Living in Wimbledon

Home to one of the most famous postcodes in Great Britain, Wimbledon may become the focus for sports fans in July each year, but the district in southwest London has so much more to offer families, commuters and residents than the famed strawberries and cream served up in SW19.

What Wimbledon is like - in a nutshell

With leafy boulevards flanked by large Victorian properties, 1920s and 30s terraces (many with great views) and newer developments of apartment and townhouses, Wimbledon benefits from a near-countryside vibe owing to its proximity to extensive green areas and spacious urban layout.

The vast Wimbledon Common, upon which fictional furry characters exhibited their green credentials long before anyone realised that we all should, offers walkers, runners, families and golfers a peaceful open countryside space featuring woodland, lakes and even a windmill.

The rural retreat feel of much of the Wimbledon area belies its proximity to the transport infrastructure of Greater London plus a wealth of amenities, excellent local schools and cultural activities.

Wimbledon buzzes in summer as the All England Club hosts the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world while in the other 11 months of the year there’s a more laidback feel among the boutique shops, independent eateries and a smattering of niche museums and art galleries.

Where is Wimbledon and what are the areas within it?

Wimbledon is both a town and a district in southwest London. Within the local authority borough of Merton, Wimbledon lies around three miles northeast of the Surrey border, the county in which it was historically situated.

There are many sides to Wimbledon but two distinct areas within what is a relatively large district. Wimbledon Village borders the Common and its streets have mediaeval origins while the town area of Wimbledon is somewhat newer.

The village and its High Street sit upon a plateau where once there was an Iron Age fort. Wimbledon Village tends to accommodate well-heeled Londoners with property prices to match. As Wimbledon Hill Road drops away from the ancient centre, the age of houses (and value) tends to slowly fall through attractive interwar detached houses and semis in Wimbledon Park and West Wimbledon until Wimbledon Town is reached.

The town area grew up from the late 1880s when the railway reached what was then a straggle of rural cottages set in farmland. Today, this part of Wimbledon is relatively typical of town centres across the land with a modern shopping mall, supermarkets and a public transport hub operating from the art deco-fronted station.

Buying and renting property in Wimbledon

Architecturally, Wimbledon is a very diverse area with period properties, quiet residential zones and new-build housing. The village is noted for its millionaire pads that mingle among 18th-century labourer’s cottages while in central Wimbledon and further to the south of the district are affordable family homes, apartments and rental options to suit most London budgets.

According to real estate listings website, Zoopla, the average Wimbledon house price stood at a little under £890,000 at the end of 2021. That mean value does somewhat hide the wide variation in property values though.

A Wimbledon mansion can fetch up to £10 million on the prestigious Parkside, neighbouring the renowned No. 22 Grade II listed Rogers House, while a starter flat could be yours for a more modest £200,000 in SW19 and SW20. There are also shared ownership options for those looking to get on the London housing ladder who may have less disposable cash for a deposit.

Rental properties in Wimbledon could start as low as £200 per week for a one-bedroom studio flat, through to £2,000 pcm for a semi-detached house, rising up to somewhat eye-watering sums for a large house in the village.

Travelling into, out of, and around Wimbledon

Wimbledon is one of those London suburbs that exists in something of a location sweet spot with excellent transport links to the capital’s business and cultural districts and wider into Surrey and beyond. All of Greater London’s airports are reachable within an hour and there are also a number of green transport options.

Overground, underground and Tramlink services run out of Wimbledon Station which is on the District Line. A 15-minute walk from the main station is South Wimbledon Tube Station which is on the Northern Line and offers convenient access to the West End and the City of London.

Waterloo is just 17 minutes by overland rail and Tramlink connects Wimbledon with Croydon. For days out, the south coast resort of Bournemouth can be reached in roughly a couple of hours by train as can the ports of Southampton and Portsmouth.

For road travel, the main A3 trunk road is just a few minutes from Wimbledon, linking Greater London to the wider motorway network. Heathrow and London City Airports are around a half-hour drive from Wimbledon while a taxi to Gatwick Airport will take about 10 minutes longer. Stansted is approximately an hour away as is Luton Airport.

For those donning a helmet and hopping aboard two wheels, there are several main cycle routes that run through the main areas of Wimbledon. Route 38 on the London Cycle Network links the area to Putney and then onto Westminster while those peddling for leisure can pick up Quietway 4 to reach Clapham Common. There are plans to extend this largely traffic-free route to Richmond Park.

Parks and green spaces in Wimbledon

Wimbledon and the adjoining Putney Commons occupy some 460 hectares - over three times the size of Hyde Park, which is some eight miles due south. A mixture of woodland, heathland and scrubland, there are also more manicured areas for recreational activities with playing fields and popular picnicking spots. The Commons are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a diversity of habitats offer lots of wildlife and bird spotting opportunities.

A few hundred metres to the east of the Commons is the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. The world-famous stage for the annual racket and ball championships lies at the southern edge of Wimbledon Park, one of the largest parks in the borough of Merton. As well as a big lake on which sailing and paddlesports are pursued, the pretty park has an athletics track, fitness suite and football pitches.

Wimbledon leisure, arts and culture

There's no need to travel to the West End for an evening of entertainment and big-name productions with one of the top 10 largest theatres in London on the doorstep. The Edwardian New Wimbledon Theatre offers an eclectic mix of performing arts, comedy, music acts and children’s shows. In what was reputed to be the UK’s only Turkish Bath located within a theatre there's now a wine bar for pre and post-show refreshments.

Local history can be explored in the Museum of Wimbledon in Ridgeway Village Hall that has housed exhibits for over a century. The Wimbledon Windmill on the Common displays an assortment of artefacts and exhibitions celebrating the structure’s former use and the Scout movement noting the works of Lord Baden-Powell who wrote parts of his Scouting for Boys book here. The All England Club also has a fantastic museum celebrating nearly 150 years of tennis and its championships.

Meanwhile, art aficionados will find plenty to browse in Wimbledon’s assorted galleries. You’ll find the Norman Plastow Gallery showcasing local artists, the Hicks Gallery specialising in contemporary works by emerging talent, the Wimbledon Fine Art Gallery and the Wimbledon Group of collective artists that offer pop up exhibitions in places like the Centre Court Shopping Centre.

The local council-run leisure centre off-Broadway has a swimming pool, spa and gym with fitness classes while there’s also an Odeon Multiplex just along the road.

Eating and going out in Wimbledon

For foodies, there’s no shortage of fabulous places to eat in Wimbledon. The area has long welcomed settlers from around the globe with notable communities from South Africa, North Africa and Poland. That broad mix can be found on the menus of the restaurants and takeaways of the area as well as a number offering excellent modern British cuisine.

A number of the dining establishments in Wimbledon feature in the Michelin Guide and even celebrity chef and MasterChef judge Marcus Wareing has a home in the area. The Masterchef: The Professionals judge recently named The Ivy in the village as his favourite place to eat out locally.

As you’d likely expect, there aren’t a plethora of nightclubs in Wimbledon but there are a handful including Tunnel 267 which doubles as a comedy venue on Friday nights and a number of bars that open late to be found mainly along Broadway. You’ll also discover plenty of cosy traditional pubs including the Rose and Crown and Dog and Fox in Wimbledon Village, both of which are occasionally frequented by celebs and even the odd ex-tennis pro.

Schools and day nurseries in Wimbledon

Wimbledon is well renowned for its schools and the quality of educational provision is one of the top reasons families move into the area. There are a number of private and state schools in the district catering for children of primary and secondary ages.

With four main comprehensive schools and three high achieving private ones in King’s College, Wimbledon High and the Rowans, Wimbledon school performance has the Merton Local Authority area in the top 25% for educational attainment in the country.

Wimbledon also has over 20 day nurseries for pre-schoolers, several of which are within a short walking distance of the main commuter hub, as the next generation of Wimbledoners, or Wombles if you like, grow up in this patch of southwest London that remains sufficiently secret to delight all newcomers.