroke Lodge â€“ increased significantly. These were followed by the building of further important houses, including Downe House, Wick House and The Wick on Richmond 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 of East Twickenham. Today, this bridge, together with the well-preserved Georgian terraces that surround Richmond Green and line Richmond Hill to its crest, now has listed building status.WEB,www.richmond.gov.uk/media/18000/listed_buildings_register.pdf, Listed Buildings Register, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, 14 October 2019, 8 May 2023, 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 a joint-stock company, the Richmond (Surrey) Electric Light and Power Company, and this wired the town for electricity by around 1896.

World Wars

Like many other large towns in Britain, Richmond lost many young people in the First and Second World Wars. In the Second World War, 96 people were killed in air raids, which also resulted in the demolition of 297 houses.BOOK, Richmond at War 1939–1945, Fowler, Simon, Richmond, London#Societies, Richmond Local History Society, 2015, 978-0-9550717-8-2, 90, Simon Fowler (author), The Richmond War Memorial, which now commemorates both wars, was installed in 1921 at the end of Whittaker Avenue, between the Old Town Hall and the Riverside.{{NHLE|num=1447856|desc=Richmond upon Thames Borough War Memorial|date = 20 July 2017|access-date=31 July 2020}}

Governance

Current

The town of Richmond is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which is governed by Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council. The most recent election was in May 2022 when the Liberal Democrats retained control of the council. Richmond town is divided into two wards – North Richmond, which has three Liberal Democrat councillors, and South Richmond, which has two Liberal Democrat councillors and one from the Green Party.Richmond town forms part of the Richmond Park constituency for the UK Parliament. The MP, since 2019, is Sarah Olney from the Liberal Democrats. Richmond is also part of the South West constituency for the London Assembly, which has been represented by Nicholas Rogers from the Conservative Party since 2021.

Historical

Richmond, earlier known as Shene, was part of the large ancient parish of Kingston upon Thames in the Kingston hundred of Surrey. Split off from Kingston upon Thames from an early time, the parish of Richmond St Mary Magdalene formed the Municipal Borough of Richmond from 1890.WEB, GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Richmond, in Richmond upon Thames and Surrey, A Vision of Britain through Time,www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/156, 15 December 2021, The municipal borough was expanded in 1892 by the addition of Kew, Petersham and the North Sheen part of Mortlake;VOB,www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/156, Richmond MB,www.visionofbritain.org.uk/boundary_map_page.jsp?u_id=10025618&c_id=, 22 August 2023, in 1933, Ham was added to the borough. In 1965, the parish and municipal borough were abolished by the London Government Act 1963, which transferred Richmond to Greater London. Together with the former Municipal Borough of Twickenham and the former Municipal Borough of Barnes, it formed a new borough, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.WEB, London Government Act 1963,www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1963/33/contents, 1 November 2020, legislation.gov.uk,

Geography

(File:cmglee_London_Richmond_aerial.jpg|thumb|upright|Aerial view of Richmond and East Twickenham from the north, August 2015)(File:Richmond-map.png|thumb|Map of the town of Richmond.Click to enlarge.)Richmond sits opposite East Twickenham on what is technically the south bank of the River 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 from Petersham, 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-tide lock was opened in 1894 and is used when the adjacent weir 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 and Teddington, whatever the state of the tide. Above the lock and weir there is a small footbridge.Richmond is well endowed with green and open spaces accessible to the public. At the heart of the town sits Richmond Green, which is roughly square in shape and together with the Little Green, a smaller green space stretching from its southeast corner, is 12 acres (5 hectares) in area. The Green is surrounded by well-used metalled roads that provide for 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 old gate house which leads through to other remaining buildings of the palace; at the north corner is pedestrian access to Old Deer Park (plus vehicle access for municipal use). The park is a {{convert|360|acre|km2|adj=on}} Crown Estate landscape extending from the town along the riverside as far as the boundary with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This contains wide green lawns and sports facilities, and the Grade I listed former King’s Observatory erected for George III in 1769. The town’s main shopping street, George Street, is also named after the king.BOOK, Dunbar, Janet, A Prospect of Richmond, 1973, George G. Harrap and Co., 1977, 199–209, 9780856179952, BOOK, The Streets of Richmond and Kew, Fourth, 2022, Richmond Local History Society, 47, File:Richmond Park understorey.jpg|thumb|Richmond Park is a national nature reserve. ]]File:Thames River - Richmond, Surrey, UK.jpg|thumb|Asgill House and Richmond Railway BridgeRichmond Railway BridgeThe 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 is Richmond Park, an area of 2,360 acres (9.55 km2; 3.7 sq mi) of wild heath and woodland originally enclosed for hunting, and now forming London’s largest royal park.WEB,www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/map-of-richmond-park, Map of Richmond Park, The Royal Parks, 16 November 2022, The park is a national nature reserve,WEB,www.gov.uk/government/publications/greater-londons-national-nature-reserves, Greater London’s National Nature Reserves, Natural England, 12 November 2021, 12 December 2022, a Site of Special Scientific InterestWEB,www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002388.pdf, Richmond Park, Natural England, Citation, 1992, 29 August 2014, 12 October 2013,www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002388.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20131012013435www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002388.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20131012013435www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002388.pdf, dead, WEB,magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002388%27, Natural England, Map of Richmond Park SSSI, 3 January 2018, and a Special Area of ConservationWEB,sac.jncc.gov.uk/site/UK0030246, Richmond Park, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 3 August 2023, and is included, at Grade I, on Historic England’s Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England.{{NHLE|num=1000828|desc=Richmond Park|date= 1 October 1987 |access-date=14 July 2020}} It was created by Charles I in 1634{{PastScape|mnumber=397979|mname=Richmond Park|date = 2015|access-date=18 May 2015}} as a deer park and now has 630 red and fallow deerWEB,www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/richmond-park/deer-richmond-park, Deer in Richmond Park, The Royal Parks, 29 January 2024, that roam freely through much of the park. The park has a number of traffic and pedestrian gates leading to the surrounding areas of Sheen, Roehampton, Putney, Kingston and Ham.

Nearest places

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Barnes
• Brentford
• East Sheen
• Ham
• Hampton
• Hounslow
• Isleworth
• Kew
• Kingston
• Mortlake
• Petersham
• Roehampton
• St Margarets
• Strawberry Hill
• Teddington
• Twickenham
• Whitton
• Wimbledon

{{div col end}}

Economy

The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, with Richmond North and Richmond South as two of its wards, has the least poverty in London.Department for Work and Pensions {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402194006www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/cpa-r-u-t.xls |date=2 April 2012 }} 2001 Census statistics. Retrieved 25 September 2011. The town of Richmond has the largest commercial centre in the borough and is classified as a major centre according to the London Plan. It is an established up-market shopping destination.WEB,www.richmond.gov.uk/invest_locating_your_business, Richmond, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Business: Property and sites, 22 August 2023, Its compact centre has approximately 50,000 m2 of retail floor-space that is largely focused on George Street, The Quadrant and Hill Street. It comprises almost exclusively high street chains, the largest of which are Marks & Spencer, Boots, Tesco Metro and Waitrose. A Whole Foods Market with about 2,000 m2 of floor space within a new development opened in 2013.NEWS,www.theguardian.com/business/2015/feb/27/whole-foods-market-halves-its-uk-losses, Whole Foods Market halves its UK losses, Butler, Sarah, 27 February 2015, The Guardian, 27 February 2018, The remaining town centre stores are largely single units.Mostly independent businesses line the narrow alleyways running off George Street towards Richmond Green and up Richmond Hill, and there is a farmers’ 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.A range of convenience shopping, restaurants and cafes can be found on the crest of Richmond Hill lining Friars Stile Road, as well as along Kew Road towards the Botanical 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, including eBay, PayPal and The Securitas Group, as well as the head offices of a number of national, regional and local businesses. London’s Evening Standard has described Richmond as “the beating heart of London’s growing technology industry”.NEWS,www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/richmond-revealed-as-new-tech-hotspot-8894129.html, Richmond revealed as new tech hotspot, Evening Standard, 21 October 2013, 25 July 2017,

Places of interest

Richmond Riverside

The Thames 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 architect Quinlan Terry, who was commissioned to restore the area (1984–87). Within the river itself at this point are the leafy Corporation Island and the two small Flowerpot Islands. The Thames-side walkway provides access to residences, pubs and terraces, and various greens, lanes and footpaths through Richmond. The stretch of the Thames below Richmond Hill is known as Horse Reach and includes Glover’s Island.WEB, Glover’s Island (Petersham Ait), Horse Reach,thames.me.uk/s00322.htm, 7 January 2024, Where Thames Smooth Waters Glide, There are towpaths 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 between Kew and Hampton Court Palace, calling at Richmond in each direction.File:Richmond Riverside, London - Sept 2008.jpg|675px|thumb|center|The Thames riverfront north of Richmond Bridge. Click the image to access the full-size 12MB panoramic version.]]

Richmond Green

File:Richmond Green 5260-6s.jpg|675px|thumb|center|Wide-angle view of the northern half of Richmond GreenRichmond GreenFile:Old Palace Lane - geograph.org.uk - 508166.jpg|thumb|Old Palace LaneOld Palace Lane(File:Richmond 20931.JPG|thumb|Maids of Honour Row)Richmond Green has been described as “one of the most beautiful urban greens surviving anywhere in England”.BOOK, The Buildings of England â€“ London 2: South, Penguin Books, Bridget Cherry, Cherry, Bridget; Nikolaus Pevsner, Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1983, London, 521, 978-0-14-0710-47-2, The Buildings of England, It is roughly square in shape, and its open grassland, framed with broadleaf trees, extends to roughly twelve acres (5 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 and archery contests have taken place on the green, and there have been cricket matches since the mid-18th century,WEB,www.richmond.gov.uk/services/libraries/branch_libraries/local_studies_collection/local_history_notes/richmond_green_properties, Richmond Green properties, Richmond Libraries’ Local Studies Collection, 28 June 2023, 25 September 2023, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, 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 between Surrey and Middlesex. It is now known, however, that an earlier match between Kent and Surrey took place in Dartford in 1709.CricketArchiveTo the west of the Green is Old 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.BOOK, Old Palace Lane: Medieval to Modern Richmond, 2020, 2nd, Robinson, Derek, Simon Fowler (author), Fowler, Simon, Richmond, London#Societies, Richmond Local History Society and Museum of Richmond, 978-1-912-314027, 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 the maids of honour (trusted royal wardrobe servants) of Queen Caroline, the queen consort of George II. As a child, the Victorian explorer Richard Burton lived at No. 2.WEB,www.richmond.gov.uk/services/libraries/branch_libraries/local_studies_collection/local_history_notes/sir_richard_and_lady_isabel_burton, Sir Richard and Lady Isabel Burton (1831–1896), London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Local history notes, 20 September 2022, 12 December 2022, 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 â€“ two of a number of alleys that lead from the Green to the main commercial thoroughfare of George Street. These alleys are lined with mostly privately owned boutiques.

Richmond Hill

File:River Thames from Richmond Hill down path.jpg|thumb|left|The famous south-western view from Richmond Hill, seen in early spring]]File:Richmond Hill - Surrey, UK.jpg|thumb|Riverside view from TwickenhamTwickenhamFile:Star Garter.JPG|thumb|The former Royal Star and Garter Home on Richmond Hill]]Partway up Richmond Hill is the Poppy Factory, staffed mainly by disabled ex-servicemen and women, which produces the remembrance poppies sold each November for Remembrance Day.The view from the top westward to Windsor has long been famous, inspiring paintings by masters such as J. M. W. Turner and Sir Joshua Reynolds and also poetry. One particularly grand description of the view can be found in Sir Walter Scott’s novel The 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 at Richmond in the Yorkshire Dales.WEB,www.ianson-international.org.uk/england/lass.htm, The Lass of Richmond Hill, I’Anson International, 27 December 2023, Apart from the great rugby stadium at Twickenham and the aircraft landing and taking off from Heathrow, 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.WEB, Thames Landscape Strategy,thames-landscape-strategy.org.uk/, 22 August 2023, 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 the Terrace Gardens that were laid out in the 1880s and were extended to the river some 40 years later.{{NHLE|num=1001551|desc=Terrace and Buccleuch Gardens |date = 24 August 2002|access-date=22 July 2020}}A commanding feature on the hill is the former Royal Star and Garter Home; in the 2010s it was sold for development and converted into residential apartments. During World War I an old hotel on this site, the Star 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 a military hospital.WEB,ezitis.myzen.co.uk/royalstarandgarter.html, Royal Star and Garter Home, Lost Hospitals of London, 14 May 2014, After the war it was replaced by a new building providing accommodation and nursing facilities for 180 seriously injured servicemen. This was sold in 2013 after the charitable 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 in Solihull, West Midlands, and the remaining residents in Richmond moved in 2013 to a new purpose-built building in Surbiton.NEWS,www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/10640013.Residents_move_into_new_Royal_Star_and_Garter_home_in_Surbiton/, Residents move into new Royal Star and Garter home in Surbiton, Richmond and Twickenham Times, 29 August 2013, 13 August 2015, Sharman, Jon,

Richmond Park

File:Two deer at Richmond Park, London.jpg|thumb|Fallow deer in Richmond ParkRichmond ParkAt the top of Richmond Hill, opposite the former Royal Star and Garter Home, sits the Richmond Gate entrance to Richmond Park. The park is a national nature reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and a Special Area of Conservation. The largest of London’s Royal Parks, it was created by Charles I in 1634 as a deer park and now has over 600 red and fallow deer. Richmond Gate remains open to traffic between dawn and dusk.King Henry’s Mound, a Grade II listed{{NHLE|num=1457267|desc=King Henry VIII’s Mound, Richmond Park|access-date= 18 September 2020 |date=27 May 2020}} Neolithic burial barrow,JOURNAL,www.richmondhistory.org.uk/wordpress/two-incorrect-myths-concerning-richmond-park/, ‘Sheene Chase’ and ‘King Henry VIII’s Mound’: two incorrect myths concerning Richmond Park, Cloake, John, Richmond History: The Journal of Richmond History Society, 2014, 35, 38–40, John Cloake, is the highest point within the park. From the mound there is a protected view, established in 1710, of St Paul’s Cathedral in the City 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. 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 that Anne Boleyn had been executed at the Tower and that he was then free to marry Jane Seymour.King Henry’s Mound is in the grounds of Pembroke Lodge, which is Grade II listed.{{National Heritage List for England |num=1263437 |desc=Pembroke Lodge|date = 25 May 1983|access-date=16 January 2016}} In 1847 this house became the home of the then Prime Minister, Lord John Russell,BOOK, Fletcher Jones, Pamela, 1972, Richmond Park: Portrait of a Royal Playground, Phillimore & Co Ltd, 978-0-8503-3497-5, 41, who conducted much government business there and entertained Queen Victoria, foreign royalty, aristocrats, writers (Dickens, Thackeray, Longfellow, Tennyson) and other notable people of the time, including Giuseppe Garibaldi. It was later the childhood home of Lord John Russell’s grandson, the philosopher, mathematician and social critic Bertrand Russell.BOOK, Russell, Bertrand, Bertrand Russell, 1967, The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell 1872–1914,archive.org/details/autobiographyofb0002russ, registration, George Allen & Unwin Ltd, London, 19, 9780049210103, It is now a popular restaurant with views across the Thames Valley.Built as a hunting lodge for George II by the architect Roger Morris, White Lodge was completed in 1730. Its many famous residents have included members of the Royal Family. The future king Edward VIII was born at White Lodge in 1894;WEB, 27 December 2023,www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/surrey/vol3/pp533-546, Parishes: Richmond (anciently Sheen), Henry Elliot Malden, Malden, H E, Institute of Historical Research, 1911, A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3, his brother Prince Albert, Duke of York (the future George VI) and the Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) lived there in the 1920s. The Royal Ballet School (formerly Sadler’s Wells Ballet) has been based since 1955BOOK, 201, Cloake, John, 1996, The Palaces and Parks of Richmond and Kew 2: Richmond Lodge and the Kew Palaces, The History Press, Phillimore & Co Ltd, 36045530, 8627654M, 978-1860770234, John Cloake, at the lodge, where younger ballet students continue to be trained.Also in the park and Grade II listed is Thatched House Lodge, which is still a royal residence. Since 1963 it has been the home of Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. General Dwight D Eisenhower, who later became President of the United States, lived there during the Second World War.ENCYCLOPEDIA,books.google.com/books?id=wN_H-__MBpYC&q=eisenhower+thatched+lodge&pg=PA914, Thatched House Lodge, The London Encyclopaedia, Macmillan Publishers, Macmillan, Weinreb, Ben, Hibbert, Christopher, Keay, Julia, Keay, John, 1983, 16 February 2021, London, 914, 978-1-4050-4924-5, Ben Weinreb, Christopher Hibbert, John Keay,

Museums and galleries

File:Old Town Hall, Richmond, London.jpg|thumb|150px|Richmond’s Old Town Hall, which now houses Richmond Reference Library, the Museum of RichmondMuseum of RichmondThe Museum of Richmond, in Richmond’s Old Town Hall, close to Richmond Bridge, has displays relating to the history of Richmond, Ham, Petersham and Kew. Its rotating exhibitions,NEWS,www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/726824.elizabeth-i-letter-among-museum-gems/, Elizabeth I letter among museum gems, Richmond and Twickenham Times, 7 April 2006, 8 May 2023, Farquharson, Hannah, London, education activities and a programme of events cover the whole of the modern borough. The museum’s highlights include 16th-century glass from Richmond Palace and a painting, The Terrace and View from Richmond Hill, Surrey by Dutch draughtsman and painter Leonard Knyff (1650–1722), which is part of the Richmond upon Thames Borough Art Collection.WEB,artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-terrace-and-view-from-richmond-hill-surrey-87353, The Terrace and View from Richmond Hill, Surrey, Art UK, 3 August 2023, Admission to the museum is free.The www.richmond.gov.uk/home/leisure_and_culture/arts/riverside_gallery.htm" title="web.archive.org/web/20130403222649www.richmond.gov.uk/home/leisure_and_culture/arts/riverside_gallery.htm">Riverside Gallery, also at the Old Town Hall, features temporary exhibitions by local artists including paintings, prints and photographs. Admission is free.

Theatres and cinemas

File:Richmond Theatre 7392-5HR.jpg|thumb|300px|Richmond Lending Library and Richmond Theatre ]]File:The Cricketers, The Green, Richmond, Surrey.jpg|thumb|150px|The Cricketers pub on Richmond GreenRichmond GreenRichmond has two theatres. Richmond Theatre on Little Green is a late Victorian structure designed by Frank Matcham and restored and extended by Carl Toms in 1990. The theatre has a weekly schedule of plays and musicals, usually given by professional touring companies, and pre-West End shows can sometimes be seen. There is a Christmas and New Year pantomime tradition and many of Britain’s greatest music hall and pantomime performers have appeared here.Close to Richmond railway station is the Orange Tree Theatre which was founded in 1971 in a room above the Orange Tree pub.WEB,www.richmond.gov.uk/media/6322/local_history_richmond_theatres.pdf, Richmond’s Theatres, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Local History Notes, 20 March 2024, 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. The 172-seat theatre was built specifically as a theatre 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.WEB,www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk/about/about-us, About Us, Orange Tree Theatre, 21 May 2016, The town has two cinemas, the arthouse www.curzoncinemas.com/whats_on/all_times/curzon_richmond" title="web.archive.org/web/20090630022624www.curzoncinemas.com/whats_on/all_times/curzon_richmond">Curzon in Water Lane and an Odeon cinema with a total of seven screens in two locations, the foyer of one having the accolade of being the only high 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 in Art Deco style and is Grade II listed.{{NHLE|num=1254263|desc=Odeon Cinema, Hill Street|access-date= 1 January 2022 |date=26 March 1990}}

Pubs and bars

Numerous public houses and bars scattered 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 of Whitbread Brewery, part-owned it with the Collins family who had a brewery in Water Lane, close to the old palace.Richmond Green properties: Brewers Lane to Paved Court Local history notes, 22 October 2020, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Retrieved 29 February 2024. Grade II listed pubs include the White Cross,{{NHLE|desc=White Cross Hotel| num= 1250279|date = 25 May 1983 |access-date=18 May 2015}} the Old Ship{{NHLE|desc=Old Ship public house|num= 1286531| date = 25 June 1983|access-date=18 May 2015}} and the Britannia.{{NHLE|desc=Britannia public house|num= 1358054| date = 25 June 1983|access-date=18 May 2015}}

Restaurants and cafes

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 hotelBingham Riverhouse was awarded its first Michelin star in 2010.WEB,designrestaurants.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/the-full-list-of-2010-michelin-star-restaurants-in-the-uk/, The full list of 2010 Michelin star restaurants in the UK, Design Restaurants, 11 February 2010, 29 August 2014, Overlooking the Thames, it is in a Grade II listed building dating from about 1760.{{National Heritage List for England |num=1065332 |desc=Bingham House Hotel|date = 10 January 1950|access-date=14 July 2020}}

Societies

factoids

|founder = John Cloake|extinction =|type = |status = registered charity (number 292907)|headquarters = |location = Kew, Petersham, London>Petersham and Ham|membership = 400|language = |leader_title = Chair|leader_name = Dr Simon Targett|main_organ = Richmond History (journal); The Richmond Local History Society Members’ Newsletter (three times a year)|parent_organization =|affiliations =|num_staff = none|num_volunteers =|budget =