Kew Gardens
When faced with a botanic problem in the form of the alien seed pods which arrived on Earth in 'The Living Stones', the Tomorrow People turned for assistance to a botanist at Kew Gardens, and old friend of the Damons, Beth.
| The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew are located near Richmond, Surrey, on the banks of the River Thames. Now a World Heritage Site, Kew has been the location of royal gardens since the sixteenth century. Its proximity to the now vanished Richmond Palace and Hampton Court Palace, combined with its convenient riverside location made it an ideal repository for the exotic plants in the royal collection. Kew Gardens is now a major centre for plant conservation and runs the Millenium seed bank at Wakehurst Place. Its mission statement now emphasises the enabling of better management of Earth's resources by improving our understanding of the plant and fungal kingdoms. |  (Above) The Victoria Gate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, seen in April 2007. |
The gardens are a popular tourist destination, boasting both restful expanses of woodland (covering an area of 300 acres) and large climate controlled greenhouses. They are easily reached by rail. For information on visiting, see the Kew Gardens website.
Twickenham
Twickenham, in West London, was used as the filming location for the neighbourhood of Kevin's home and Megabyte's embassy-owned house in 'The Origin Story'. It was on the streets of Twickenham that Kevin and Megabyte walked, fought with their bullying peers and caught buses. The street signs 'Trafalgar Road' and 'Woodbine Close' are both clearly visible during the story. (Street Map)
(Above) The corner of Trafalgar Road, Twickenham, as seen on screen (left) and in April 2007 (right).
Twickenham, like many of the filming locations in the Original Series, forms part of the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames. Twickenham itself was incorporated as a borough in 1937. Twickenham lies on gravel, forming part of the Thames floodplain. There has been a settlement in the area since at least the early eighth century, with development slowly linking it to the surrounding parishes of Kingston, Whitton and Strawberry Hill. Twickenham is now a large town (within the wider London conurbation) with a mixture of buildings and building styles. Perhaps its most famous feature is the Twickenham Rugby Stadium - home of English Rugby. The stadium has been largely responsible for the evolution of the town from a location for fashionable large country houses to a more suburban, residential area.
(Above) The corner of Woodbine Close, Twickenham, as seen on screen (left) and in April 2007 (right).
The quiet area has many large houses, including new-builds, similar in style to Megabyte's house. The closest mainline rail station is Strawberry Hill.