Coombe, Kingston Upon Thames

Coombe, Kingston Upon Thames

Coordinates: 51°25′08″N 0°15′51″W / 51.41885°N 0.26415°W / 51.41885; -0.26415

Coombe is a neighbourhood of Greater London in England, within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It lies to the east of the main town area, and prior to local government re-organisation in 1965 formed the northern part of the former Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe. It centres on what was originally Coombe House, a large, now-demolished, residence. To the north lies Richmond Park; to the east, Wimbledon Common and borders the four boroughs that surround Kingston. Merton, Sutton, Wandsworth and Richmond.

Coombe appears in Domesday Book as Cumbe. It was held partly by Hunfrid (Humfrey) the Chamberlain and partly by Ansgot the Interpreter. Its domesday assets were: 1½ hides; 4 ploughs, 12 acres (49,000 m2) of meadow, herbage worth 4 hogs. It rendered £8.

Coombe Warren was a wild woodland on Coombe Hill which was used for hunting and public fairs. Jerry Abershaw, 'The Coombe Wood Highwayman', frequented the area, being based at the "Bald Face Stag" pub and he sheltered in the woods. In 1822 the Admiralty opened a semaphore station in the Warren, which was part of the semaphore line from London to Portsmouth. The station has disappeared, but survived in the name of "Telegraph Cottage. The Warren is now covered by the Coombe Hill estate and Coombe Wood Golf Course.

The Coombe Hill estate consists of Coombe Hill Road, and cul-de-sacs in it, such as Greenwood Park and Devey Close. The estate is highly prestigious and house prices are commonly in to the millions.