It’s another warm weekend (yes another one, I’ve almost forgotten that I live in the UK recently), so we decide to get in the car and drive to outer London again. Why have we never done this before? Apparently it’s because of my holiday ‘obsession’. We decide on Richmond this time around – the West London suburb has an upmarket reputation and is definitely not a village – it has shops which have just re-opened, and the husband is desperate for some much-missed retail therapy.
We park in quieter Twickenham just across the Thames and have to pay for parking for the first time in months. Well, this interminable lockdown is lifting so I’ll happily take the rough with the smooth, even if it costs me 7 quid. We head along the river on the Thames Path, yay! I’m also ‘obsessed’ with the river, he says. Well, it’s pretty lovely in my defence.
As we get closer to Richmond the landscape is dominated by the huge Royal Star and Garter building at the top of Richmond Hill. Obviously, we’ll go up there today for a closer look – we like to earn our lunch! The agreed schedule is 1. historical area (rolling of eyes by the husband), 2. shops, 3. climb hill and look at celebrity homes, and 4. food and drink. It’s always best to set out these things in advance when you have differing priorities!
We cross the river to Richmond by the oldest surviving bridge in London today, built between 1774 and 1777. At the moment it has a new addition – a coronavirus one-way system for pedestrians. Yes, really. As I’ve just braved the traffic to get to the ‘wrong’ side, and both pavements are practically empty, I pretend not to notice and carry on, bracing myself for denunciation. It doesn’t come – thank goodness we still have some common sense.
Richmond is a busy town 8 miles west of central London. It’s famous for its Georgian terraces and green spaces, particularly Richmond Park which is the largest Royal Park in London and home to the Queen’s cousin, Princess Alexandra. Those royals, you can’t move without falling over them in this part of the country!
Richmond was actually named after a town in Yorkshire. Of course it was, I hear all my Yorkshire-born friends saying with satisfaction. King Henry VII built a palace here in 1497 and called it after his ancestral lands in the north – one of his titles was Earl of Richmond.
Henry is chiefly remembered now due to his marriage to Elizabeth of York in 1485 which allied the Yorkists and the Lancastrians and ended the War of the Roses, England’s civil war which had raged on and off for 30 years. We Yorkshire folk are quite persistent when we want something, you know.
Unfortunately, the Palace no longer exists, but the town still has hints and remnants of it. We walk up Old Palace Lane with its picture book cottages and gardens and turn into Old Palace Yard, where the Gate House and Trumpeters House are all that remain of the palace buildings.
A passing local obviously clocks me as a history buff and advises me that Queen Elizabeth I died right here. I wonder if it’s the lockdown hair that’s making me look more intellectual? Anyway, he’s right and she did.
Outside the Gate House, Richmond Green spreads out before us. It’s been described as one of the most beautiful urban greens surviving in England, and it’s clearly popular with the locals. Surrounded by elegant terraces, alleyways, and several pubs, it’s a perfect picnic spot…we’ll be back later.
I won’t bore you with details of our shopping. As we didn’t actually buy anything it was a bit of an anticlimax. For the life of me, I can’t understand why I can’t try something on in the shop, but I can take it home for up to two months and then bring it back. Let’s move on – up the hill we go then…
Richmond Hill runs from the town centre parallel to the river up to the entry to Richmond Park. It’s unusual in that the view down towards the Thames is protected by an Act of Parliament dated 1902. Reynolds and Turner both painted this vista and the Terrace Gardens are the perfect place to enjoy it.
Some of the most impressive properties in Richmond were built here to make the most of that view, and obviously this part of town continues to attract the rich and famous as those pesky developers can’t block their lovely panoramas. The Wick is situated right at the top of the hill and has a history of well-known owners – Sir John Mills, Ronnie Wood of The Stones and currently Pete Townshend of The Who.
Wick House next door was originally built for the painter Sir Joshua Reynolds. Other inhabitants of this area have included Mick Jagger, Jerry Hall, Brian Blessed, Rick Astley, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Rudolph Nureyev. Oh, and Bamber Gascoigne, can’t forget him! I have to say I’m a tad surprised that people around here don’t keep their multi-million pound mansions in better condition – some of them could really do with a lick of paint!
By far the best views were for many years reserved for injured servicemen living in the Royal Star and Garter Home right on the crest of the hill opposite the Park.
Built in 1921, it was decided in 2011 that it no longer met modern requirements and was sold off and converted into posh flats. The former inhabitants were rehomed in Surbiton and Solihull, where they probably didn’t have such a nice outlook, and more rich people moved in. Hmmm, sounds a bit suspect to me.
Feeling suitably virtuous after our tramp up the hill, we decide it’s time for refreshments. We head downhill past the Victorian era Petersham Hotel, reputably the most romantic place in town for dinner. The husband didn’t offer to take me there, so sadly I can’t comment…
The views are fabulous though. Apparently Richmond is a hotspot for both proposals and breakups but I can’t imagine why you need a nice backdrop for the latter, can you? I’m a big fan of the river, but seriously, it won’t help.
As we hit the riverbank I spy people with plastic glasses of Pimms – yippee! It’s that kind of place for sure, so when in Rome…Two drinks from the wsterside Gaucho Grill sets me back £15.50 – now that’s what you call exclusive! But we do get to drink them underneath one of the Great Trees of London, a Riverside Plane.
Richmond done and dusted, and very nice it was too. Now back to the Green for lunch. Until next time…
Steph's Travels 