Richmond
Rich by name and rich by nature, Richmond offers Georgian architecture, a beautiful stretch of the Thames and magnificent green spaces, including the largest of London’s Royal Parks and, nearby, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.
A royal riverside town.
Once the site of Richmond Palace, built by Henry VII and a favourite home of Elizabeth I, Richmond still has a regal atmosphere and a sense of grandeur.
Its residents enjoy the best of both worlds: the feel of a prosperous country town, with riverside pubs and weekend markets, and a quick journey into central London by the District line, South Western Railway services to Vauxhall and Waterloo, or the London Overground. Heathrow is around half an hour or more by car, depending on traffic.
Richmond upon Thames is regularly named London’s happiest place to live in Rightmove’s Happy at Home index, most recently in December 2025. Time Out, December 2025 Long-time resident Sir David Attenborough has described it as his favourite place on earth, and musicians including Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood and Pete Townshend have made homes in its period houses.
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Green space and a slower pace.
Rightmove sold-price data for the 12 months to December 2024, quoted in our earlier guide, gave an overall average of £960,464 in Richmond. Most sales were flats, averaging £560,532; terraced houses averaged £982,617 and semi-detached houses just under £1.6 million.
Richmond was among London’s strongest-performing areas during the pandemic property boom, as buyers prioritised green space and a slower pace of life over central locations. Our earlier guide estimated that this added more than £100,000 to average prices between 2019 and 2022.
“Richmond is regularly named London’s happiest place to live.”Back to contents ↑
Two theatres, the river and Ham House.
Richmond has two fine theatres. Richmond Theatre, designed by Frank Matcham and open since 1899, is one of his best-surviving works; the listed venue presents everything from West End drama to musicals and has appeared on screen in Killing Eve and Ted Lasso. The Orange Tree, an intimate theatre in the round of around 180 seats, mixes rediscovered classics with new work by writers such as Caryl Churchill and Martin Crimp, and its productions often transfer to central London.
Richmond’s riverside, lined with eighteenth-century villas and traditional pubs, is one of its main attractions. Beyond Richmond Bridge, the oldest surviving Thames bridge in London, a long, largely rural stretch of the Thames Path invites a scenic stroll, perhaps with a pint at The White Swan or a schnitzel at the Bavarian restaurant Stein’s. Check the tides first, as some sections flood at high water.
Along the river is Ham House, a Grade I listed National Trust property that retains much of its lavish seventeenth-century interior, offering a rare glimpse of the court style of Charles I and Charles II, with a fine collection of paintings, portraits and miniatures, gardens and a second-hand bookshop. Check opening days before visiting.
Recommendations carried forward from our earlier guide and rechecked in October 2026 where public sources allowed. Opening details change, so please confirm before visiting.
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Lanes off the green and a weekend market.
The little paved lanes off Richmond Green are full of independent shops, perfect for a unique gift or a piece of jewellery. Golden Court is known for menswear, and Paved Court has a branch of the British clothing and homeware brand Toast. At the top of Brewers Lane, Gelateria Danieli makes authentic Italian gelato, including its much-loved crema Siciliana, and handmade chocolates. The Infatuation, May 2024
For gourmet treats and craftsmanship, the Duck Pond Market at Heron Square offers locally and sustainably produced arts, crafts, gifts and street food at weekends; check its website for current days. Trader reviews, August 2026
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A hilltop spa and London’s largest Royal Park.
Richmond Harbour Hotel, set in a Georgian building on Richmond Hill, has a spa with a 20-metre indoor pool, outdoor Scandinavian hot tubs, a gym and Elemis treatments in tranquil surroundings. Spabreaks
Outdoors there are plenty of places to run, cycle and train, particularly along the Thames Path and in Richmond Park, where you can watch the deer or catch the sunrise over the London skyline. There are fitness classes and bootcamps, horse riding at Stag Lodge Stables, rugby pitches and two 18-hole golf courses, and cricket on Richmond Green in summer.
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Glasshouse lunches, roasts and seafood.
For a special occasion, Petersham Nurseries never fails to impress. Created by the Boglione family, who bought the neighbouring Queen Anne house in 1997, it serves seasonal, farm-to-fork cooking and fine Italian wines in a magical plant-filled glasshouse.
For a Sunday roast, Richmond has lovely pubs with log fires or riverside terraces: The Marlborough is the perfect stop after a long walk, and The White Cross sits right on the river. For a change from British cooking, Brindisa Richmond on Heron Square, open since 2021, serves Spanish sharing dishes and charcuterie. Harden’s
Mayfair institution Scott’s opened on the Richmond riverside in 2022 and was an instant hit, with chandeliers, gilded dining rooms, a central seafood bar and a rooftop terrace for summer sunsets. Harden’s
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Explore the wider portfolio.
Discover the eighteen individual properties that make up the Kensington House portfolio.
View the portfolio →Sources and dates.
This guide is adapted from our ‘Spotlight on Richmond’ guide, previously published at kensingtonhouse.com/london/richmond. It was revised and fact-checked on 6 October 2026.
Market figures carry the period they measure and the source they come from. Figures from our earlier guide are historical context, not current values, and nothing on this page is a forecast, investment advice or a promise of future returns. Venue details were rechecked where public sources allowed; please confirm opening details before visiting.