Norbiton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Norbiton |
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 St Peter's Church |
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 Norbiton
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| Population | 10,107 (2011 Census. Ward) |
| OS grid reference | TQ195695 |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Kingston upon Thames |
| Postcode district | KT1, KT2 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
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| London Assembly |
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Norbiton is a part of London located in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It's about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) east of Kingston upon Thames town centre. It's also about 17.7 kilometers (11 miles) from Charing Cross, a famous spot in central London.
Some important places in Norbiton include Kingston Hospital, the Kingsmeadow football stadium, Kingston Cemetery, and St Peter's Anglican church. Norbiton was part of the Municipal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames from 1835. It became part of the larger Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in 1965.
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Norbiton's Past: A Look Back
The name Norbiton comes from old English words. It means "northern farm" or "outlying farm." It was named in a similar way to Surbiton, which is on the other side of the Hogsmill River.
Norbiton was originally part of the All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames area. In 1840, Norbiton became its own separate parish. St Peter's Church was built between 1840 and 1842. It was designed by famous architects Gilbert Scott and William Moffatt.
Until the mid-1800s, Norbiton had many large country estates. These were later sold off to build houses. Some of these estates included:
Norbiton Hall: A Historic Estate
Norbiton Hall was a large manor house from the 1500s. Important people like Richard Taverner and Sir Anthony Benn lived there. In 1829, the estate was sold to Mary, Countess of Liverpool. She was the widow of a former prime minister. The original Norbiton Hall was taken down in the 1930s. New flats, also called Norbiton Hall, were built there between 1933 and 1935. These flats are now considered important local buildings.
Norbiton Place: Home to Notable Figures
Norbiton Place was bought by Sir John Philipps. He lived there until he passed away in 1764. One of the people who worked for his family was Cesar Picton. He was originally an African slave who came to England at age six in 1761. Cesar lived at Norbiton Place for almost 30 years. He later became a successful coal merchant in Kingston.
In the early 1800s, Charles Nicholas Pallmer lived at Norbiton Place. He also owned Norbiton Hall next door. Pallmer made many changes to the estate. He even added a dairy that looked like an Indian temple! However, he spent too much money and ran into financial trouble in 1831. Much of the main house was pulled down after 1830. St Peter's Church was built on part of its land.
Kingston Lodge: A Writer's Retreat
Kingston Lodge was across from Norbiton Hall. The famous novelist George Meredith rented it in 1865. He didn't like how much the area was being built up, so he moved away at the end of 1867.
Norbiton Today: A Modern Community
Norbiton has many Victorian and Edwardian family houses. There are also newer flats built in the 1960s, 1980s, and more recently. Norbiton has more council and social housing than most other parts of Kingston. The Cambridge Road estate, one of the largest housing areas, was used as a filming location for TV shows like The Bill and Some Girls.
In 2020, plans were approved to rebuild the Cambridge Road estate. This project will replace 865 existing homes with 2,170 new ones. The new homes will get their heating from a special system. It turns treated sewage into clean energy! This will be the first project of its kind in England.
Norbiton is a popular place for people who work in London. It's only about a 25-minute train ride to Waterloo station. Norbiton railway station was even used as a location for the British TV comedy The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. The main office for the Fire Brigades Union is also near the station.
Kingsmeadow Stadium: Home of Football
The Kingsmeadow football stadium in Norbiton was bought by Chelsea FC in 2016. Since 2017, it has been the home ground for Chelsea F.C. Women. Before that, it was used by Kingstonian F.C. (from 1989 to 2017) and AFC Wimbledon (from 2002 to 2020).
In the 2018 local elections for Kingston, the Liberal Democrats won both council seats in Norbiton. They took them from the Labour Party.
For information about schools in Norbiton, you can check the main Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames article.
Getting Around Norbiton
Nearby Places to Explore
Nearest Train Stations
- Norbiton railway station
- Kingston railway station
- Berrylands railway station
- New Malden railway station
Images for kids
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Norbiton ward of Kingston upon Thames Municipal Borough in 1868.
