Coombe, Kingston upon Thames

Coombe is a neighbourhood of Greater London in England, within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It lies to the east of the main town area, and prior to local government re-organisation in 1965 formed the northern part of the former Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe. It centres on what was originally Coombe House, a large, now-demolished, residence. To the north lies Richmond Park; to the east, Wimbledon Common and borders the four boroughs that surround Kingston. Merton, Sutton, Wandsworth and Richmond.

Coombe appears in Domesday Book as Cumbe. It was held partly by Hunfrid (Humfrey) the Chamberlain and partly by Ansgot the Interpreter. Its domesday assets were: 1½ hides; 4 ploughs, 12 acres (49,000 m²) of meadow, herbage worth 4 hogs. It rendered £8.^[1]

Coombe Warren was a wild woodland on Coombe Hill which was used for hunting and public fairs. Jerry Abershaw, 'The Coombe Wood Highwayman', frequented the area, being based at the "Bald Face Stag" pub and he sheltered in the woods. In 1822 the Admiralty opened a semaphore station in the Warren, which was part of the semaphore line from London to Portsmouth. The station has disappeared, but survived in the name of "Telegraph Cottage. The Warren is now covered by the Coombe Hill estate and Coombe Wood Golf Course.^[2]

The Coombe Hill estate consists of Coombe Hill Road, and cul-de-sacs in it, such as Greenwood Park and Devey Close. The estate is highly prestigious and house prices are commonly in to the millions.

Education

For education in Coombe, Kingston upon Thames see the main Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames article.

Notable residents and visitors

Coombe Park is one of the more affluent private roads in Coombe and is home to television personality Jimmy Tarbuck and tennis player Annabel Croft. Rolling Stones bassist Ronnie Wood also lives in an estate on Kingston Hill, located opposite to the entrance of Coombe Park. One of Saddam Hussein's daughters had a house in Golf Club Drive for a number of years, and Elisabeth Murdoch also lived in Coombe for several years. Dwight D. Eisenhower, when Supreme Allied Commander during World War II, based in Bushy Park, lived at "Telegraph Cottage" in Coombe, which was adjacent to the golf course which he used at weekends.^[3] William Ewart Gladstone spent extended periods as a house-guest of friends in Coombe. Dame Nellie Melba lived in a house here for many years.

References