Located along the River Thames in South West London, Chiswick is famous for its riverside and walks. This popular, scenic, affluent neighbourhood has come a long way from the fishing village it once was. With its mix of Victorian and Edwardian detached houses and impressive Georgian riverside properties, Chiswick retains its historic village feel. However, it has evolved to include a variety of high-end shops and nice restaurants, offering a unique quality of life for those living in nearby Victorian terrace houses.
Chiswick has streets lined with trees and multiple green spaces that balance nature and city life. The area is popular among families who appreciate all the amenities a city offers without the bustling noise of central London. It also has several excellent schools where your children can thrive.
Aside from that, Chiswick has many fun activities for children and adults alike, making it a favourite destination for city dwellers looking for a day out. It is famous for its festivals and markets that celebrate everything in Chiswick. This area’s convenient location on the District and Piccadilly lines makes this activity accessible to all London residents. So, whether you’re looking to visit the area or looking for property, Chiswick has much to offer people of all ages!
Architecture style in Chiswick
Notable Areas
Chiswick has many notable landmarks and areas that locals and visitors love. They each contribute to the atmosphere and lovely community of Chiswick in some way. Let’s take a closer look at these areas.
Chiswick High Road
Chiswick High Road is what everyone considers the heart of Chiswick. It is particularly desirable as it is undeniably posh with its tree-lined streets, quaint cafes, and high-end restaurants, and the friendliness that everyone exudes is refreshing. Excellent preservation efforts have ensured that the buildings’ historic charm can be appreciated alongside the trendy boutiques they now hold. An excellent example is the old fire station that was operational until 1963 and is now an all-day bar and restaurant called No. 197 Chiswick Fire Station.
Other fun places on Chiswick High Road are the Chiswick Old Cinema antique shop, the George IV pub, where they have live music nights, and The Chiswick Cinema, which opened in 2021. There’s also the Chiswick flower market on the first Sunday of every month, which is every flower lover’s dream.
Devonshire Road
Just south of Chiswick High Road, Devonshire Road is home to the 1 Michelin-star French restaurant La Trompette. There’s also Vinoteca, a modern wine bar and restaurant for those who love wine. In addition, if you’re looking for an excellent brunch in the area, Urban Pantry on Devonshire Road has you covered. With seasonal produce and outdoor tables, you get to enjoy the atmosphere of Chiswick with every bite. Devonshire Road is also a central location that boasts very nice cottage houses if you want to settle there.
Turnham Green Terrace
Turnham Green Terrace is one of the main shopping streets that connect different areas in Chiswick. Due to this, it is quite busy with people using the road to move quickly between Chiswick High Road and Bedford Park. The shops on Turnham Green Terrace are, therefore, those that best serve the area and its people with quality products and food. They include Macken Brothers Butcher, an award-winning butchery; numerous clothing stores and bookstores; and organic produce from Bayley and Sage and Lemon and Lime. Turnham Green Terrace also provides the one spot that all children love, Foubert’s ice cream shop. This is also where you will find the Tabard Theatre and Turnham Green Tube Station, which will get you to and from central London in 30 minutes. For those who loves plants and flowers, visit Wheelers Flowers next to the station, it’s always sublime!
Bedford Park
Bedford Park is the residential area described globally as “the world’s first garden suburb.” It was first developed in 1875, with many of the houses designed by Victorian-era architect Norman Shaw. The houses in Bedford Park mostly sport red bricks, large bay windows, and impressive balconies. Bedford Park is also famous for its church, St. Michael and All Angels. The roads have gentle bends and are dotted with mature trees, adding to the informal structure.
Strand-on-the-Green
Strand-on-the-Green is an area along the riverside that is one of the most desirable places to live in Chiswick. It is located alongside the Thames near the Kew Bridge Train Station. Strand-on-the-Green provides a delightful mix of housing options that suit anyone, from a single professional to a boisterous family. In addition, this mediaeval area has many little pubs and restaurants along the river. If you’re ever looking for a great pub crawl, Strand-on-the-Green won’t disappoint you, from The Steam Packet to The Black Lion!
Chiswick Park and Chiswick Business Park
Chiswick Park is now more commonly referred to as Chiswick Business Park. First designed in the early 1990s, the first building was completed in 2000. It was followed by 11 more to form the Chiswick Business Park, home to some impressive companies like Danone, CBS, and Paramount Pictures. Chiswick Park tube station also provides easy access to the area for workers who live further away.
Gunnersbury Park
Gunnersbury Park falls between several neighbourhoods, including Chiswick, Brentford, Acton, and Ealing. Purchased for the nation from the Rothschild family, it is home to the magnificent Georgian mansion and its gardens, including a boating lake, orangery, museum, and shell grotto. 2018 saw the completion of the house restoration, and now Gunnersbury Park is open to the public for free. This historic site makes for a beautiful day visit where you can explore the museum, play tennis, or enjoy the lush green garden.
Gunnersbury Triangle Nature Reserve
When the area’s planned development was halted in 1985 due to the significance of nature, the Gunnersbury Triangle Nature Reserve was established. Given that this happened for the first time in Britain, the Nature Reserve is extremely important. It is maintained by the London Wildlife Trust and is open to the public. It is a popular destination for team-building activities and school excursions. The reserve’s wide variety of ecosystems makes it a fantastic educational resource.
Education
A large part of Chiswick’s family appeal comes from the good and outstanding schools in the area (as reported by the Ofsted – the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills). Families can meet at Maggie & Rose Chiswick Family Members Club, settle in a lush, green area with magnificent homes, and their kids can attend excellent schools while still having everything you need in Chiswick.
Primary, Secondary State and Independent Schools
Primary schools include: Strand-on-the-Green Infant and Nursery School, Grove Park Primary, as well as The William Hogarth Primary School and Belmont School, located just off Chiswick High Road. Not to forget, the William Hogarth Primary School on Duke’s Road, which is a small school with an excellent reputation.
Chiswick also offers to families excellent independent primary schools such as Chiswick & Bedford Park Preparatory School, Orchard House School, Heathfield House School.
The area has good secondary schools such as Chiswick School situated in Grove Park, and secondary independent schools such as ArtsEd Day School & Sixth Form focusing on academic and artistic development.
International School
For parents seeking an excellent international school in the area, The International School of London (ISL London), is a reputable school offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. Due to this school, an expat community is being established in Chiswick, including Kew, Barnes, Richmond, Hammersmith, Ealing, Acton and Brentford.
Expatriate Community
Expats in Chiswick are diverse because there are numerous international schools in the area, as well as international companies based in Chiswick Business Park. The area also offers a very good quality of life to individuals and families. The French, Spanish, Iranians, Italians, Americans communities are particularly well represented in Chiswick essentially due to the good international schools near the neighbourhood.
Arts and Entertainment
Chiswick is rich in culture, making the arts and entertainment scene particularly enjoyable. The Tabard Theatre, above the Tabard Pub on Bath Road, is a wonderful fringe theatre specialising in new writing. It seats just 96 people, giving it a great intimate atmosphere to enjoy the plays.
The jazz sessions at The George IV pub on Chiswick High Road are equally enjoyable and popular among the locals. It happens every Thursday night and draws a large and fun crowd.
To check what’s on in Chiswick, have a look at the Chiswick Calendar.
Sports and Leisure
Chiswick has an impressive number of gyms, fitness centres, and sports clubs in the area. Whether you enjoy golf, there is the Dukes Meadows Golf, for tennis or football players, there will be a club nearby to join. For those wanting to play cricket, the Chiswick Cricket Club is a friendly and welcoming club, founded in 1853 and playing league and social cricket at adult and junior levels, with a clubhouse bar open all year round.
As a club with multiple activities and a great sense of the community, we particularly recommend the Hogarth Club, offering tennis courts, a pool, the gym, dance studios, a beauty clinic and even a bar!
Furthermore, Chiswick Riverside is also home to a number of nice activities. It is most famous for being the finishing point of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The boat race’s Championship Course runs from Putney Bridge in the borough of Wandsworth to Chiswick Bridge. The race takes place annually around the end of March or the beginning of April. In Chiswick, the riverside park Dukes Meadow is the ideal place to enjoy a picnic, for children to have fun in the play areas and everyone to watch the race!
Chiswick is a wonderful area to visit or even move to in London. With its picturesque streets, beautiful parks, and abundance of restaurants and shops, it offers a high quality of life and a strong sense of community. Whether you’re a foodie, a nature lover, or simply looking for a peaceful place to call home, Chiswick has something to offer. So why not come and explore this charming part of London for yourself? You won’t be disappointed!
