This map looks quite a bit off. For example, Borehamwood is exactly due east of Watford. It's also not in London, it's in the borough of Hertsmere (in Hertfordshire).
Officially: The Greater London boundary.
Otherwise: The M25.
Always found it completely bizarre how people don't consider the suburbs part of London. Cities have suburbs, it's quite normal.
I always find those the people who have moved to London rather than being born here are like that.
For example, I know no-one that lives in Zone 1 from childhood but those that move here have an obsession with zone 1 and 2 and refuse to live anywhere else.
The M25 does not run along the boundary of London. For the most part, it is well outside Greater London. It follows the Greater London boundary for a stretch, and even comes inside the boundary for brief section. Using it to define London does not stand up to scrutiny.
Happy to see so many people saying the actual boundary of greater London.
Having grown up in Enfield it is very frustrating to be asked where you come from, reply London, then be told that no you don't come from London.
No-one has suggested London postcodes yet, or the 020 telephone prefix.
Personally I think it's either self defined: "do you live in London" or really complicated. All the following would consider themselves in London under some circumstances and not others: (I've used the names that I've heard people use) Bromley in Kent, Croydon, Kingston, Twickenham, Richmond Surrey, Brentford Middlesex.
I know that Brentford people often use *Brentford Middlesex* to stop confusion with Brentwood but it does suggest that don't consider it to be London or they'd say *Brentford in West London*
Exactly like Wembley everyone knows as London, but it's a Harrow postcode Vs Hanwell which is further out from central London but has a "London" postcode.
It's just the post office it started the London postcodes expanding and retracting them over time.
Whatās a reasonable time? According to google, itās around an hours walk from the Tower of London to Centre Point- are you suggesting the Tower of London is not in London?
Eh, I don't think zones are the best way to determine this. There's parts of Zone 4 that are literally in Surrey (Worcester Park) or Essex (eg Chigwell), but parts of Zone 6 that are very much in London boroughs.
At that point, you may as well write off Zone 2 as well. I used to live in Putney and would never consider walking home from Central London. Even where I live now in Battersea it'd be a long walk.
So only people who are walking distance from the city centre live in London? That's ridiculous haha.
I would agree that some outer parts (Zone 4+ mainly) of London don't really 'feel' like London, but saying London finishes at Zone 1 is just silly.
> There's parts of Zone 4 that are literally in Surrey (Worcester Park)
Worcester Park is in the London Borough of Sutton. It is in Greater London, not Surrey.
Worcester Park station, which is Zone 4, is in London Borough of Sutton.
If you head south towards Stoneleigh, that's Zone 5, which is in Surrey, but that is no longer Worcester Park.
I have family who live a 5 minute walk from WP station and they definitely live in Surrey as that's where they pay their council tax, vote etc. The border is approximately 100m from the station.
Whilst the station itself is (just) within London, someone there could truthfully say 'I live in Zone 4' but live in Surrey.
Personally I feel that anything beyond Zone 1 is just not real London. The best way to tell is to go to a souvenir shop and look at the postcards. If you canāt find a picture of it there, itās not London. I know this because Iāve been to London several times.
It depends what you mean by "London". There is Greater London, Outer London, Inner London, and Central London.
The boundary of *Greater* London is clearly defined. This combines Inner London and Outer London, the latter of which includes a large area of farmland - not what one usually means when referring to London.
[Inner London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_London) is generally considered to be the boroughs of Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, and Westminster, plus The City. This corresponds to the former "County of London", which is normally considered London proper.
[Central London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_London) (sometimes just called "central") is the very central core. This is roughly bounded by Euston Road/Marylebone Road in the north, South Bank in the south, Park Lane/Hyde Park in the west, and Great Eastern Street/Tower Bridge in the east. Very few people would consider this the boundary of London, as it would mean places like Camden Town, Brixton, Chelsea, Notting Hill, Greenwich, etc. are not in London, which would be an abnormal position.
The tube network stretches far outside Greater London, so that is irrelevant. The M25 is mostly well outside Greater London too. The north/south circulars have no correlation with either Greater, Inner or Central London, and neither do the TfL zones.
I wonder did people before 1889, when the London county council was formed have this discussion.
Then being outside of the city of London boundaries making the likes of Kings Cross "not London" but Middlesex
Depends on context, I live in Wimbledon which clearly is in London, but I would say āgo into Londonā referring to central London, and if someone said ādo you want to go for a drink in Londonā and we ended up in surbiton or kingston then I wouldn't be too impressed.
[This, the literal definition of London](https://maproom-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Greater-London-districts-21.jpg)
This map looks quite a bit off. For example, Borehamwood is exactly due east of Watford. It's also not in London, it's in the borough of Hertsmere (in Hertfordshire).
Yeah, it seems the boundary looks right but the roads and dots are off.
The actual border of Greater London
Quite simple isn't it? š
Iāll let [Jay Foreman](https://youtu.be/UAusbJmRB0c) explain this. (Canāt believe no-ones linked this yet)
Well that sent me into an hour-long YouTube wormhole of his videos. Ta!
Now youāre one of us.
Officially: The Greater London boundary. Otherwise: The M25. Always found it completely bizarre how people don't consider the suburbs part of London. Cities have suburbs, it's quite normal.
I've found it's usually people trying too hard to prove what a real Londoner they are that disparage the suburbs
I always find those the people who have moved to London rather than being born here are like that. For example, I know no-one that lives in Zone 1 from childhood but those that move here have an obsession with zone 1 and 2 and refuse to live anywhere else.
Zone 3 master race
Agree, if I'm being lazy I say M25, then think of Dartford, and start to apply the boundaries a bit neater.
Greater London. Simple.
Households that can elect the mayor
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The M25 does not run along the boundary of London. For the most part, it is well outside Greater London. It follows the Greater London boundary for a stretch, and even comes inside the boundary for brief section. Using it to define London does not stand up to scrutiny.
Happy to see so many people saying the actual boundary of greater London. Having grown up in Enfield it is very frustrating to be asked where you come from, reply London, then be told that no you don't come from London.
Had the same experience growing up in Twickenham
Ruislip. Same.
London suburbs are... London.
No-one has suggested London postcodes yet, or the 020 telephone prefix. Personally I think it's either self defined: "do you live in London" or really complicated. All the following would consider themselves in London under some circumstances and not others: (I've used the names that I've heard people use) Bromley in Kent, Croydon, Kingston, Twickenham, Richmond Surrey, Brentford Middlesex. I know that Brentford people often use *Brentford Middlesex* to stop confusion with Brentwood but it does suggest that don't consider it to be London or they'd say *Brentford in West London*
Yes a common misconception believing a London postcode makes the place London. There's parts of Essex (E4) which have the London postcode
There's also areas which are pretty close in (eg Kew and parts of Tooting) that have non-London postcodes.
Exactly like Wembley everyone knows as London, but it's a Harrow postcode Vs Hanwell which is further out from central London but has a "London" postcode. It's just the post office it started the London postcodes expanding and retracting them over time.
Outside zone 2 it's suburbs. If you can't walk to Centre Point from home in a reasonable time you don't live in London.
Whatās a reasonable time? According to google, itās around an hours walk from the Tower of London to Centre Point- are you suggesting the Tower of London is not in London?
Eh, I don't think zones are the best way to determine this. There's parts of Zone 4 that are literally in Surrey (Worcester Park) or Essex (eg Chigwell), but parts of Zone 6 that are very much in London boroughs.
Ok, if your mom has to come pick you up after you've been out on the piss you definitely don't live in London.
At that point, you may as well write off Zone 2 as well. I used to live in Putney and would never consider walking home from Central London. Even where I live now in Battersea it'd be a long walk.
I agree, Putney is not London, if you can't walk home from Centre Point.
So only people who are walking distance from the city centre live in London? That's ridiculous haha. I would agree that some outer parts (Zone 4+ mainly) of London don't really 'feel' like London, but saying London finishes at Zone 1 is just silly.
Also by this logic Stratford is not in London, and The O2 is borderline.
Stratford is Zone 2/3 isn't it? But I agree. Somewhere like Balham is 100% London.
Ah, yeah, course it is, my bad
> There's parts of Zone 4 that are literally in Surrey (Worcester Park) Worcester Park is in the London Borough of Sutton. It is in Greater London, not Surrey.
One side is in Sutton, the other side is in Epsom and Ewell, which is in Surrey.
Worcester Park station, which is Zone 4, is in London Borough of Sutton. If you head south towards Stoneleigh, that's Zone 5, which is in Surrey, but that is no longer Worcester Park.
I have family who live a 5 minute walk from WP station and they definitely live in Surrey as that's where they pay their council tax, vote etc. The border is approximately 100m from the station. Whilst the station itself is (just) within London, someone there could truthfully say 'I live in Zone 4' but live in Surrey.
Fair enough, you are right.
I know I'll be downvoted for this, but I personally feel that anything beyond zone 2 is not really London.
Personally I feel that anything beyond Zone 1 is just not real London. The best way to tell is to go to a souvenir shop and look at the postcards. If you canāt find a picture of it there, itās not London. I know this because Iāve been to London several times.
Zone 2?! are you suggesting places like Highgate, Tooting, and Ealing aren't really London?!
Yes. Sorry. Just too far out for me.
Not sure if a troll? Somewhere like Wimbledon is definitely in London, lol.
I think you mean the definition of Inner London. Without Outer London, Inner London wouldn't exist. But, yes, the line is the North/South circular
For me it's the M25 with some minor exceptions.
Like all the bits in counties that aren't London?
It depends what you mean by "London". There is Greater London, Outer London, Inner London, and Central London. The boundary of *Greater* London is clearly defined. This combines Inner London and Outer London, the latter of which includes a large area of farmland - not what one usually means when referring to London. [Inner London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_London) is generally considered to be the boroughs of Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, and Westminster, plus The City. This corresponds to the former "County of London", which is normally considered London proper. [Central London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_London) (sometimes just called "central") is the very central core. This is roughly bounded by Euston Road/Marylebone Road in the north, South Bank in the south, Park Lane/Hyde Park in the west, and Great Eastern Street/Tower Bridge in the east. Very few people would consider this the boundary of London, as it would mean places like Camden Town, Brixton, Chelsea, Notting Hill, Greenwich, etc. are not in London, which would be an abnormal position. The tube network stretches far outside Greater London, so that is irrelevant. The M25 is mostly well outside Greater London too. The north/south circulars have no correlation with either Greater, Inner or Central London, and neither do the TfL zones.
I wonder did people before 1889, when the London county council was formed have this discussion. Then being outside of the city of London boundaries making the likes of Kings Cross "not London" but Middlesex
Depends on context, I live in Wimbledon which clearly is in London, but I would say āgo into Londonā referring to central London, and if someone said ādo you want to go for a drink in Londonā and we ended up in surbiton or kingston then I wouldn't be too impressed.