An under-the-radar ‘village’ in south-west London has become a magnet for celebrities seeking a low-key lifestyle – and some claim it’s so peaceful 'you might as well be in the Cotswolds'. Barnes, tucked away on the leafy southern banks of the Thames opposite Hammersmith, has quietly become one of the capital's most sought after places to live – particularly if you're rich and famous.Stanley Tucci, Gary Lineker, Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed and Rick Stein all call the SW13 postcode home, amongst many other high-profile names.Thanks to its swift connections to both central London and Heathrow airport, as well as plentiful Georgian mansions and pretty Victorian cottages, it's become one of the capital's most desirable enclaves for modest celebrities, old money 'creatives' and City slickers who crave the countryside but still want a quick commute.Unlike more popular parts of London such as Primrose Hill, Chelsea and Richmond-upon-Thames, Barnes isn't besieged by daytrippers either, with most tourists to the capital having never heard of it. A slice of country life 30 minutes from the heart of the Big Smoke, Barnes sits opposite Hammersmith in south-west London on the banks of the Thames and has become a hotspot for famous faces seeking a quieter life Barnes pond is at the heart of the village... with the London postcode also home to a major wetlands and a sprawling common The Devil Wears Prada star Stanley Tucci, 65, who is married to Emily Blunt's sister Felicity, has lived in Barnes for a number of yearsJust how sought after the riverside village has become in recent years is reflected in the average property price, which sits at between £1.1million and £1.6million according to Rightmove – up to more than six times the average price of a UK home, which is around £250,000.Local property expert Edward Dennett, who was raised in Dorset but has worked in the capital for 14 years, says Barnes is her 'favourite place in south-west London by a country mile', adding: 'If you walk around the pond and the commons, it literally feels like you're in the countryside. 'It's a very picturesque little village, but obviously you're moments away from the city. Houses come with beautiful carriage driveways – off-street parking for four or five cars and 100-foot gardens – they're not simply "pads."' Selling a property in the village last year, Dennett, who's an Associate Director at upmarket Barnes estate agent Wilfords, found himself watching 'Stanley Tucci in his kitchen, working his magic' while showing a prospective buyer around a nearby home. The Devil Wears Prada star, 65, who's married to Emily Blunt's sister Felicity, has lived in the village for years. 'Barnes has a few A-listers, Z-listers and plenty inbetween', he jokes, saying that you don't have to wander far around the village's plentiful green spaces or trendy coffee shops – including The Nest on the High Street or yes, Gail's, on Church Road – before you come face-to-face with a star. How Barnes became even more exclusive... Hammersmith Bridge closed to traffic in 2020 - except cyclists and walkers – and house prices have been rising steadily since Former England footballer and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker has lived in Barnes for decades since moving from SurreyRobert Pattinson, pictured with his sister Lizzy, grew up in Barnes, attending private day school Harrodian. Right: Gyles Brandreth and his daughter Aphra litter picking on Barnes Common; the author and TV star has lived in the village for decades Holly Willoughby and husband Dan Baldwin were long-term residents of Barnes before moving out in 2024'You get privacy in Barnes. You see all these famous faces walking around but not a single person will bother them.' What really cemented Barnes's status as London's most unassuming celebrity hideaway was the closure of Hammersmith Bridge in 2020. A steady flow of juggernauts, buses, cars and taxis had previously flowed into Castelnau, one of the area's main thoroughfares, with heavy traffic directly impacting property prices.Six years on, with no imminent plans for the bridge to re-open, only foot passengers and cyclists can cross the river into Barnes, which has made it infinitely more appealing to buyers, says Dennett. 'We were recently selling a house on Castelnau and I was there at 9 o'clock in the morning on a Saturday waiting for a client – I didn't see a single car.'Likewise, we've currently got a house on the market that backs onto the London Wetlands Centre in Barnes. If you were on the terrace, looking out of the back of that house, you could be in the Cotswolds. There's not a single person or a single business in sight.'Add in a flurry of tennis clubs and private schools nearby – including the prestigious Harrodian School, where Twilight and The Drama star Robert Pattinson was educated, and streets crammed with independent shops and restaurants, and it isn't hard to see why City hotshots and big name stars can't get enough of this nature-filled postcode. The average price of a home in Barnes comes in at between £1.1million and £1.6million The village is crammed with independent shops and characterful pubsRick Stein's Barnes restaurant, opened in 2017, comes with a riverside view. The chef, 79, has made the neighbourhood his London homeSo who else might you bump into if you book a table for a Sunday roast at one of the most popular pubs in Barnes – The Sun Inn or The Waterman's Arms? Gary Lineker, the former footballer and Match of the Day host turned media entrepreneur, has lived in Barnes for more than a decade after de-camping from Surrey. Rick Stein is regularly in town when he's not in Padstow, Cornwall or at his home in Australia. Since 2017, the British chef, 79, has had his only London restaurant right on the river in Barnes. WHERE TO BUMP INTO A CELEB IN BARNES The Nest: Independent coffee shop by day, cocktail bar by nightThe Waterman's Inn: Produce-driven gastro pub right on the ThamesThe Brown Dog: Hidden away foodie pub in 19th century buildingThe Sun Inn: Community pub with a bowling green and live musicOlympic Studios cinema: Recording space that's hosted The Rolling Stones turned bougie cinema and restaurant Musical theatre star Michael Ball has resided in a Victorian townhouse in the postcode for more than 30 years with his partner Cathy McGowan, once calling Barnes a 'timewarp' where you have to stop for 'the ducks and geese that walk across the road' but can still be in London's West End in 20 minutes. Ditto Oscar-winning lyricist Sir Tim Rice, who has lived in Barnes for 35 years and author and TV personality Gyles Brandeth, who grew up in South Kensington but settled in Barnes when he started a family with his wife Michele Brown. There's rock star credentials too. The village's cool cinema, Olympic Studios, once played host to The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Queen and The Who as one of London's most famous recording spaces. Queen's Bryan May and Roger Taylor have both lived there and TV presenter Holly Willoughby only recently moved out after raising her children in Barnes with TV producer husband Dan Baldwin. You are probably unlikely to find the hottest twentysomething star residing in Barnes though, says estate agent Dennett, or even lots of young families. This posh London village is for a more mature vintage.He adds: 'The main thing I've noticed with Barnes, I would say, is it's more for people at the latter end of their career. It's not for people who are just starting out and don't have kids, and want to go out every single night.'Aside from those famous names, who typically lives here then? 'They're usually fairly well into their career... late 40s, early 50s – perhaps with ten to 15 years left of a finance career. Their kids are teenagers and they're settled,' he says.The lack of a London Underground station is unlikely to bother them either. Dennett says: 'There's no night tube coming on here - but if you're the partner of a top law firm, the chances are you're not working till midnight anymore.'