Petersham/ Ham/ Richmond… any info?

[Firecrest19]

Hello,

We are looking to move to Petersham and I was hoping there might be some M-netters who know the area… maybe live there or know someone who does… just to give us a bit of an inside picture.

We’re hoping to move to one of the 50s townhouses - we love the area for how green it is, the river, the ability to get into London while being somewhere more “rural”. We love cycling and walking so the lack of a station doesn’t worry us.

That said, we’ve spent the past 15 years in zone two and are a bit concerned about the contrast!

some of our questions are:

• does it feel easy to pop into Richmond/ Kingston for a bit of bustle?
• does central London feel accessible enough? We’d be going in 2-3 days a week for work & hope to do regular weekend trips in as a family
• what do you do after school? Where do you go?
• we know there’s one pub in Petersham and a couple in Ham… what’s the vibe like?
• do people use the forest school and other kid things? Are they friendly?

we have one reception age child and a baby so any other info relevant to this would be amazing. We work in the arts and education. We’re hoping to get a dog

really any inside experience would be great to hear about. We’ve been researching the area for about a year but as we get closer to committing to a move we get more nervous! The money involved is also intimidating so I suppose we wondered once you’re there, is it an expensive place to live day to day? (Not including rent/ mortgage which we know will be hefty!)

thanks in advance 😊

I think you need to take into account traffic. Ham and Petersham are the go through areas for Kingston
(north Kingston really) and Richmond.
Kingston is cheaper than Richmond.
Ham common is great for the green, the fair, the ducks and the big playground.
Small high street, on the way into Kingston.
2 pubs actually in ham.

Petersham alot of people visit including tourists for the Petersham nursery cafe.
Good bus links.
Good Kingston schools.
Sorry, don't know much more than that because after 30 years in the area it's just somewhere I travel through rather than visit these days.
But the traffic is hell.

Thank you. That’s useful to know. We’ve not yet visited at rush hour - is that when it gets bad? We don’t imagine driving much but I expect would rely on the bus for things like rainy Saturdays with the children… where we live now it’s gridlock at rush hour but the rest of the time more of a constant flow…

Does anyone know what the cycle journey is like between Petersham and Richmond in dark evenings winter rush hour?

Cycling is dark and hilly. Transport links are not great, traffic was bad at 11am this morning. Very ‘naice’ though but a bit twee for me, I’d be bored.

I’ve never cycled it, but used to see a few poor cyclists when I was in the bus on the way home from the station. It didn’t look pleasant - I would take the bus if you can.
Rush hour trains never used to be pleasant into central London. Already full when they arrived in Richmond. But this was pre covid and I’m not sure if it’s eased up now more people work from home.

I lived in Ham and worked in one of the pubs after moving back to the UK from France (job came with accommodation that's the only reason why). HATED it. The bus is so infrequent, if I remember it was once, maybe twice a day. No footpaths to walk to the nearest town. It is a dangerous road, wouldn't like to cycle it. Felt completely isolated. Trains were cancelled quite frequently. I remember being stranded at that station for hours waiting to get back into London (have a nice memory of playing Tennessee Whisky on my speaker and slow dancing in the rain &dark with some of the other passengers whilst we waited and hoped the last train would turn up). Some of the surrounding towns are nice enough. I only lasted a few months before nearly losing my sanity. I live in London again now.

Thanks everyone… are we definitely talking about the same place? The Petersham were looking at has a flat cycle path along the river to Richmond as well as the fairly flat road route… buses are definitely every 6 minutes (not two a day!) and there are a choice of trains into London. Plus it’s the first station on the District line so surely always seats? And isn’t it technically still part of Greater London? Just want to check we’re on the same page!

we also thought there was loads to do: tones of walks, cycle options, boating, 5 cinemas and 3 theatres within a 15 minute bus ride, access to Teddington and Twickebhan as well as Kingston and Richmond, horses, Ham House… or when you live there does it play out differently?

thanks again for the insight. It would be great to know if we are talking about the same place and the lived experience is different!

The traffic has always been ok when we’ve visited. But that’s never been at rush hour… so assuming it could change!

I’ve lived either in North Kingston or Richmond for 40 years now, give or take, so have travelled the route between Kingston and Richmond more times than I would like to count.

Ignore the 2 buses a day poster, that’s ridiculous! The 371 and 65 run all day and all night too (N65) and your every 6 minutes is probably about right. The Petersham Road can be an issue. 50% of the year it’s generally great, particularly over summer when the park is open to traffic. Problems start on dark winter evenings when the park is closed to traffic and everything spills onto the Petersham Road = frequent gridlock. It is hell on earth during the (ridiculously frequent) times they dig up the road or if there’s an accident or a vehicle breakdown blocking the road, etc, as there’s no alternative route for traffic.

As for Petersham itself, I wouldn’t live there. I think it’s a sort of nondescript no man’s land which borders the slightly dubious Ham Estate. But that’s personal choice.

I’m going to assume you have a budget of around £700-900000 (or rental equivalent) and for that I would opt for North Kingston - a Tudor style house maybe. It’s on the same bus routes (plus the K5) and offers exactly the same plus points as Petersham (access to the river, park, etc) but more activities for the kiddies, Tudor Drive Library, a better range of schools, both primary and secondary, childcare options, and crucially you can walk to Kingston Station (or Norbiton) in 20-25 mins. Of course you can still bus/cycle to Richmond station if you want the tube.

Petersham has some amazing historic properties but assuming you don’t have the necessary multi-million budget, the rest of it is just a bit, well, dull, and you might grow to resent how far you are from the actual centres of Kingston or Richmond.

This is very good advice and sums up how I view it too. Ham is lovely and I’ve had some lovely lunches at the Petersham and walks around Ham common and purchases from the Swiss/German delis.

But it is a tale of two half’s re cost of property. l so unless you fall neatly into one of those, I’m not sure.

I think north Kingston is underrated but if that isn’t for you, maybe look at Teddington - the bit that has a footbridge at Teddington lock that grows straight into ham common.

Thank you both so much. This is really useful. North Kingston sounds like a good option to explore. We had possibly overlooked it as we need Richmond station for work and were concerned the travel time between Kingston & Richmond would add to our commute… it does sound nice though.

Teddington we would love but it’s sadly over budget for us and the type of property we’re after. Our budget is around 800 which covers Ham and Petersham but not some of the other areas.

We were also very impressed with both primary and secondary schools in Ham/ Petersham

I think you’ll be fine! If you are only using Richmond train/tube 2-3 times a week you’ll be ok. Every day might get tedious. And then at weekends and evenings you are in a fabulous place!

Thank you!! We love the green space… both had rural childhoods so are looking for green & quiet but near a good cinema and can access London when we need to…

I would thoroughly recommend the area. It’s been the most amazing place to bring up children.

• picnics and walks in Richmond Park
• cycles along the river
• cycles to Hampton Court - get an annual pass for the magic gardens
• Kew Garden annual pass - brilliant value
• A pick of Teddington, Richmond, Kingston and Surbiton within easy reach for restaurants
• Amazing concerts through Banquet records at Pryzm for intimate gigs
• A hop skip and jump into Central
• The schools are plentiful and highly rated.

Cycling into central London is fairly safe, through Richmond park and then cycle routes the whole was into London, so that’s ok.

We are on the 371 bus route and it’s a bit of a schlep if I am honest. I find jumping on a lime bike quicker, but the 65 bus is ok.

lots of potential:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151915136#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145508012#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151166561#/floorplan?activePlan=1&channel=RES_BUY

not large, but a wildcard.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150792407#/?channel=RES_BUY

Happy searching.

For the bus route, I was talking about the bus stop outside crown & anchor in Ham, specifically.

I don't live there, but nearby and though I think I would want to keep away from the area round the youth centre I know those houses you mean and think they are a great option. I used to visit the primary school there for work and it seemed a warm and welcoming place. DD taught swimming in the pool there for a while too and the swim school are great. DC are all adults now but all learned with them.

good luck with the move.

This is reassuring - it’s the kind of lifestyle we were hoping for! We weren’t so keen on the schools in Teddington (we’re v much state budget) which is a shame as it’s so pretty. I liked the north Kingston area but my partner felt it was too long to get into Richmond especially if we had babies and buggies with us, which was partly why we landed on Petersham…

This is good to hear too. I didn’t realise there was a pool!

My friend lives in one of those, she overlooks the Hamlands. They are lovely light and spacious houses. Also you are a 5 minute walk (if you are in one of those) from Teddington Lock bridge with a walk into Teddington which is amazing. Full of coffeeshops and restaurants, a real village feel.