Wallington is a residential suburb in the heart of Sutton, nestled between Carshalton and Beddington. Easily commutable from London via the Wallington Railway station, the area has attracted many families over the past several decades. The neighbourhood, home to rows of Victorian terraced houses and modern towers of flats, has plenty going on for a small London suburb. If popping down on a weekend day, you’ll likely see families attending community classes and lectures at the Wallington Library, and students from the highly rated Wallington High School gallivanting in and out of the many independent shops by the train station. Locals also love going for Tex-Mex at Cactus Grill Bar and Restaurant, often followed by a drink or two at The Wallington Arms. After exploring the town, it’ll be easy to understand why so many families are willing to make the commute.

Wallington is believed to have been a medieval settlement based around a manor. By 1771, a paper mill had been constructed in the area, which produced not just flour but also chocolate. Development was still quite slow in the area though. At the start of the 19th century, the neighbourhood was nothing more than a few cottages and an inn. It wasn’t until the Croydon to Epsom Railway was built in 1847, that the neighbourhood really grew into a village. Later in the 19th century, the Lord of Wallington Manor laid out an estate of Gothic villas. At the beginning of the 20th century, the area had grown further and was now home to multiple schools for its young residents. While the neighbourhood still has an old village vibe, many of the Victorian houses have since been replaced with more modest homes.

Wallington High School dates back all the way to the 19th century. Having originally opened in 1888, the current building didn’t open until 1965.

The Wallington train station is serviced only by Southern Railways. This train line, like many other commuter train providers in the UK, has a history of delays. Residents don’t see this as a huge issue though, and feel lucky to have a direct line into central London.

Wallington is experiencing a number of exciting new development and improvements as of late. Sutton Living redeveloped the former Wallington Public Hall and delivered by the end of 2021 a collection of 30 apartments on the site. To the north by Hackbridge and Beddington Park, a new residential development was announced. Called ‘New Mill Quarter’, the development will offer a total of 440 new homes, including 1 and 2-bedroom apartments and 3 and 4-bedroom houses. The borough of Sutton was also identified as an Opportunity Area by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Wallington has been categorised as a District Town Centre in the Mayor’s plans. While many of the interventions have not been detailed and finalised, with many of these initiatives project to be completed for 2035, it’s clear that South Beddington will see some changes in the coming years.