Buddhapadipa Temple

The Thai government bought a property at 99 Christchurch Road, East Sheen for £17,000 on 24 August 1965, and the first monks took up residence there on 15 November 1965. King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit formally opened the temple on 1 August 1966, on Asalha Puja, and King Bhumibol gave it the name Buddhapadipa, Light of the Buddha. The Barrogill estate at 14 Calonne Road was bought in 1975 and the monks moved there in 1976. The ordination hall was consecrated on 3 April 1982 to designs by Praves Limparangsri at a cost of about 33 million Thai baht. Thirty Thai artists painted the interior over eight years from 1984 under Panya Vijinthanasarn and Chalermchai Kositpipat; the central chamber was finished in 1987 and the side rooms in 1992. The temple stands beside Wimbledon Common, and there is no station within 1.4 km; route 93 stops at Calonne Road, 330 m away, and at Parkside Avenue, 358 m.