Mostly Wimbledon, a classy and well established suburb which moves from the grandeur of the properties on the hill to the more ordinary (but still sought after) streets around the Broadway

Wimbledon
Wimbledon came to prominence in the sixteenth century when Sir Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, settled here after being granted land by Elizabeth I. Known as the 'Maker of Wimbledon,' Cecil improved the road to London and built Wimbledon Manor House, where Kings and Queens were later to stay as guests.

The village developed from this time and prominent merchants such as Robert Bell of the East India Company established a trend by moving here and commuting on horseback to the City. Important families such as the Churchills and the Spencers followed, and Wimbledon, close to London but also pleasantly spacious and rural, became established as an ideal location for the well-to-do, the fashionable and the influential.

The arrival of the railway in Lower Wimbledon in 1838 had a further impact on the area and led to a steady increase in residential accommodation. Substantial homes for the professional middle classes came first, terraced accommodation for working class population later, and the town developed accordingly with shops and businesses to service the new population. By the early twentieth century Wimbledon was taking shape as the bustling and upmarket residential suburb which it is today.

These days Wimbledon probably brings to mind finely manicured tennis courts and miles of expansive common. This is an accurate enough representation, but not a complete one: the area divides fairly neatly between the prestigious Common and Village to the north and the more ordinary streets around the Broadway and the town centre down the hill.

The former has large detached villas, stately mansions and charming period cottages close to open spaces and serviced by a good range of shops, restaurants, and historic pubs; the latter, close to the station and the Centre Court shopping mall, has more run-of-the mill Victorian and Edwardian terraces, 1930's semis, and new houses and flats.

Prices are highest on the hill, especially for grand properties overlooking the common, but the streets down the hill have become increasingly fashionable and many of the properties here have been gentrified and generally improved.

Proximity to London attracts commuters; access to the wide open spaces families escaping the grit of the city. Both ensure that Wimbledon is one of the most desirable and sought-after suburbs in the capital.

As one would expect of so reputable an area, Wimbledon is well provided with shops and pubs, restaurants and boutiques, wine bars and cafes. It also has two theatres, The Wimbledon Theatre and the Polka Children's Theatre, and an open air theatre in Cannizaro Park which puts on a popular Summer programme.

Music lovers can choose between the Symphony Orchestra and the Choral Society. Sports enthusiasts can golf at one of four courses ( Royal Wimbledon, Coombe Hill, Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon Common), play squash, tennis and swim at the David Lloyd Centre; play squash, tennis, cricket and hockey at the Wimbledon Club; go horse riding on the common; or chill out with strawberrys and cream at the annual tennis championships.

The nearest tubes are Wimbledon and Wimbledon Park (District line) and South Wimbledon (Northern line).

Merton Park
Established in 1867 by John Innes, a successful businessman and horticulturist, Merton Park was a pioneering garden suburb based around the Merton Park estate. The Manor House and grounds are now a public park, and the development's tree-lined roads have an eclectic mix of picturesque cottages, Arts and Craft style houses, and detached villas.

Colliers Wood
Despite its name, Colliers Wood is not surrounded by trees and has little to do with mining: the unusual moniker probably refers to the fact that woodlands originally located here were used to burn charcoal.

The area was settled early thanks to a good position on the fertile banks of the River Wandle and was largely dependent on the nearby Merton Priory for services and supplies. In the sixteenth century it became the residence of Nicholas Rutland, clerk of the Catery in the royal household and thereafter was home to various private estates.

In the nineteenth century the estates were sold off bit by bit and the land used for residential development, and this was when Colliers Wood began to grow into its current form as a quiet London suburb.

These days it is not the most distinguished of areas and suffers somewhat from comparisons with its more illustrious neighbours-Wimbledon and Merton. It doesn't have grand period properties, access to expansive parklands (Wandle Park is the closest open space), or a particularly interesting high street.

What it does have is a tube station on the northern line and a good supply of Victorian terraces and 1930s semis, both of which make it an attractive choice for first time buyers in search of relatively cheap houses and conversion flats.

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