Did you know that...
North Sheen is no longer an official place name. In 1965, this area was integrated into Kew. North Sheen is the name of a railway station that is actually located in Richmond. The first mention of the area comes from 950 as Sceon which means shelter. There were 2,800 people living here in 1901. Starting with 1904, the area appeared on maps. In 1951, there were 7,400 residents. This South West London area is heavily featured in the science-fiction novel The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Two men are trapped under a house here for two weeks during the Martian invasion.
UK’s first barn church can be found in North Sheen. It was founded in 1929 as St Phillip and All Saints but now it is known as The Barn Church. The building is a 17th-century barn. The church features a community hall that is used for children’s activities and ballet classes. The Foster and Andrews two-manual organ dates from 1894. The altar rails are from the Writtle Church in Essex. The poppy-heads are from The Guild Church of St Dunstan-in-the-West on Fleet Street. Stained-glass artist Hugh Ray Easton designed the lady chapel.
North Sheen Cemetary, now known as the Fulham New Cemetery, opened in 1909. There are 110 war graves from World War I and II. George Cross recipient Tony Smith rests here. Other notable burials include political activist Jozef Retinger, British politician Gwyneth Dunwoody, and Polish political activist Aleksandra Pilsudska. North Sheen Recreation Ground was opened in 1909. It is known as The Rec among TW9 residents. It features football grounds, playgrounds, and a sports pavilion clubhouse that was a public underground shelter during World War II. The Rec got a Green Flag Award in 2018. It is home to the Kew Park Rangers Football Club.