Cheam

Cheam is a place in the London Borough of Sutton.

Cheam is a small but thriving town close to Sutton. There are two main areas, North Cheam and Cheam Village. North Cheam includes more retail shops and supermarkets, whilst Cheam Village and the South of Cheam is more residential.

Cheam's roots can be dated back as far as 1018, when Chertsey Abbey owned the area. In the Domesday Book, the Bishop was holding Cheam to cater for the monks. In the Middle Ages, Cheam was known for its potteries, and recent excavations have been discovered by archaelogists. In 1538, part of Cheam was handed over to Henry VIII. The same year, Henry began work on Nonsuch Palace, which he decorated fantastically. This was later sold and demolished. In 1801, the time of the first census, Cheam had a population of 616.

Cheam is home to The Lumley Chapel. Situated next to St Dunstan's church, it is the oldest standing building in the London Borough of Sutton.

Now Cheam is mainly built up, but still retains Nonsuch Park, also home to a chicken pen, drinking fountain, ice cream shop, and car park. Nonsuch High School for Girls, a notable grammar school, backs onto the park, as does Cheam Park. Cheam Park only extends on Nonsuch Park, with many facilities such as tennis courts, crazy golf, football pitches and a children's playground.

Trivia

Harry Secombe used to live in Cheam.
The sit com Terry and June was filmed in Cheam.
A scene from the Channel 4 comedy, Peep Show (series 2, episode 3), was filmed in Cheam Park.
In most seasons of the comedy series Hancock's Half-Hour, Tony Hancock lived in Railway Cuttings, East Cheam. The road is fictional.

Nearest places

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