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?

Primrose Hill. That's a bit village-like. Vaguely.

What's a London village? Low-rise, oldie-worldie cottage-y housing stock. Independent restaurants and cafes and shops. An overpriced grocer that residents only use when they really cannot get to the Tesco/Sainsbury that's 4 bus stops away but makes them feel reassuringly posh by its mere existence.

Barnes

But I agree with pp, that whilst I know what you mean, a 'village' in London is a bit of a contradiction in terms.

Stoke Newington Church St.
Barnes Village
St. Margaret possibly

Absolutely this - Wimbledon Village was named such way before many of the other suggestions here!

However, I also agree with the PP who have pointed out that none of these places are really villages and will not offer you the community you are looking for. Move out properly if that's what you want.

Although I didn’t frequent it when I lived in London, I was pleasantly surprised by Clapham more recently.

Chislehurst. In parts, you could be in the actual countryside. It's quite far out though, so less "London" than the other places on your list.

Needmorelego · Today 20:23
Crystal Palace was recently voted best place to live in London and also called 'Bohemian'!

Christ, that is a turnaround - my family are from there and it used to be a massive dump!

Definitely Barnes and Wimbledon, but not East Sheen!

Chislehurst: all the shops, pubs, and restaurants you need plus two duckponds and a common.

Oxymoron

More foxes & hedgehogs in a lot of London villages than rural spots.

Yawn to rural PPs saying London villages aren't proper.

I grew up on a farm in the back of beyond (and just in the edge of a village) and now live in London and quite understand what the OP means.

If you are so confused by such speech, go back to your country idyll and don't let guff written by stupid townies upset you so. Im sure the allotment needs tending!

Twickenham

Farnborough and Keston in Bromley are actual genuine villages surrounded by fields. Hard to believe that they're technically in London.

Wimbledon Village.

hmm I live in Dulwich Village, it is lovely with a lovely local park, woods just a short walk away, picture gallery, local pub , restaurants etc. It is like a little oasis in London, some of the areas folks have posted so far on here are not 'village' like at all.

Highgate is lovely as is Blackheath.

So true! These may have been villages a hundred and fifty years ago, but they sure as hell aren't any more!

It's a widely accepted term for certain parts of London. And other cities around the world. It conveys something to most people. Fairly pointless to chime in about what villages are like in rural England in comparison. Predictable though.

Some of the villages actually were villages before the city expanded and swallowed them up.
Some retain the original elements, eg in terms of a walkable street layout arranged around the centre, a parish church, a high street, even a village green.

Yeah I love it there!

This thread has given me deja vu.

Richmond,Barnes,Clapham Junction,Wimbledon Village,Southfield.

Exactly this.
Crystal Palace, a village? Most of the places listen i'd say minus Dulwich Village are just nicer areas in London, they feel like towns but definitely NOT villages.

This might be the most London thread i've read.

Wimbledon? Clapham Common? I used to live and a Clapham Junction and I wouldn’t say that was village like at all. Depends where you go in Pimlico as there are some very scary areas.

Stoke Newington, I lived there and loved it.