Where is Wimbledon Located?

Wimbledon is a district and town 7.1 miles southwest of London, England. Located in the Borough of Merton, the district has a population of about 73,000 distributed across the following electoral wards: Dundonald, Abbey, Hillside, Village, Trinity, Wimbledon Park, and Raynes Park. Wimbledon is home to the Wimbledon Common, which is the largest area of common land in London, New Wimbledon Theatre, and the globally renowned Wimbledon Centre Court home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

History of Wimbledon

Historical records indicate that Wimbledon has been inhabited as far back as the Iron Age. It was during this period that the hill fort on Wimbledon Common was constructed, and by 1087 the district belonged to the manor of Mortlake. Throughout history, ownership of the manor shifted between various wealthy families. Wimbledon has been associated with wealth and nobility, and the area attracted several families who built large houses including the Wimbledon Manor House, Eagle House, and Warren House. The town continued to grow until the eighteenth century when the railway station running from London to Portsmouth was built, opening up the district to the two cities. In 1838, a metropolitan railway station serving the city of London was established, leading to a boom in population. Wimbledon was absorbed into the Borough of Merton in 1965 as part of the creation of Greater London.

Modern Wimbledon

The population of Wimbledon continued to grow significantly at the beginning of the 20th century. By 1965, Wimbledon had expanded to the outskirts of London, and the government later abolished the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon, the Merton and Morden Urban District, and established the London Borough of Merton in their place. In the 1970s and 1980s, Wimbledon could not compete with the developed commercial centers of Sutton and Kingston because of a lack of space needed to accommodate large infrastructure to attract customers, prompting the city council to demolish part of the old town. Today, Wimbledon is a district buzzing with economic activity. It is both a commercial and residential district that provides refuge to thousands of people, most of whom work within the district or in central London.

Geography of Wimbledon

Wimbledon is located in southwestern part of London, west of Mitcham, south of Wandsworth, east of Kingston upon Thames, and north of Sutton. It is identified among the 35 major centers of Greater London. Wimbledon is an affluent suburb with low-rise apartments, modern housing, and grand Victorian houses. The residential part of the district is split into "the town" and "the village." The town features more modern and urban developments, while the village encompasses the original medieval village of Wimbledon that is currently a prime residential area within the city of London.

Wimbledon and Tennis

Wimbledon hosts the annual Wimbledon Tennis Championships, which is the world's oldest tennis tournament. The championships attract the best tennis players, both female and male, from across the globe. The competition was introduced in 1877 and is the only major tournament played on natural grass.