Borough

Richmond upon Thames

About:

The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is in South West London and part of Outer London.

The towns, villages and open spaces comprising the borough of Richmond upon Thames have a rich, varied and long history. Royal associations with Richmond, for example, can be traced back some 900 years.

The River Thames runs through the heart of the borough for 21 miles linking Hampton Court Palace, Richmond town centre and Kew Gardens with central London.

The borough's tombs are among the less well known - but fascinating - places to explore. Among the most remarkable is the final resting place of adventurer Sir Richard Burton in Mortlake. His tomb takes the form of an Arab tent built of Forest of Dean stone. The sides are sculpted to create an illusion of canvas tugged by a desert wind. It can be found in the cemetery of the Church of St Mary Magdalen in North Worple Way, Mortlake.

The borough is also home to the Poppy Factory in Petersham Road where 32 million Remembrance poppies and 80,000 wreaths are made every year.

Routes that go through Richmond upon Thames:

Capital Ring:

Section 6 (Wimbledon Park to Richmond Bridge)

Section 7 (Richmond Bridge to Osterley Lock)

London Outer Orbital Path (LOOP):

Section 9 (Kingston upon Thames to Hatton Cross)

Thames Path National Trail:

Section 1 (Hampton Court to Albert Bridge)

Interesting places on or near the route:

Hampton Court and Bushy Park
Kew Gardens
Richmond Park
Wimbledon Park

Population:

172,335 which is 2.4% of the total London population (2001 Census)

Area:

59 square kilometres

Tube:

The District line terminates in the borough. Visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/ for more information.

Rail:

Rail services in the borough are run by Silverlink and South West Trains. Visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/rail/ for more information.

Bus:

The borough is served by a comprehensive network of bus routes. Visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/ for more information.

Green space:

Parks take up a great deal of the borough and include Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Kew Gardens, and Hampton Court Park. There are over 100 parks and open spaces within its boundary and 21 miles of river frontage - five times more green and open space than any other London borough.

Local Authority:

Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council

Other Information:

Visit London Walks for an audio guide of the Riverside Walk which follows part of the Thames Path from Barnes Bridge to Putney Bridge underground station.