Expanding around the Ewell West railway station, West Ewell, is a large residential area, containing an area of shops and restaurants. It is well connected to London with a number of buses and trains covering the 12-mile distance. The numerous residents and visitors have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of recreational activities (from Rugby to Golf) offered in the large green spaces surrounding the West Ewell area. The road patterns ensure that traffic is limited making the streets safe for residents to walk and enjoy their time there. This might be why the numerous interwar and postwar buildings that cover the area are filled with families looking to escape London without sacrificing the affordances a city provides.

Ewell is part of a long line of bronze age settlements, as is evident from the numerous architectural discoveries made in the area, ranging from pottery to sacrificial bones. Across the years a number of civilisations chose to settle in the land that Ewell now covers. The main reason for that is related to the natural spring and the adjoining pond of the river Hogsmill, which enables agricultural practices and fishing. In fact, the name Ewell in the Anglo-Saxon dialect meant river source. In 1538, King Henry the eighth chose this land as the right ground upon which he would build the Nonsuch Palace using the rest of the area as his personal hunting grounds. The need for housing in the 19th century saw the grounds being transformed to residential areas with a number of Edwardian and Victorian buildings created to accommodate the increasing number of people. After the World Wars the area was further developed, evidenced by the interwar and postwar building styles present in the area.

Tunnels have been found under Ewell dating back to the English Civil War. Passages were found underneath a shop on West and High Street, but unfortunately the rest of the tunnels were poorly documented and therefore remain inaccessible to visitors.

In 2005 the area was described as the best place to live in accordance with the British TV program best and worst places to live in the UK. This was a result of the low crime rate, good education and numerous green spaces provided in the area.

A number of artists and athletes have lived in the area, enriching the area’s cultural and artistic history. To be more specific, the artist William Holman Hunt, who was also part of the Pre-Raphaelite movement produced several pieces at Ewell, with the most famous being The Light of the World.

The roads surrounding the area, connecting it with large nearby cities, often suffer heavy traffic, especially during rush hour. Nevertheless, the area is well connected with frequent trains and buses providing alternative means of transport for car users.

Given that the area is dominated by protected greenbelt land and designated parks, not much development is expected to occur. As a result, that ensures that the residents’ lives are not to be disturbed by any major works. However, the planned arrival of crossrail 2 at Ewell is expected to bring renewed interest to the area. This is predicted to help with congestion on the South Western Mainline, which is one of the busiest routes in the country. However, plans have been on hold since the covid-19 pandemic began in 2020 meaning the project could take a long time to come to fruition.