A 3½ mile circular walk from St Margarets Station

From the station go right and then left around The Barons
Twickenham Film Studios location

Go down Sandycoombe Road opposite
Sandycoombe Lodge on the corner was the home of the artist JMW Turner from 1813-26.

Enter Marble Hill Park
The Palladian villa which was built in the 1720s for Henrietta Howard, the mistress of George II, is now in the care of English Heritage. The park is open to all and there is a cafe in the stable block

Exit onto the riverside path passing an old Black Walnut tree and go to the right. Continue through Orleans Gardens and under two footbridges along Riverside.
On the right is Dial House and on the left Eel Pie Island which can be reached via a footbridge further along.

Continue along the Embankment
The Mary Wallace Theatre is housed in what was once the parish soup kitchen

Go right up Bell or Water Lane and right along Church Street
This would have been the main street at one time

Go right down Church Lane
St Mary's was rebuilt in 1713 by John James after the nave collapsed but retains its Medieval tower

At the river go through the gate to the left into the riverside gardens
The last resident of York House, Sir Ratan Tata, designed these gardens which include the fountain known as 'the Naked Ladies'

Cross the footbridge into the other half of the gardens
York House built in 1635 is now in council use. The grounds include a Japanese Garden, tennis courts and a metal urinal.

Exit into Sion Road and go right, then left through Ferry Road into Lebanon Park. Go to the right back to Riverside then left and enter the grounds of the Orleans House Gallery to the left just beyond the overhead bridge
The Octagon of 1718 (designed by James Gibbs) and stables block which now house the gallery are all that remain of Orleans House demolished in 1925. From 1815-7 it was occupied by Louis Philippe, Duc d'Orleans (later King of France) during his exile.

Exit through the wooded grounds into Orleans Road and go left. Go right through Chapel Road into Montpelier Row
The fine houses date from the 1720s and there are plaques to Walter de la Mare and Tennyson

From Montpelier Row cross Richmond Road and go along Crown Road opposite back to the station

© london-footprints.co.uk 2003

Resources
The excellent Tourist Information Centre in the Old Town Hall, Richmond has lots on Twickenham including books, maps, ideas for walks and details of places of interest open to the public Tel 020 8940 9125. The Twickenham TIC is in the Civic Centre in York Street Tel 020 8891 7272. The Twickenham Museum is housed in 25 The Embankment. Admission is free but opening is limited to Tues & Sat 11-3 and Sun 2-4. Tel 020 8408 0070.
There are guided walks available on summer Sunday afternoons led by voluntary guides (charge) Tel 020 8977 2806.

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