Charlton is a community-oriented neighbourhood located along the Thames in south London. While the neighbourhood isn’t hugely popular amongst tourists, locals love the area for its wonderful schools and great parks such as Charlton Park. When residents aren’t enjoying the green leafy offerings or their affordable post-war terraced houses, they can be found viewing a match at the Charlton Athletic Football Club or grabbing a pint at the historic White Swan Inn. Wandering out of the pubs onto Charlton Village, the road that lines historic Charlton Park, it’s clear that this historic and quaint pocket of South London is one of the area’s best kept secrets.

The historic Charlton House in the neighbourhood dates back to 1612, when it was built for Prince Henry’s tutor. Eventually, the street near the house, called The Village, developed into a local commercial hub - with shops and pubs. Two of the street’s pubs, The White Swan and The Bugle Horn still stand there today. By 1925, the borough of Greenwich had purchased the house and grounds, converting it into a public park. Today the park is a local favourite in the area, and is home to a community centre, library, and events space.

It’s believed that the oldest Mulberry tree in Great Britain sits in the park near Charlton House. The tree was planted by James I in 1608 when he created a mulberry garden on the property.

The neighbourhood is unfortunately cut through by the busy thoroughfare of A102. With its unsightly appearance and noise and air pollution, many are put off by the part of the neighbourhood near this road. Still, locals aren’t generally bothered by it, and feel that it really only impacts a small portion of the neighbourhood.

There are plenty of exciting new developments coming to Charlton. One of the larger ones will be the Herringham Quarter, which aims to provide over 1,200 new homes by 2026, with 40% of the proposed apartments being classed as ‘affordable’. This massive new neighbourhood is part of the broader regeneration of Charlton Riverside, integrating residential development with modern industrial, office and creative employment opportunities. The area was also going to become home to a major housing complex built by Rockwell Estates. However, due to petitions from the local community, upset about the demolition that would come with this development, the proposed plans have been scrapped. Unlike many other areas of London, Charlton is still home to a solid community capable of resisting unwanted development where necessary.