Twickenham's Hidden gems
Lovely Twickenham
Twickenham is a wonderful if completely undersold place! This leafy suburban area of south west London, is only 10 miles southwest of the centre of London, but still has plenty of green space without quite yet being rural.
Mostly known for its rugby stadium Twickenham has also a lot of hidden gems that make this place well worth the day out. I walked to Twickenham from Putney to discover much that I did not know about. It is full of history and architectural interest - plenty of big Houses with incredible gardens,.
Strawberry Hill House is very special, with its neo-gothic architecture this house looks quite unlike anything you might have expected. You can visit the house, it's very beautiful, but also the gardens with their mysterious trees and green spaces. I loved it.
After visiting Strawberry hill I discovered another hidden gem. Radnor Gardens is not a big park, but there is an incredible riverside view, and the gardens are both pretty and neat. After exploring Radnor gardens I found Church street, it is a curious and ancient shopping street full of noisy traders. For centuries, this has been the hub of Twickenham with some businesses being owned by families for many generations. There are also plenty of pubs, antique shops, wine shops, gift shops and restaurants and loads of interesting events like the french market and the carnival.
At the top of the street you can see a typical medieval tower which is St Mary's Church - a medieval church.This church is from two different eras because the original nave collapsed on 9 April 1713 - the result of neglect and the digging of vaults; the actual nave was reconstructed in red bricks, this makes a bi-color church. Beyond the church there is a good riverside view, which is quite spectacular. From here lies the Thames with people rowing, paddling lots of colourful boats. You can also see "Eel Pie Island" in the middle which is a small copse,lovely houses and a Boathouse. This island was a major jazz, rock and blues venue, and has welcomed a lot of legendary artists or groups like The Who or The Rolling Stones.
After an invigorating riverside walk I found an another impressive house with beautiful gardens - York House - with its lovely fountain of beautiful Italian marble statues. Nearby stands Orleans House - an art gallery with impressive gardens and a little wild forest that doubles as a picnic area. I can now cross the Thames on the Hammerton's Ferry - a family run business and for only a pound.
My last event is the "Ham walk", a magnificent walk on the banks of the Thames where I took in a lot of green fields and chanced upon , Ham House an another impressive house with gorgeous gardens.
I had an excellent day exploring the lovely Twickenham - a very beautiful place, and now I know why this is one of the most desirable places to live in London.
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