Raynes Park

infobox UK place
country = England
map_type = Greater London
region= London
population=
official_name= Raynes Park
london_borough= Merton
constituency_westminster= Wimbledon
post_town= LONDON
postcode_area= SW
postcode_district= SW20
dial_code= 020
os_grid_reference= TQ235685
latitude= 51.4033
longitude= -0.2321

Raynes Park is a suburb within the London Borough of Merton south-west London, centred around Raynes Park station and situated between Wimbledon and New Malden. It is 8.2 miles (13.2 km) south-west of Charing Cross. The area is effectively divided into two by the Waterloo - Southampton mainline railway. It is a typical commuter suburb in that it is relatively prosperous and the residents are mostly middle/lower middle class although there are few major retail chains. The nearest major shopping area is nearby Wimbledon. Residents can easily travel to nearby Wimbledon, Wimbledon village, Kingston or Sutton.

In recent years house prices have increased dramatically in the area as many potential buyers have been forced to look further out from the centre of London. The recent price increases have been driven by its good train links to Waterloo station and similar (though earlier) house price increases making the nearby Wimbledon area too expensive for many first-time buyers. Towards the north and west, either side of the borough boundary with the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames are more the expensive areas of Copse Hill and Coombe with their large detached houses, golf courses and gated lands.

History

:"For earlier history see Merton and Wimbledon."

Historically, the area of Raynes Park south of Coombe Lane and Kingston Road was part of the parish of Merton [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10146550&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain - Parish of Merton] ] and the area north of that line was part of the Parish of Wimbledon [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10037347&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain - Parish of Wimbledon] ] . The area remained rural until late into the 19th century. The first development in the area was the opening of the London & South Western Railway in May 1838 which crossed the area on a high embankment, although the station did not open until later.

Cottenham Park to the north of the station was the first part of the area to be laid out for development in the 1870s. It takes its named from Charles Pepys, 1st Earl of Cottenham who lived in Wimbledon until his death in 1851. The name Raynes Park was originally used in the 1870s and only applied to the area south of the railway line where the local landowner, Richard Garth, Lord of the Manor of the adjacent parish of Morden, planned to develop a new garden suburb [http://www.rpwbresidents.org.uk/areainfo/history.htm Raynes Park & West Barnes Residents' Association - history] ] similar to that being developed by John Innes at Merton Park to the east. The name refers to the Rayne family , the previous landowners of the farmland on which Garth intended to build.

Garth laid out the northern section of Grand Drive, about as far south as Heath DriveOrdnance survey, 1898] , and Blenheim Drive and persuaded the railway company to build the station. A number of detached houses were constructed, but Garth's absence as Chief Justice of Bengal slowed the development and much of the rest of the area became a golf course and cricket grounds.

By the late Victorian period the residential development of Wimbledon was encroaching on the north side of the railway from the west but, apart from a few buildings including the Junction Tavern and a school, development around the station did not start until the beginning of the 20th century.

South of the railway, the twelve terraced roads known locally as "the Apostles" (although they are not named after the Apostles) were laid out over a former cricket ground during the Edwardian period. In the 1920s, the Kingston Bypass (A3) and its spur, Bushey Road (A298), were built as dual carriageways. South of the railway, the majority of residential development occurred in the 1930s with Grand Drive being extended south into Lower Morden and new roads being developed. Much of the area remains open space.

Transport and amenities

Raynes Park station is on the National Rail network. The station is at the junction of the branch line heading towards Epsom and Dorking and has four platforms - two served by branch services and two served by the main line. A distinctive local landmark is the station footbridge which spans all four main running lines at an angle of about 45 degrees and links the up platforms (1 & 2, for London) with the down (3 & 4). Another distinctive feature of the station is that the platforms are not opposite each other. The station benefits from frequent train services to central London, with approximately 210 trains to Waterloo each day, averaging about 12 per hour during service hours.

Raynes Park also benefits from London bus services running to Streatham, Wimbledon, New Malden, Kingston upon Thames, Colliers Wood and more.

Bushey Road connects the Kingston Bypass to Wimbledon Chase and Merton Park. On the south side is Prince George's playing field, which is the home ground of Raynes Park Vale F.C and plays host to Sunday league football. The field also has other purposes and has in the past held travelling Funfairs and Hindu festival celebrations. Adjacent to the playing field is a sports and leisure centre. The area has a number of other parks and open spaces including Cottenham Park Recreation Ground and Raynes Park Sports Ground.

A new public library opened in 2006, located on Approach Road, close to the railway station. A support group was founded when the new library was opened, whose purpose is to support the London Borough of Merton in efforts to improve the education and leisure facilities at Raynes Park Library. Nearest Tube Station: Wimbledon.

Other information

Raynes Park High School is the local mixed secondary school, and is away from the town centre at Shannon's Corner adjacent to the A3 flyover. The school badge is derived from its location, showing a stylized version of the main road, flyover & railway line.

There is an active Residents' Association which spends much of its time dealing with traffic and planning issues. The new owners of the old London Electricity Board Sports and Social Club (LESSA) playing fields have been refused planning permission for a large housing development partly due the fact the area is marginally on a floodplain.

Notable people associated with Raynes Park

* Dave Benson-Phillips, children's television presenter.
* Richard Briers, actor, grew up in Raynes Park.
* Tubby Hayes, jazz musician.
* Chris Powell, footballer.
* Graham Stuart, footballer.
* Good Shoes, went to Raynes Park High School

References

External links

* [http://www.rpwbresidents.org.uk/ Residents' Association]
* [http://www.rprltc.co.uk/ Raynes Park Residents' Lawn Tennis Club]
* [http://www.mordencorinthians.org.uk/ Morden Corinthians Cricket Club (Home games played in Taunton Avenue, Raynes Park)]
* [http://www.merton.gov.uk/learning/libraries/local-libraries/rplib.htm Raynes Park Library]
* [http://www.mertonconnected.com/club_homepage.asp?clubid=16532 Friends of Raynes Park Library]
* [http://www.bergfootball.com Raynes Park CC Football Club]
* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/21470 www.geograph.co.uk - Picture of southern entrance to Raynes Park station, at the junction of Approach Road with Grand Drive]

Photo Gallery