London villages - which areas do you think belong on this list?

[Londonlondon6]

I’m looking for a new area of London and, as our search goes on, I realise I also want charm.

I know of Dulwich village (although I am yet to visit!), Victoria Park Village, and Hampstead… where else do you think belongs on the list?

I love Greenwich and Blackheath Village or even Blackheath Standard. Close to everything yet very leafy and green and next to the river and the lovely Greenwich Park.

Wanstead but it's less posh.

Walthamstow village! Been a village since the doomsday book. It’s lovely, 10 mins walk from Epping forest and 20 mins from oxford
circus on the viccie line

Blackheath Village

Barnes

As someone who lives in a village, a real one with sheep & cows & a village hall & cattle grids & milk tankers & muck spreading, it seems ridiculous to see parts of London described as ‘villages’.

Highgate Village is very villagey.

Blackheath - it’s perfect and green. Villages, close to London Bridge by train and close to Greenwich

Crouch End
Muswell Hill
Highgate
Wanstead

Crystal Palace was recently voted best place to live in London and also called 'Bohemian'!

I grew up in a village. We had a paper shop, a co-op, a video shop/sweet shop, 8 pubs, and a couple of chip shops. We also had a picket line for the miners and a bus every hour. What is it about the places listed on here that makes them a “village” rather than well to do suburbs of probably the most famous city in the world?

Beckenham or Crystal Palace

Beckenham is more like a suburban town.

Muswell Hill

Brackenbury Village - very sweet and great transport links from Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush.

Wimbledon

Totally agree. I grew up in a 'proper' village but have lived in London for many years now, including in some of the London 'villages' posters are listing on here. Apologies for sounding like Father Ted but villages my arse!

For example, Victoria Park Village is total made-up by estate agents bullshit (I currently live in the area). What 'village' means in London is that houses will have an extra premium added to the price because there are some trees in the vicinity and you'll need a Ring doorbell and burglar alarm.

Stoke Newington. All of Hackney used to be little villages a couple of centuries ago until the railways came and they gradually all merged. But the areas have quite distinct characters and people will identify more with eg Dalston or Clapton than with Hackney more widely.

East Sheen

I really like Muswell Hill, but it does not feel even slightly village-like.

Ditto Crystal Palace. Fab place to live. Not a village feel.

Genuine “village” (read: chi chi, contained, leafy, green with lovely indie shops) feels areas in London:

Blackheath
Muswell Hill
Walthamstow Village
Dulwich Village
Crouch End
Hampstead

I’m not sure “Victoria Park Village” is in the same category as the above - I lived in that area in the years before it was called “Village” and it really wasn’t! It’s pretty much one street that arguably feels villagey there.
fully agree with pp that this one was totally made up by estate agents BS.

there are tons of other pockets all over London that have a nice community, well to do or cosy feel about them but not enough of a shopping area or enough green space etc to warrant the title Village. But still great places to live.

Muswell Hill or Crouch End

Beckenham is not particularly Village like.
Can't comment on Crystal Palace as not been there for Years and that was just to the Park

Wanstead, Forest Gate- near Wanstead Flats, Walthamstow, Stoke Newington, Blackheath and Greenwich