What to know about Clapham

As one of the best known estate agents in the area, the Clapham office of Marsh & Parsons has flats and houses to rent in the old town of Clapham, the High Street and Clapham North as well as Brixton, Vauxhall and Stockwell. The area's residents are a huge mix of young professionals, young families attracted by excellent local schools and older families in search of big houses.

"Obviously the park is a huge attraction," says Robbie Dillon, the Lettings Manager of the Clapham office. "There are some stunning houses overlooking it on the north and south side. The transport links here are excellent, the bars and night life are buzzing and there is a thriving café culture on the streets. Fantasia Café near our office is an excellent example and on a Saturday morning you can barely get a table."

Schools are a big attraction of this area and the best include: Thomas's, Honeywell Infants and Junior schools, Hornsby House, Hotham Primary and Streatham and Clapham High School. Shopping here has changed dramatically in recent years and although there are good supermarkets nearby, there are also plenty of independent shops and boutiques. Abbeville Village is very much "Nappy Valley", full of young families and great nurseries. Clapham Old Town has plenty of boutiques and is very family friendly while the High Street is for a much younger crowd. The French school on Wix's Lane also attracts buyers from overseas.

Clapham has, and still does, attract a number of celebrity residents. These have included Samuel Pepys, William Wilberforce and Sir Kingsley Amis, while Clapham is now home to Vanessa Redgrave, Vivienne Westwood and J K Rowling.

As one of the premier estate agents letting properties in the SW4 area, Marsh & Parsons prides itself on its local know how. From the best schools in the area to the finest boutiques, bars and restaurants and the cost of a resident's parking permit, estate agents at Marsh & Parsons have their finger firmly on the local pulse.

Property types in Clapham

While much of the architecture in and around Clapham is Victorian, there is a handful of Queen Anne and Georgian houses that can be found overlooking the Common. As a result of the dominance of Victorian properties, there is a great selection of period conversions in the area, while there are also a selection of new developments including the popular Latitude development, which is moments from Clapham Common itself.

So, what will you get for your money in Clapham?

As Clapham's premium estate agent, Marsh & Parsons will typically rent one-bedroom flats from between £310 and £420 in its core area of Clapham Old Town SW4. The High Street is slightly cheaper with rents for one-bedroom flats starting at £320 a week and in nearby Brixton SW9 rents start at £300 a week.

For a two-bedroom flat in the Old Town, tenants can expect to pay between £395 and £460 a week, falling to £375 on the High Street and £335 for a garden flat in Brixton SW9. Clapham is very popular with young sharers and a three bedroom house can be rented for £550 a week, with rents rising as high as £1,200 and upwards for the best houses on the Common.

What else can you expect from Clapham?

Besides the 220-acre Common with its music festivals, gigs, kite flying and bike riding, Clapham has plenty of parks and other open spaces, as well as a selection of convenient gyms and leisure centres.

After all that fresh air and exercise you'll probably need a drink and something to eat and Clapham has no shortage of venues to suit all tastes. The Tim Bobbin is an old-fashioned local on Lilleshall Road rather than a gastropub, wine bar or disco, but instead it has a dartboard and good, straightforward grub. The Sun, five minutes' walk from the Common in Old Town, has a beer garden and a wonderful log fire indoors and serves Thai food, but service at the bar can be a bit slow when it's packed with bright young things. And if you are looking for a quiet way to while away an afternoon, check out The Pavement Café for a spot of lunch or a delicious piece of cake.

For more formal dining, Fish Club on St John's Hill, is a gastro-chippie and was voted Time Out's Best Cheap Eat; and Fish in a Tie is another very reasonable seafood eatery. If you’re looking for something slightly more upmarket head to More! which serves modern European cuisine with a rustic influence, it is well worth a visit. Grafton House in Old Town is a sumptuous restaurant with sleek design, a fabulous atmosphere and excellent food, while Carmen on Clapham Common South Side, is a tapas bar that is packed on most nights.

With a vast selection of shops, including the ubiquitous High Street chains and supermarkets, Clapham also has more than its fair share of independent retailers, including the fabulous M Moen & Sons butcher's on The Pavement; Places and Spaces, for furniture, and Joy on St John's Hill which sells everything from rubber ducks and crazy clothes to retro fashion and homewares.

Green Areas in Clapham

One of the prime attractions of Clapham is Clapham Common itself, which offers a substantial area of green open space with some 220-acres of land. Mentioned as far back as the Domesday Book in 1086, Clapham Common offers three ponds, an all weather games area, tennis courts, bowling greens and grass pitches. With two playgrounds and three cafes for weary parents, Clapham Common also provides diverse ecological areas. Clapham Common Bandstand is an impressive historical feature of the common and boasts the accolade of the oldest and largest bandstand in Greater London.

There are other parks in the area including Heathbrook Park and Larkhall Park.

Transport in Clapham

There are excellent transport links in Clapham offering London Underground services from the following stations:-

Clapham North (Northern Line, Zone 2)
Clapham Common (Northern Line, Zone 2)
Clapham South (Northern Line, Zone 2)
Vauxhall (Victoria Line, Zone 1)
Stockwell (Victoria Line, Zone 2)

Click here for a London Underground map.

Additionally, Clapham High Road and Wandsworth Road stations offer National Rail services to Victoria and London Bridge.

Clapham also offers a great selection of bus routes. Click here for more information about bus routes around Clapham Common, and click here for buses from Clapham South.

Which London Borough is Clapham in?

Clapham is in the London Borough of Lambeth click here for more information about council tax bands, parking permits and healthcare services in the borough.

How can I find out about schools in the Clapham area?

For a comprehensive list of schools in the Borough of Lambeth please click here.