Carshalton is located in the London Borough of Sutton. This neighborhood area includes parts of Carshalton Beeches, Carshalton on the Hill, The Wrythe, Carshalton Village, Eastern St. Helier and Middleton Circle. Its suburban streets are surrounded by open green spaces, greenery and plenty of 20th century architecture. There is a strong sense that Carshalton is one of London’s few areas with a strong village type atmosphere holding on to the historic character that so makes this place unique compared to other areas of London. Carshalton High Street is testament to this as it includes local family run pubs, shops and restaurants that have served residents for several decades.

Carshalton’s long history is evident simply in the meaning of the origins of its name, which was ‘Aulton’, translating to ‘Old Town’ from Old English. It is only since the last two centuries that it has been known by its current name. Carshalton was known for its industrial prowess, producing items such as cooper, snuff, leather, and gunpowder. The area’s proximity to the River Wandle was ideal for its industrial development as 17th and 18th century factories were primarily powered by water. Around the mid-1700s the area grew to become an important locality, known for textile bleaching and printing.

The seminal British 1960s glam pop rock band, Mud, originated in Carshalton. Its members, Les Gray, Rob Davis and Dave Munt all grew up in this South London area. The former British Prime Minister, John Major, also grew up in this area. He served his tenure in charge of the Conservative Party between 1990 and 1997.

A local Carshalton Secondary School has enforced a controversial policy that calls for all pupils to wear number plates on their bicycles when cycling to school. The local and much-cherished St Helier’s Hospital has had immense pressure recently and campaigners and locals are in fear it closing. In 2020, it was decided that emergency, maternity and children’s in-patient services would close at both Epsom and St Helier Hospitals and a new specialist facility would be built at the Sutton Hospital site in Belmont.

In 2016, the Charles Cryer Theatre in Carshalton was closed, after operating for 25 years. Thankfully, Sutton Council found a new tenant for the space and it was reopened in 2019 by the CryerArts Ltd company. For the first time in 30 years, Sutton Council has developed new council homes, adding 93 homes to the borough. The project has brought 15 houses to Carshalton, 57 flats to Wallington and 21 houses to Beddington. The Carshalton site, on Fellowes Road, is already fully occupied. In 2019, a much-needed multi-million-pound refurb was completed for Carshalton railway station, bringing new lifts to the station that improve its accessibility for passengers with mobility issues.