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Twickenham, Middlesex

Twickenham
Cmglee London Twickenham aerial.jpg
Aerial view of Twickenham Stadium (centre) and Stoop Stadium (background) from the north in August 2015
Twickenham is located in Greater London
Twickenham
Twickenham
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
List of places
UK
England
London
51°26′56″N 0°20′13″W / 51.449°N 0.337°W / 51.449; -0.337Coordinates: 51°26′56″N 0°20′13″W / 51.449°N 0.337°W / 51.449; -0.337

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.


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