The quaint tree lined streets of Claygate can convince any city dweller to trade in their London flat for a suburban lifestyle. Accessible via the Claygate Train Station, the neighbourhood draws in mostly wealthy young families. Between the many good schools in the area, like Rowan Preparatory School, and the countless recreational opportunities, it’s understandable that children and parents alike love the area. Residents looking to take advantage of these recreational offerings have their pick from riding lessons at the expansive Slough Farm Livery, jogs around the Claygate Recreation Ground, and a match or two at Claygate Lawn Tennis Club. For those looking for a bit of a less active past time, there are also plenty of great places to grab a pint - from the Brightwater Brewery Platform 3 to The Hare and Hounds. With all that it has to offer, it’s no wonder that the Claygate community is such a happy one!

Having begun in the 11th century as a manor for the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey, the site of Claygate was eventually annexed to Hampton Court in the 16th century. The area picked up the name Claygate because of the many clay pits, leading people to view it quite literally as the gateway to the clay. Later on, it developed into a small rural village. After the arrival of the railway in the late 19th century though, the village quickly grew into a desirable residential neighbourhood. Today, it continues to be a desirable suburban village - attracting families looking to settle in a tight knit community.

Famed historian, Frances Yates, lived in the Claygate neighbourhood. She was most well known for her book, The Art of Memory.

The train line that runs through Claygate station is managed by South Western Railways. In recent years, they have had countless issues regarding delays of their trains. Nevertheless, residents are still happy to have a train station in the middle of town for trips into London.

Like many comparable rural suburbs the rate of development in Claygate is slow. This is partially because the residential centre of this area is surrounded by greenbelt land on three sides. Wealthy residents looking to keep their pristine neighbourhood exclusive also mean that developers can have a hard time getting planning permission. Nonetheless the highly anticipated introduction of Crossrail 2 to nearby Chessington South Station is expected to increase pressure from developers further. Just ten minutes drive from Claygate, this new line will ease congestion by increasing the frequency and speed of trains into central London. However, similarly to the recently completed Elizabeth Line rail project, Crossrail 2 is likely to take over a decade to open, especially as plans have now been on hold since the covid pandemic.