New Malden is a residential area in southwest London, in the boroughs of Kingston and Merton. It lies 9.4 miles from Charing Cross, with close-by localities being Kingston upon Thames, Raynes Park, Surbiton, Tolworth, Wimbledon and Worcester Park. The town developed wholly because of the coming of the railway when New Malden Railway Station opened in 1846 on the main line from Waterloo. The name stems from the one-time village of old Malden, which was 2 miles to the south of the town, which translates from Old English as 'the cross on the hill'. Building of homes went off with a sluggish start, starting to speed up nearer the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century after the building of both two and 3 bed room terraced homes. From the 1930s, the construction of detached and semi-detached homes started. The town is the home of a wide range of social, sports and leisure activities. The Malden Centre is a sports centre featuring a swimming pool, a health club and community facilities, together with providing adult learning courses. A football pitch, tennis courts, a kids's playground, allotments and open space can be located at Beverley Park. In terms of shopping opportunities, the 15000 citizens of Malden have a range of independent and national stores in which to shop. Established in 1913, Tudor Williams Ltd. is a family-run department store situated in the High Street. The company has stores throughout England, most recently in Elphicks of Farnham and Knights of Reigate. Through the Christmas period of each year, the High Street is covered with lights, having its own switching-on event. For all your home upgrades, make certain to make use of trustworthy contractors in New Malden to make certain of quality.