Twickenham | |
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Aerial view of Twickenham Stadium (centre) and Stoop Stadium (background) from the north in August 2015 |
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Twickenham shown within Greater London | |
Area | 12.36 km2 (4.77 sq mi) |
Population | 52,396 (2011 Census St Margarets and North Twickenham, South Twickenham, Twickenham Riverside and West Twickenham wards 2011) |
• Density | 4,239/km2 (10,980/sq mi) |
OS grid reference | TQ1673 |
• Charing Cross | 10 mi (16 km) NE |
London borough | |
Ceremonial county | Greater London |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | TWICKENHAM |
Postcode district | TW1, TW2 |
Dialling code | 020 |
Police | Metropolitan |
Fire | London |
Ambulance | London |
EU Parliament | London |
UK Parliament | |
London Assembly | |
Twickenham is a leafy affluent suburban area of south west London, on the River Thames in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames 10 miles (16 km) southwest of the centre of London. It has an extensive town centre and is famous as being the home of rugby union, with hundreds of thousands of spectators visiting Twickenham Stadium, the world's largest rugby stadium, each year. The historic riverside area is famous for its network of 18th-century buildings and pleasure grounds, many of which survive intact. This area has three grand period mansions with public access: York House, Marble Hill and Strawberry Hill House. Another has been lost, that belonging to 18th-century aphoristic poet Alexander Pope. Among these is the Neo-Gothic prototype home of Horace Walpole which has given its name to a whole district, Strawberry Hill, and is linked with the oldest Roman Catholic university in the country, St Mary's University, Twickenham.
Excavations have revealed settlements in the area dating from the Early Neolithic, possibly Mesolithic periods. Occupation seems to have continued through the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Roman occupation. The area was first mentioned (as "Tuican hom" and "Tuiccanham") in an 8th-century charter to cede the area to Waldhere, Bishop of London, "for the salvation of our souls". The charter, dated 13 June 704, is signed with 12 crosses. The signatories included Swaefred of Essex, Cenred of Mercia and Earl Paeogthath.