Modern day Mitcham is a sprawling part of South West London but it was once a village in Surrey. This ancient history makes it a very interesting place to live and if you are thinking of moving to Mitcham, its deep history is only the beginning of why you should move to this beautiful suburb of London. 

Mitcham’s history dates back to mediaeval times when it began its life as a Celtic settlement. Evidence for this can be found via the hill fort at Pollards Hill. It has seen Roman and Anglo-Saxons settling in the area over the centuries, with graves of their eras both being found in Mitcham. Many of the Anglo-Saxon finds are now on display at the British Museum.

This deep history is only the beginning of why Mitcham is such a good place to live. Within this article, we are going to talk you through the top five reasons why moving to Mitcham is a great idea.

Thriving Local Economy

In the 18th Century, Mitcham’s most thriving industry was growing aromatic plants and shrubs, including camomile, poppies, liquorice and anise. The industry began when Ephraim Potter and William Moore took advantage of Mitcham’s rich black loam to grow lavender, setting up a distillery at Tamworth Farm. The lavender field attracted people to settle in the area as the air was so soothing. 

However, later in the 18th Century, Mitcham’s identity changed from a rural retreat to an industrial powerhouse, first as a Calico cloth printing centre, and later a manufacturing hub, with companies producing a range of products into the 20th century, from confectionery to fireworks to paint.

Although many of its past industries have left Mitcham, there are still many job prospects within Mitcham as it has many local businesses and, with two stations and easy tram links to Wimbledon, you can quickly and easily get to the rest of the city so you can also look further afield.

Quality of Life

Even though Mitcham is a part of London, which is known as a big city, Mitcham actually has a wealth of green spaces. 

Mitcham Common is one of these green spaces. It is 460 acres of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation and is also part of the Wandle Valley Country Park. It has many guided walks that you can go on where you will see ponds, meadows and a whole host of wildlife. 

Along with Mitcham Common, there are a whole host of parks and playing fields, open to more walks but also sports and kids playing. 

If you love nature and green spaces, moving to Mitcham will allow you to enjoy these whilst being able to enjoy the sights and sounds of London.

Excellent Education Facilities

If you are thinking about moving to Mitcham and you have children (or want to have children at some point), you will want to know about the schools within the area. 

Mitcham is a place with many highly rated schools. These include: 

• Harris Primary Academy
• St Mark’s Primary School 
• Lonesome Primary School 
• Rutlish Secondary School – which was judged as Outstanding by Ofsted in 2022
• Graveney Secondary School 
• Harris Academy 

There are many excellent schools to choose from which will all help your children to learn to their full potential. 

If you are wanting to learn something new yourself or to retrain, there are also many adult education opportunities available in Mitcham, ranging from business courses to creative courses.

Mitcham also has a library which is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and then 8am to 5pm on Saturday. Libraries are so important as they give everyone access to books for learning and enjoyment.

Accessible Transportation Links

Mitcham has two stations – Mitcham Eastfields and Mitcham Junction, servicing Blackfriars and London Bridge, meaning Mitcham is handily connected for the city and has quite a quick and simple commute. 

It takes less than half an hour to get to London Bridge and Blackfriars, 20 minutes to get to Victoria and just over half an hour to get to Kings Cross. Clapham Junction and Wimbledon are just short 10 minute journeys via the train and the tram, respectively. 

The regular tram service to Wimbledon also opens you up to a wide selection of bars, pubs, restaurants and nightlife. 

Moving to Mitcham will allow for an easy commute, if you have one, and make for a lot of fun on the days and nights where you can let your hair down.

Affordable Living

Mitcham is still a part of London so its house prices aren’t tiny but in comparison to its neighbouring areas, such as Wimbledon, it is extremely well-priced. 

The average house price in Mitcham is £456,890. In Wimbledon, the average price is  £811,774, with semi-detached properties fetching £1,260,085.

Moving to Mitcham will give you London on your doorstep, plenty of green spaces and all for a much more affordable price than its neighbouring areas.

Are You Thinking of Moving To Mitcham?

If you are thinking of moving to Mitcham, we do not blame you! There are so many excellent reasons as to why Mitcham is an excellent place to live. 

It has a great deal of history which has formed the foundation for an area that now has a thriving economy and that is much more affordable than many of its neighbouring areas. 

It also has some top quality school options for your children. And if you are wanting to go back into education, there are many adult courses available in the area too. 

With its excellent transport links, you can get to areas in London, quickly and easily. And at the weekends you can enjoy nature and wildlife, within one of its many green spaces. 

Mitcham is a place with a great deal on offer and it will be a wonderful place to live.

If you are considering moving to Mitcham, our self storage will be a great help. Please give us a call on 020 8646 8930 or click here to find out how.