Hampton Wick

Hampton Wick, formerly a village, is a Thames-side area of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in London, England.

Famous for its market gardens until well into the twentieth century, it is now commuter-belt territory. Its housing developments have been constrained by Bushy Park and Hampton Court Park to its west and the River Thames to its east.

Although north of the River Thames and formerly the county of Middlesex, the area forms part of the Kingston upon Thames and East Molesey post towns based on the south side of the river.

There is evidence of Roman occupation. Kingston Bridge, the first bridge linking the village with Kingston upon Thames is dated from about 1219 and replaced the Roman ford at this point. Hampton Wick railway station has good connections to London Waterloo.

Cardinal Wolsey is believed to have lived in Hampton Wick (in Lower Teddington Road) while waiting for Hampton Court Palace to be built.

Sir Richard Steele also lived in Hampton Wick, in a house he whimsically called "The Hovel". He dedicated the fourth volume of the Tatler to Charles, Lord Halifax "from the Hovel at Hampton Wick, April 7, 1711", around the time he became Surveyor of the Royal Stables at Hampton Court Palace, Governor of the King's Comedians, a Justice of the Peace and a knight.

The architect Edward Lapidge both designed and donated the land for St. John's Church, Hampton Wick, built in 1831. Lapidge had been born in the village. He also designed the present Kingston Bridge. In 2010, after five years of closure, the church re-opened its doors under the Church of England's church planting scheme. Services were resumed in December 2010.

Hampton Wick was the setting for the 1970s Thames Television situation comedy George and Mildred. The area is near the former Thames studios at Teddington and filming took place at Manor Road in Teddington. Hampton Wick was also the title of The Two Ronnies' first "classic serial" spoof drama in their first BBC series (1973). In Cockney rhyming slang, "Hampton Wick" means "dick". Hampton Wick is referenced by British singer-songwriter Jamie T in the title track of his 2009 EP Sticks 'n' Stones.