To get a quote on a Building Survey for a residential property or a commercial property in Richmond, carried out by an Independent Chartered Surveyor, who is a member of RICS, then please click on the 'Get a Survey Quote' box above.

To find out more about the services we provide in Richmond please click on the 'Information and Surveys in this Area' box above.

We can help you with a fast purchase and quick sale with our express building surveys, sent to you on-line with a password giving you and your property solicitor fast access to your survey. We wil also follow this up with a hard copy of a survey sent in the post.

Facts and places of interest in and around Richmond

Interesting Facts about Richmond

• Richmond Bridge was built in 1777 and is the oldest bridge still standing over the Thames in the Greater London area. 

• Richmond in Virginia in the USA , is twinned with Richmond in London ; they were both named after Earl Richmond who was Henry VII.

• The area of Richmond park was known as the Manor of Sheen at the time of King Edward (1272-1307). During the right of Henry VII it was changed to be called Richmond Park.

• Gordon Ramsay the celebrity chef is known to go for a regular run in Richmond Park.

• In 1625 Charles I brought his court to Richmond Palace to avoid the plague in London.

• Charles I turned Richmond park into a park for fallow and red deer.

• The town has two theatres, the Richmond Theatre and the Orange Tree Theatre.

• Richmond Palace was the first building to be have a flush toilet, which was invented by Sir John Harrington – Elizabeth I's godson.

• Today Ham House is reputedly one of the most haunted houses in England.
  

Places of Interest in and around Richmond

The Thames River

There are some very nice areas to visit along the riverside with pubs, cafes and parks to visit along the way. There are paths and tracks along the Thames for walkers and bikers.

The Museum of Richmond

The Museum of Richmond is located close to the Thames River and to Richmond Green. The museum pays particular attention to Richmand, Ham, Petersham and Kew along with other areas of the borough and has exhibits from prehistoric times to the present day.

Richmond Park

Richmond Park hasn't changed much over the years and there is much to see and enjoy such as trees, hills, ancient trees, birds and wild life in this 2,500 acre parkland. There are in the region of 300 red deer , 250 fallow deer and 1,000 oak trees. You may even see a Stag Beetle as Richmond Park is a Special Area of Conservation for this insect. Richmond Park has also been made into a site of special scientific interest and a National Nature Reserve.

The link with royalty goes back to around 1272-1307 with Edward in the time when the area was known as ‘the Manor of Sheen', it wasn't until Henry VII's reign that the name changed to Richmond . The royal connections to this park probably go back further than any of the others, beginning with Edward (1272-1307), when the area was known as the Manor of Sheen. The name was changed to Richmond during Henry VII's reign.

The Twickenham Museum

The Twickenham Museum looks at the history of villages located on the Thames River such as Twickenham, Whitton, Teddington and the Hamptons which have an interesting history. The museum looks at the history of Events in the area over the years, the people who have lived in the area and the history of the places.

Twickenham Stadium and Museum

Twickenham is the home of England rugby and also the Museum of Rugby . Twickenham Stadium's Museum of Rugby has the finest collection of rugby memorabilia and tells the history of rugby and the tale of how rugby became a professional sport up to the present day. There are lots of things to see along with a scrummaging machine and innovative, interactive exhibits. The sights, sounds, and believe it or not, the smells of rugby football are all there for you to experience. You can also book a tour of the stadium to see inside England 's dressing room and find out how it feels to run out of the player's tunnel.

Richmond Theatre

Built in 1899 this beautiful theatre is located opposite Richmond Green and showcases the West End shows.

Hampton Court Palace

500 years of royal history are on display at Hampton Court , which is a magnificant red-brick Tudor palace built by Cardinal Wolsey and handed to Henry VIII after completion in 1520. Extensions were commissioned from Sir Christopher Wren by William III in 1689.

There is a collection of furniture, huge tapestries and paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, Holbein and Lely to see.

There is an amazing astronomical clock dating to 1540 in Clock Court which still announces the time, date, phases of the moon and state of the tide at London Bridge . There is a great gatehouse dating from Henry's time.

The Tudor kitchens at Hampton Court Palace are well worth seeing and are most famous for being used at the time of King Henry VIII when banquets were aplenty. However, they continued to be used as Royal Court kitchens for a further two hundred years, during the Tudor, Stuart and Georgian periods.

Hampton Court Palace Gardens

Hampton Court Gardens are beautifully landscaped and there is also a maze in the 60 acres of stunning riverside gardens.

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

The Royal Botanic Gardens were begun in 1759 when Princess Augusta, mother of George III, had a private garden laid out. The gardens today contain the finest and largest plant collection in the world and have been designated a World Heritage Site. Within the grounds are Kew Palace and the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The gardens are set out as landscaped lawns, formal gardens and greenhouses containing plants from around the world.

There is also Kew Gardens Gallery which holds art and photographs of botanical themes. Queen Charlotte's Cottage is open in the summer and is a summerhouse alongside a lake. The 18 th century Chinese Pagoda is probably Kew Gardens most recognizable structure.

London Wetland Centre

The London Wetland Centre is an area of lagoons, lakes, ponds and pools. Most of the area is protected as it has many nesting species of wild birds.

Chiswick House

Chiswick House is a Palladian villa in Burlington Lane which was built in the early 1700s and is a wonderful example of 18 th century British architecture. The interior was decorated by William Kent.

The 80 acre grounds are classical in design and include nature trails and Italian gardens.

The nearby summer home of artist William Hogarth contains many examples of his paintings and engravings.

Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare

David Garrick the 18 th century actor-manager had Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare built in 1756 to celebrate the genius of William Shakespeare and commissioned Roubiliac to sculpt a statue of Shakespeare to be put inside. When restoration took place a replica of the statue and a display of Garrick's acting career were included.

Originally the garden was designed using Capability Brown's advice and the gardens have now been restored to the 18th Century layout.

Ham and Ham House

Ham is a residential area between Richmond Park and the river. There is a bridlepath over Ham Common which leads to Ham House, a 17 th century mansion famous for decorative work and spectacular interiors and fine furnishings, which was the centre of political life both before and after the English Civil War. The 17 th century formal gardens have been restored to their original look.

Ham House is now said to be one of the most haunted houses in England .

Kew Palace

Kew Palace is a four storey red-brick brick house, which was built in around 1631. It is now the smallest and most intimate of the royal palaces. Kew Palace was first used by the Royal Family in 1728 and purchased by George III in 1781.

Marble Hill House

Marble Hill House is a villa built in the 1720s for George II's mistress, Henrietta Howard, when George II was the Prince of Wales. The house became known at the time as a place where ‘literary wits' gathered.

There are remains of an 18 th century Orleans House nearby which is now an art gallery decorated in the baroque style.

If you are interested in buying a residential property or taking a lease on a commercial property in Richmond then we would be pleased to offer you our professional services. As Chartered Surveyors we provide building Surveys, structural surveys, engineer's reports, homebuyers survey as well as schedule of conditions, commercial building surveys, feasibility studies etc all carried out by independent Chartered Surveyors. We would always recommend that you have a survey carried out on a property you intend to purchase. It is laughable to espect that a mortgage owned surveying company will give impartial advice on a survey. Call an Independent Chartered Surveyor on freephone 0800 298 5424 for a quote on a survey.

At 1st Associated our surveys are tailor made for you. We ask you go grade your property knowledge from 1 - 4 before the survey with 1 being next to no knowledge on properties and 4 being excellent knowledge of property. Depending upon your knowledge level we will add aditional explanations in our survey report along with additional photographs and definitions along with detailed sketches to help you understand the survey.