A Wimbledon Walk (Park side) Route & what to see
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A 4 mile circular walk from Wimbledon Station (also served by District Line & Tramlink) with an optional extension to Wimbledon Park (extra 2 miles). The route can be combined with the Wimbledon (Common side) walk.

From the station go right up Wimbledon Hill Road
The railway opened in 1838 and the station was rebuilt in the 1860s. On the right is the Library, built in 1887 and extended in 1901 and an attractive former bank building.

Right at Woodside and left along St Mary's Road
At the entrance to the church is the Stag Lodge (of Wimbledon Park). The stag was broken in WWII and replaced in 1988. The church is an old foundation mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was last rebuilt by Gilbert Scott in 1843 but retains some older features. There are windows by Morris & Co and a Warrior Chapel for those who died in WWI. A tithe barn to the west was demolished in 1864.

Walk around the churchyard.
This contains the grave of Joseph Bazalgette (on the east side) and gives views of the Old Rectory, parts of which date back to c1500.

To include Wimbledon Park
From the church go along Arthur Road
The Well House covered an artesian well dug for Earl Spencer in 1798. It was used until 1815 and the building was converted to a house in 1975.

Bear left along Home Park Road
Wimbledon Park was originally part of the grounds of Cecil House built in 1588. In the mid 18th century Capability Brown landscaped it for Earl Spencer. There is a numbered trail around Wimbledon Park [click here] Follow this as 4, 3, 2, 1 then 12, 11, (10), 9, 8.

Exit into Wimbledon Park Road and go left continuing along Church Road. Rejoin the route by going right into Somerset Road

To exclude Wimbledon Park
Continue along St Mary's Road and go right into Church Road. Bear left along Somerset Road
From here you can view the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. This moved to the site in 1922 onto land which had been Earl Spencer's dairy farm. Note: the entrance to the museum is in Church Road.

At the end go left into Burghley Road and right at Calonne Road
On the left is a Buddist Temple (pictured in header). You are welcome to walk around the grounds and the beautiful temple building is open at weekends.

Return along Calonne Road and continue (right) along Burghley Road. Right at Church Road
There are interesting old buildings in this street

To join the Common side route go right at the High Street.

To complete the Park side circuit go left along the High Street continuing down Wimbledon Hill Road. Rejoin here from the combined route.
Between 1908-38 a trace horse, always called Jack, was available to assist horse-drawn vehicles up this hill.

Go past the station and continue along The Broadway
Wimbledon Theatre was opened in 1910. It had its own power supply and Turkish Baths in the basement.

Opposite the theatre go left along Kings Road, left at Princes Road and left at Queens Road
Queens Road has a number of former municipal buildings. Fire station (1904) [pix], police station (1900), court (1895), Baptist Church (1897) [pix] and town hall (1931). Some of these buildings have been incorporated into the Centre Court Shopping Centre.

Turn right back to the station.

© london-footprints.co.uk 2012

Reference sources
Village London – Andrew Duncan
Time Out Book of London Walks
Buildings of England London 2: South by Cherry & Pevsner
Wimbledon - A Pictorial History by Richard Milward
The Wimbledon Way [website]

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