St. Margarets
From Free net encyclopedia
Template:Infobox London place St. Margarets is a leafy London suburb, situated 9.3 miles west-southwest of Charing Cross, on the north bank of the River Thames opposite Richmond. The district is bounded to the east and south by a bend in the River Thames and to its north and west by the River Crane.
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Character
St. Margarets is a fashionable riverside district, particularly popular with young professionals and families. The area is characterised by its attractive tree-lined residential roads and its eclectic range of shops and cafés. Central St. Margarets, known locally as "St. Margarets Village", is home to Twickenham Studios, one of London's most important film studios.
Transport
Road
St. Margarets is bisected by the busy Chertsey Road (A316), which connects Central London with the M3 motorway to the southwest.
Rail
The area is served by St. Margarets mainline station, with frequent services (usually every 15 mins) in and out of Waterloo, and is a 20-minute walk from Richmond's District Line underground station.
History
St. Margarets' river frontage was the site for large eighteenth century houses and gardens, notably - York House, Orleans House and Marble Hill House. In 1814, with advice from his friend Sir John Soane, the eminent architect, the famous English painter J.M.W. Turner built a house in Sandycoombe Road, leading down to Marble Hill Park, by the Thames. The house Sandycombe Lodge (originally Solus Lodge), is still there today. Turner painted many local scenes of the river Thames in the area. Many large Victorian houses also remain in the area along with infill housing from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Neighbouring areas
Neighbouring districts include Richmond upon Thames to the east (across Richmond Bridge), Twickenham to the southwest and Isleworth to the northwest (across the River Crane). Access to the east and south is prevented by the lack of a fixed river crossing, however a foot- and bicycle ferry carries passengers between the riverside near Ham House and the Marble Hill House bank.