Barnes

Barnes feels like a village that happens to be in London. The pond, the green, the independent shops along Church Road, it all works. The Wetland Centre is a genuine draw if you have young kids. Trains from Barnes and Barnes Bridge get you to Waterloo in about 25 minutes, but the one-way system and the level crossing make driving painful. Housing is a mix of large Victorian and Edwardian houses, with some very expensive riverside properties along the Terrace. The community is tight and vocal. If you can afford it and you want a quiet family life with easy access to central London, it's hard to argue with.

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