Roehampton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Roehampton
Roehampton High Street
Roehampton
Population	16,132 (2011 Ward of Roehampton and Putney Heath)
OS grid reference	TQ225745
London borough	Wandsworth
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	SW15
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Putney
London Assembly	Merton and Wandsworth
List of places UK England London 51°27′04″N 0°14′35″W / 51.451°N 0.243°W / 51.451; -0.243

Map of Roehampton, showing its location

Roehampton is a part of London in the southwest. It is located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Roehampton has many large council house areas. It is also home to the University of Roehampton.

What's in a Name?

The name Roehampton likely comes from the many rooks (a type of bird) that live in the area. You can still see many of these birds there today.

Where is Roehampton Located?

Roehampton is about 6.3 miles (10 km) southwest of Charing Cross, a famous spot in central London. It sits on high ground. To the north is Barnes. To the east are Putney and Putney Heath. Richmond Park and its golf course are to the west. South of Roehampton is Roehampton Vale, which is near the A3 road. Beyond that are Wimbledon Common and Putney Vale.

A Look Back at Roehampton's Past

Roehampton started as a small village. In the time of King Henry VII, it had only 14 houses. Most of the area was forest and open land. More people moved here in the 1700s and 1800s. It became a popular place for summer homes and large houses. This happened after Putney Bridge opened in 1729. Some of these old houses are still standing.

Historic Houses and Buildings

Roehampton House was built between 1710 and 1712. A famous architect named Thomas Archer designed it. Later, Sir Edwin Lutyens made it bigger in 1910. For many years, it was used by Queen Mary's Hospital. Now, it has been turned into private apartments.

Parkstead House was built in 1760. It was once home to Lady Caroline Lamb, a well-known socialite. In 1861, a religious group called the Jesuits bought it. They used it as a training center and called it Manresa House. The poet Gerard Manley Hopkins lived there. Today, Parkstead House belongs to Roehampton University.

Other old houses owned by the university include Mount Clare (built in 1772) and Grove House (built in 1777). It is believed that the famous landscape designer Capability Brown planned the gardens at Grove House. Downshire House, built in 1770, is another historic building in the area.

Templeton House is a large Georgian house from the 1780s. It was used as a hospital during both World Wars. From 1919 to 1920, Winston Churchill lived there. He later became a famous Prime Minister. In 2010, the house was sold and became a family home again. Some scenes for the TV show Downton Abbey were filmed at Templeton House.

Roehampton became its own church area in 1845. This was after Holy Trinity Church was built in 1842. The Society of Jesus also started St Joseph Church in 1869.

The Maharajah Duleep Singh lived for a time in Ashburton House in Roehampton. He was visited there by the Prince Consort and the Prince of Wales.

During World War I, there was a training school for "Kite Balloons" here. These were large balloons used for looking over battlefields. This land is now part of the university and a golf course.

Much of the old village of Roehampton still has large, detached houses. You can also see an old watering trough. This was used for carriage-horses in Victorian times. It is at the corner of Medfield Street and Roehampton Lane.

Council Housing Estates

The London County Council (LCC) built many council houses in Roehampton. These are homes built by the local government for people who need affordable housing. The Dover House Estate was built in the 1920s and 1930s. The Alton Estate was built in the 1950s. These estates took up many large gardens and woodlands.

The Dover House Estate was designed to be like a "Garden City." It has pretty houses inspired by the Arts and Crafts style. The idea was to create homes that felt friendly and unique. They were built around shared green spaces. There were also areas for growing vegetables, and two of these still exist.

High-rise buildings on the large Alton Estate

The Alton Estate is one of the biggest council housing areas in the UK. It has a mix of modern buildings, both low and high-rise. Alton East (built in 1958) has a gentle, Scandinavian-inspired style. Alton West (built in 1959) has a more bold, "brutalist" look. Some of the tall buildings in Alton West were inspired by the famous architect Le Corbusier. When it was finished, Alton West was seen as a great example of council housing after World War II.

Today, the Alton Estate is part of a plan to improve the area. Programs like SureStart help families and children.

Roehampton Today

Roehampton has several "conservation areas." These are special places where old buildings and the environment are protected. This includes parts of the Alton and Dover House estates. It also includes the center of Roehampton Village. You can find old pubs like the King's Head Inn and the Montague Arms, which are from the 1600s.

In 2007, a new path was created from the Alton Estate into Richmond Park. This path, for walking and cycling, opened in 2014.

Roehampton is known for its many schools and colleges. The University of Roehampton has about 10,500 students. Queen Mary's Hospital is a teaching hospital. Kingston University and South Thames College also have campuses here. Roehampton has long been a major place for training teachers.

Other important places in Roehampton include The Priory Clinic, a private hospital. There is also the Bank of England Sports Centre, Rosslyn Park Rugby Football Club, and the Roehampton Club. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) moved to Roehampton in 1998. The Lawn Tennis Association also built its new headquarters here in 2007.

Who Lives in Roehampton?

In the 2011 census, no single ethnic group was the majority in Roehampton and Putney Heath. The largest group was White British (45%). Other large groups included other White (18.4%), Black African (7.9%), and other Asian (4.6%).

Most people (59.1%) living in Roehampton and Putney Heath in 2011 were born in England. Other common birthplaces included Poland (5.6%), Pakistan (1.8%), and the Philippines (1.6%).

Regarding religion, 52.9% of people were Christian. About 23.6% said they had no religion. 11.1% were Muslim, and smaller numbers followed other religions like Hinduism and Buddhistism.

Getting Around Roehampton

Roehampton has several bus routes. Bus 170 goes to Victoria, 265 to Putney and Tolworth, 419 to Richmond, 493 to Richmond and Tooting, 430 to South Kensington, and 85 to Putney and Kingston.

The closest train stations are Barnes and Putney. The University of Roehampton has asked for Barnes station to be renamed "Barnes & Roehampton." This is because the station is located between both areas.

Roehampton in Books and Movies

Roehampton appears in the novel The Sleeper Awakes by H. G. Wells. In the story, Roehampton is one of several "Flying Stages" (basic airports). A big battle in the book happens at the Flying Stage in Roehampton.

The Alton Estate has been used for filming movies and TV shows. The movie Fahrenheit 451 (1966) used parts of the estate. It helped create the look of a bleak future society. The film Sweeney 2 (1978) also filmed its opening scenes in the Danebury Avenue area of the estate.

Famous People from Roehampton

Places Near Roehampton

Destinations from Roehampton

	Mortlake, East Sheen	Barnes	Putney
	Richmond Park, East Sheen		Putney, Putney Heath
		Roehampton
	Richmond Park, Kingston Vale	Putney Vale, Wimbledon Common	Putney Heath