Described as small but beautifully formed, Barnes has all the qualities of a quintessentially English country village. It has its own cricket ground, duck pond and village green and the award-winning Orange Pekoe on White Hart Lane serves a wonderful afternoon tea. There are many restaurants to choose from – including the excellent Italian Riva and Rick Stein’s Riverside bar and Restaurant. The superb Olympic Studios cinema with its cafe and dining room on Church Road is a destination in itself.
Barnes has a close-knit community, and the Barnes Community Association organises regular events like duck racing and rowing on and around the river. Regular farmers’ markets, collector’s markets and seasonal fairs are held in the village.
Barnes High Street up through Church Road has a wonderful array of local food stores, such as The Real Cheese Shop, the Barnes Fish Shop, Gail’s Bakery and Totally Swedish. Barnes also boasts a wealth of interiors stores and services including Tobias and the Angel. Independent fashion can be found at The WOS and SW SKI.
Property in Barnes
Property prices in Barnes are varied, with houses located in the Little Chelsea area being among the most affordable. Properties situated on the most sought-after streets, such as Elm Grove Road and The Crescent, can command price tags of up to £4 million.
The Terrace, which runs along the banks of the river, has grand Georgian mansions which stand alongside period mansion blocks and period conversions. The old red brick police station, built in 1891, has been remodelled as modern apartments with original features.
The exclusive Barnes Riverside is home to some of the most beautiful and luxurious blocks, with apartments at Riverview Gardens and the Richard Burbidge Mansions in Harrods Village being among the finest examples.
Green spaces in Barnes
Barnes has a semi-rural feel and green space is plentiful. Barnes Common is a peaceful local nature reserve with scrub, woodland and wetland areas that are ideal for walking and cycling. Barn Elms Reservoir has been transformed into a wetland habitat and bird sanctuary, and is now listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the wide variety of bird species it attracts. The Barnes Trail, which was opened in early 2013, is a 2.3 mile circular walk which takes in the area’s best sites.
The River Thames at Barnes
Barnes is an ideal location from which to enjoy the outdoors and the River Thames. Some highlights include:
- The Leg O’Mutton Nature Reserve – a hidden gem on the site of a former reservoir, which has been maintained by volunteers and is now an important breeding site for water birds
- The Bull’s Head pub, one of the oldest jazz venues in Britain, which sits at the end of Lonsdale Road overlooking the Thames
- Chiswick Eyot, a 2.7 acre uninhabited island in the Thames. At low tide it is possible to walk across from the mainland to the island, and at high tide it is entirely submerged except for its trees
- St Paul’s School has stood next to the river since 1509, with alumni including Samuel Pepys, John Milton and G.K. Chesterton
Transport in Barnes
- Barnes and Barnes Bridge Railway Stations have services to Waterloo (22 mins)
- Hammersmith underground is a short walk away
- Regular bus services include the 33 to Hammersmith (10 mins), the 485 to Wandsworth, and the 419 to Richmond
RiverHomes – Estate Agents in Barnes – Letting Agents in Barnes – The Waterside Property Specialist
As the largest independent specialist selling and letting riverside properties in the Barnes SW13 area, very few people know the Thames like us. From tide times to local river events and the best waterside restaurants and pubs, RiverHomes estate agents have the river knowledge.
