St Margarets takes its name from the former St Margaret's House completed in 1827, although an earlier house of the same name stood on the site. It was the country house of Lord Cassilis, Marquess of Ailsa, and later belonged to the Earl of Kilmorey. Their names can be found in local street names, including Kilmorey Gardens and Ailsa Road. Many Victorian houses remain in St Margarets. In 1854 the St Margaret's Estate was laid out for building family houses, becoming one of the first garden suburbs. Modern St Margarets dates from the arrival of the railway. The new railway station was originally named "Ailsa Crossing" as it passed through the estate of the Marquess of Ailsa, but it was the named "St Margarets" before opening. There are some tree-lined residential roads and a range of shops and cafés. Twickenham Studios are in the middle of the area. Between St Margarets Road and the railway line is a residential estate, "Twickenham Park". The is held each July in the principal public space, Moormead Park by the River Crane. A memorial was unveiled in April 2017 to the 6000 Belgian refugees who lived in St Margarets during the First World War. It is sited on the banks of the Thames at Warren Gardens, next to the site of the Pelabon Munitions Works.
Buildings
In 1814 the painter J. M. W. Turner built Solus Lodge in Sandycoombe Road. The house survives as Sandycombe Lodge. Gordon House is a Grade II listed Georgian mansion on the river Thames at St Margarets. Like St Margaret's House it was previously owned by Lord Kilmorey. The house has a Robert Adam wing, added in 1738. For many years, it was used as part of Brunel University. In recent years the house has been redeveloped by Octagon Developments, with the former chapel and coachhouse converted to private homes. The Kilmorey Mausoleum has been moved several times, and is now located on the northern edge of St Margarets, near the boundary with Isleworth. It was built in the 1850s by the 2nd Earl of Kilmorey and contains the bodies of the Earl and his mistress, Priscilla Anne Hoste. Now a Grade II* listed building, it was built to resemble an ancient Egyptian monument. It is jointly maintained by Richmond upon Thames Council and English Heritage. The mausoleum is occasionally open to the public. The Roman CatholicChurch of St Margaret of Scotland on St Margarets Road was built to a modern design of the architect Austin Winckley and opened in 1969. In 1999 it became a Grade II listed building.
Education
There are three main schools in the town: Orleans Park School, St. Stephen’s Primary School and .
Local community
The high street is flourishing with local, independent businesses. Small businesses elsewhere have suffered in the harsh economic climate, but here, local residents' support may have contributed to an increase in the number of boutique shops opened for business.
Neighbouring areas
Neighbouring districts include East Twickenham to the east, Richmond further to the east, Twickenham to the southwest and Isleworth to the northwest, across the River Crane. Access to the east is restricted by the lack of a fixed river crossing between Richmond Lock and Kew Bridge. Marble Hill House and Marble Hill Park are immediately to the south of St Margarets.
Transport
Road
St Margarets is cut through by the busy Chertsey Road, which connects central London to the M3 motorway. Much of south St Margarets is in a controlled parking zone, which restricts parking to residents and holders of vouchers. See
The bus between Hounslow and Richmond is the only route through St Margarets. Other nearby bus routes are H22, 33, R68, R70 and 490 coming from central Twickenham along Richmond Road; all of these, except 33, go past Richmond station.
