Richmond is often considered to be one of the best boroughs of London to live or do business in. What could be the reason for that? The answer, of course, is pretty simple – it is the districts that Richmond upon Thames consists of that make it the great place we know and love today.

Eel Pie Island

Eel Pie Island is probably the place with the weirdest name in the whole borough. It is actually an island in the River Thames in the Tideway. No cars or other vehicles can actually reach Eel Pie Island. You can get there either on foot or by boat. This means that the island is one of the few locations in London that are actually spared from the fumes of tens of thousands of cars going through it every day. The island is home to the oldest rowing club on the Thames, namely the Twickenham Rowing Club. Today the area is home to some 120 people who live in 50 houses or so.

Ham – the suburb you actually dream of

Ham is another pretty great area within the territory of Richmond upon Thames. It is to be found next to the meadows of the River Thames, near the place the Thames Path National Trail runs as well. Ham is a place of primarily residential character. There are very few business operations here, and most of those are pubs. Retail and commerce are far better developed in the nearby borough centre of Richmond, and well as in Kingston, which is also nearby. A commuter’s town, Ham has a few landmarks too, including Ham Common, Ham House, Langham House Close and the Ham Christian Centre.

Fulwell – a small but significant part of Richmond

When we say that Fulwell is a small place we truly mean it. Actually, the Royal Mail no longer recognises Fulwell as separate area. The memory of it however lives on thanks to institutions such as the Fulwell Garage, Fulwell railway station and Fulwell Golf Course. Other than those places, the area demonstrates mainly residential character and boasts a local public park that was opened in the end of the 19^th century. The estate in Fulwell Park used to be home to the exiled King Manuel II of Portugal from 1913 until his death in 1932.

The golfing place – Hampton Hill

Another pretty great place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is Hampton Hill. The development of the area was naturally pushed forward by the arrival of the railway in the 19^th century. Up until this moment Hampton Hill was a hamlet part of the larger town of Hampton. There are as many as three pretty nice golf courses in Hampton Hill – Fulwell Golf Course, Strawberry Hill Golf Course and Twickenham Golf Course.

The former village of Hampton Wick

Urban expansion has turned the formerly small area of Hampton Wick into a really nice suburb that is surrounded by nature from three sides – Bushy Park and Hampton Court Park and the River Thames all make sure to isolate Hampton Wick from the stress and hassle of the big city. In the early 20^th century Hampton Wick was a centre for the motor industry, but today it is just a commuter town.

Hampton – the mother of them all

Several of the areas that we have described above are actually part and a direct result of the expansion of the original town of Hampton TW12. The character of the area is defined by finely preserved terraced homes to the north and semi-detached ones to the south. The town was home to legendary code-breaker Alan Turing, which is one of its main claims to fame. Due to the fact that today many people living in Hampton find employment outside the boundaries of the town, the transport links to both nearby areas such as and East Sheen SW14 and Central London are pretty good. Hampton is also known for the Hampton Youth Project, established in 1990. The organisation strives to help local youths find their path in life, and offers great resources for a wide range of recreational activities in a social environment as well.