Barn Elms is an open space in Barnes in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
It is located on the northerly loop of the River Thames between Barnes and Fulham.
The WWT London Wetland Centre (105 acres of what were once reservoirs) lies to the north of the open space, now largely given over to sporting venues. The site is split in two: the Barn Elms Playing Fields[1] (managed by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames) and the Barn Elms Sports Centre[2] (managed by the London Borough of Wandsworth) which includes a boathouse as well as a sports centre. Beverley Brook flows across the southern part of the open space, joining the Thames almost opposite Craven Cottage.
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There are facilities for much amateur sport, such as football, rugby, tennis, softball and cricket, and an athletics track which is often used by the BBC. It is also the home ground for Barnes Eagles FC.,[3] Stonewall FC [4] and London French RFC.[5] The facilities were under threat of commercial development until the local community petitioned Richmond Council. To ensure the future of Barn Elms as playing fields the community has created the Barn Elms Sports Trust.[6]
The oldest plane tree [7] in London is located at Barn Elms.
Barn Elms Sports Centre.[8] is a fifty-two acre, multi-sports facility, which hosts the Elms Gym, twenty tennis courts, AstroTurf playing surfaces and a whole range of grass sports pitches including football, rugby, cricket and softball. It is also the home ground for the semi-professional Barnes RFC
Its name is derived from the Georgian house and parkland which stood on the site, until it was burnt down in the 1950s. The Kit-Cat Club met at Barn Elms for many years.
The house referred to may be a later property to one occupied by Sir Francis Walsingham known as "Elizabeth's Spymaster" from a recent book by Robert Hutchinson. Queen Elizabeth I would visit Barn Elms to see her Spymaster, as did many others at different times including Samuel Pepys. The house was also the home of Sir Lancelot Shadwell, who was Vice Chancellor of England in the 19th century. In earlier times the property was in the ownership of the Archbishop of Canterbury and later the Bishop of London. More recently the site was the home of Ham Polo Club. Over 100 years ago it hosted Fulham F.C. home games. . In 1891 Barn Elms for a short time played host to Queens Park Rangers. The club was forced to move there after it became impossible to play soccer at their home ground in Brondesbury shared as it was with London Scottish rugby club.[9]
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