Essential Hotels > England > Middlesex > Twickenham

Twickenham, of course, plays host to one of the world’s most famous rugby stadiums and is the home of English rugby. Twickenham and its renowned stadium are situated to the west of London, approximately 10 miles from the famous attractions and multitude of businesses, while to the west of the town itself is Heathrow Airport. Geographically, the town is on the northern side of the River Thames as it snakes its way towards the sea while other nearby settlements include Hounslow and Richmond, the latter of which it forms a borough with. Not only does the England Rugby Union team play its home matches in Twickenham, Harlequins also play nearby but they play their fixtures at the nearby Stoop. Twickenham rugby stadium is able to hold up to 82,000 people with plenty of hospitality spaces for those hoping for something extra special. Visitors can go on tours of the stadium while there is also a rugby store and a museum onsite; meanwhile, music concerts are also held at the venue throughout the year. Continuing the rugby theme, Twickenham Rugby Football Club is thought to be the 11th oldest surviving club in the world, dating back to the year 1867.

Twickenham is home to some of London’s most prominent film studios while it also hosts a festival each year known as Twickenham Festival which takes place every June and features fun, music and events. There are several places of interest that are worth a visit in the Twickenham surroundings and they include the York House Gardens that are attached to York House, as well as Marble Hill House, the Orleans House Gallery and the Moor Mead Gardens. Kew Gardens is also located in fairly close proximity.

People have lived in the Twickenham area for hundreds of years although it wasn’t until 704 that the name Tuiccanham was mentioned in a charter. In Norman times Twickenham was part of the Manor of Isleworth and from this time agriculture was unsurprisingly a prominent feature of the local economy. The river, too, proved useful for fishing and trade for example. In 1605 the Bubonic plague gripped the region and by 1659 the Twickenham ferry gained its first mention, even if it had been in use for years prior to this. During the 18th and 19th centuries Twickenham became a popular place to live for the wealthy. Also of note is Twickenham station which opened in 1848 and electricity which came to the town in 1902.