Barnes

Barnes is a riverside London suburb located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, 6 miles south-west of Charing Cross. It has long been favoured by those looking to live in a green country-like location yet within twenty minutes of the City and the West End and twenty minutes of Heathrow Airport in the other direction. In recent years, many people have been drawn to Barnes because of the abundance of top schools such as St Paul’s, The Harrodian School and The Swedish School . Moreover, it is a perfect area for families who want something smaller and quieter than Wandsworth, Clapham, Battersea, and Fulham. Barnes is renowned for its abundance of 18th and 19th century buildings of exceptional quality, and is often noted for its historic village area centred on the pond, known as Barnes village.

The area has great amenities and excellent links to the rest of London. For the commuter, Barnes Bridge and Barnes station provide a service into Waterloo. There are also several bus services to Hammersmith which offers an extensive underground and bus network. Moreover, The South Circular Road is easily accessible for road links to various motorways. The Duck Bus also frequently shuttles to the highly popular Wetland Centre.

Barnes has excellent provision of local open space, of which there are over 80 hectares. Socio- demographically, the area is mostly made up of larger houses with gardens, something not in high abundance in central London. Moreover, the majestic Richmond Park provides the local area with exquisite walks, cycling, riding and golf facilities. At 100 acres, Barnes Common is one of the largest areas of unenclosed common land in greater London. A designated Local Nature Reserve, it has a diverse habitat, and is home to flora ranging from common ox-eye daisies, Common Vetch and Speedwell to rare Burnet Roses, which have grown there for some 300 years.

In terms of shopping facilities, Barnes High Street has several unique retail outlets such as the Bob Seal butcher, The Cheese Shop, The Fish Shop as well as many boutiques. Barnes has become somewhat of a 'cafe society' with new coffee houses springing up on every corner. Of the many excellent restaurants that Barnes is noted for, Sonny’s and Riva are perhaps the most renowned.

Accommodation-wise, Barnes really does have something for everybody whether it is Little Chelsea’s charming cottages, the Edwardian houses on Rectory Road or the houses built in the 1920s and 30s on the Lowther Estate with their extensive gardens. Barnes’ key residential areas are North Barnes, Barnes Village, and Little Chelsea.

North Barnes is close to Hammersmith Bridge and is popular with professionals who require the London Underground to get to work. Castelnau in North Barnes, was designated as a conservation area in 1977 and is renowned for its 20 pairs of exceptional classical villas which were built in 1842 by Major Boileau. Many of these Victorian double fronted detached house back onto the Wetlands Nature Reserve and enjoy one of the best views in London. Many of these houses are within short distance of Barnes Common and are within close proximity to Barnes Station, Putney Common and Barnes Village.

North Barnes has become highly desirable since the construction of Harrods Village, a prestigious riverside gated development providing high quality apartments and houses with the use of a leisure centre with facilities such as an indoor 25 metre swimming pool, sauna, and steam room. There is also a conference room with office facilities. It consists of a collection of luxuriously specified apartments and penthouses within Grade II listed former Harrods warehouse buildings, and newly built apartments and townhouses. The interiors of these residences feature Italian marble bathrooms, luxurious, fitted kitchens with a comprehensive range of stainless steel appliances. Next to Harrods Village is the idyllic and peaceful Barnes Waterside development with a mixture of grand detached houses, semi-detached townhouses and apartments surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens and a pond. The double fronted detached houses on the estate are securely located behind electronic gates.

Another desirable area in Barnes is Barnes Village. It is a unique area of London characterised by its Common, famous duck pond and River Thames tow-path walks. There are award winning restaurants, riverside pubs and stylish boutiques and art galleries. There is a wonderful sense of community which encompasses all age groups but particularly young families. Local attractions include the weekly farmers market and the award winning WWF Wetlands Centre. Annual events include the popular Barnes Summer Fair and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat race. Properties such as those on Cleveland Road tend to take the form of split-level Victorian conversions with good-sized double bedrooms and large sitting rooms with high ceilings. Properties on the highly desirable Rectory Road consist of Edwardian semi-detached houses. Rectory Road is centrally located for Barnes Village and is within close vicinity of a selection of shops, restaurants, a delightful duck pond and the Common.

Little Chelsea is often regarded as lying at the heart of Barnes’ residential district. The area is highly sought after because of its picturesque homes close to the river Thames, along with a strong village-like atmosphere. The Victorian terraced houses in the area are beautifully presented and benefit from the abundance of natural light that seeps in through the large windows. Some houses in Little Chelsea, such as those on Archway Street, tend to be more modern and come with large gardens.

There are many areas of London that describe themselves as villages, but Barnes, SW13, is one of the few that truly deserves the tag. With its fantastic amenities, great educational facilities, wonderful access to green spaces, and desirable residential location, it is hardly surprising that Barnes has become so popular and highly sought after in recent years.