A 48 hour housesit in Wimbledon offers a taste of local life, from Wimbledon Common and historic houses to literary landmarks and a charming Village. Running HouseSit Match keeps me close to the world of housesitting every day, but there is nothing quite like becoming the housesitter yourself. So when the opportunity arose for a weekend housesit in Wimbledon, I happily stepped into the role.

It was a chance to keep my own housesitting experience fresh and, even better, discover a part of London I had previously known almost entirely through its famous tennis championships.

What You Can Discover on a 48 Hour Housesit in Wimbledon – More Than You Imagine!

Unexpected treats come in all shapes and sizes. My recent 48 hour housesit in Wimbledon, London, was just such a treat. While not all housesitters go for a short trip, I love them because they offer an introduction to the area.

To say the home I was housesitting was beautiful would be an understatement. There were no pets for company on this occasion, but the house itself was something rather special, surrounded by an almost Eden-like garden on the quiet fringes of Wimbledon Common.

And with only 48 hours in residence, I was determined to make the most of every minute.

This two day housesit offered me something I particularly love about housesitting: the chance to live briefly in a new neighbourhood rather than simply visit it. I had a beautiful home as my base and a couple of days to discover as much of Wimbledon as I could on foot.

Why was I on a 48 hour housesit with no pets?

Usually, when we talk about housesitting, pets are central to the story. But this particular 48 hour housesit was a little different.

The owner of the property had moved into a care home due to ill health some time ago. A full-time housesitter was already in residence while the house awaited a new owner, but even full-time housesitters need a break occasionally.

And so, for one weekend, I stepped in.

Arriving at the housesit, I was delighted to find the garden dressed in the dappled light of a late Indian summer. Mature, bird-filled trees surrounded the property, while a beautifully manicured garden embraced the house, evidently the pride and joy of its former owners.

And then I stepped inside.

Here was a wonderfully characterful home filled with artworks and fascinating artefacts collected over many years. The house was for sale, but until new owners could be found it needed to remain lived in and cared for.

And that was how my 48 hour housesit in Wimbledon began.

Previously I was aware of Wimbledon, but not really

Previously, I had only ever visited Wimbledon for the summer tennis championships, so in my mind the area was inseparable from the famous tournament. My 48 hour housesit changed that completely. Housesitting gave me something a day trip never had: the opportunity to wake up in Wimbledon, step outside the front door and simply explore the neighbourhood, the parks and the rich history on foot.

I discovered a wonderfully leafy corner of London, filled with beautiful homes, gardens, open spaces and intriguing glimpses of history. It was a reminder of one of the things I value most about housesitting: you often discover the places that ordinary sightseeing allows you to miss.

How I spent my 48 hour housesit in Wimbledon

I knew immediately that 48 hours wasn’t going to be long enough to discover everything Wimbledon had to offer.

But, as many of you know, one of the great joys of housesitting in London for me is exploring a new neighbourhood on foot, discovering its social history, architecture, art and unexpected stories along the way.

With no pets to care for, and only a rather complicated alarm system to master, I decided to take one long walk on each day of my 48 hour housesit, with a loose collection of historical landmarks to find along the way.

And Wimbledon certainly didn’t disappoint.

Day one of my 48 hour housesit: Exploring historic Wimbledon

Gothic Lodge

One of my first discoveries was Gothic Lodge on Woodhayes Road, an 18th-century Grade II-listed house.

Its former resident, engineer William Henry Preece, was a pioneer of telecommunications and became friends with the young Guglielmo Marconi. Marconi visited Preece at Wimbledon and established a transmitter in the garden of Gothic Lodge to send messages to the Post Office in central London. Gothic Lodge also became London’s first home with its own telephone.

It was extraordinary to imagine pioneering communications experiments taking place behind the garden walls in this peaceful corner of Wimbledon.

Cannizaro House and Park

From there, there was Cannizaro House and Cannizaro Park.

Today Cannizaro House is a Hotel du Vin, sitting within Cannizaro Park beside Wimbledon Common and close to Wimbledon Village.

The park made a lovely addition to my Wimbledon walking route, and it is precisely this kind of local discovery that I enjoy when housesitting. Without the rush of a conventional sightseeing trip, you can simply wander and see where a neighbourhood takes you.

Walking on Wimbledon Common

Naturally, no 48 hour housesit in Wimbledon would feel complete without a walk on Wimbledon Common.

When I visited, the grasslands were still visibly parched after an exceptionally hot and dry summer, but it was well worth the walk.

No Wombles were evident, though.

Perhaps they had temporarily relocated in search of greener pastures!

West Side House and Wimbledon tennis history

Tennis fans also have a historical landmark to spot beside the Common.

West Side House was the family home of Spencer Gore, winner of the first Wimbledon lawn tennis championship in 1877. He was born and raised in the house and also played cricket for Surrey.

This is something I love about exploring London while housesitting. You set out for a walk and suddenly find yourself standing outside a house with a fascinating story attached to it.

Day two of my 48 hour housesit: Discovering literary Wimbledon

My second day revealed another side of Wimbledon.

Beyond its internationally famous association with tennis, I discovered some fascinating literary and philosophical connections.

George Eliot and Holly Lodge

One stop on my walk was Holly Lodge on Wimbledon Park Road, associated with the novelist George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) and her partner, the writer and critic George Henry Lewes.

It was another reminder that behind the elegant houses and leafy streets of Wimbledon lies a wealth of social and literary history waiting to be discovered.

In search of Robert Graves

My walking tour of Wimbledon also took me to Lauriston Road in search of the birthplace of the poet and writer Robert Graves.

For those of us who first encountered Graves through his poetry at school, finding his connection with Wimbledon adds another dimension to walking through these streets.

And that is one of the pleasures of a short housesit. Even when you only have a weekend, walking allows you to discover the smaller details of a place that are so easily missed when travelling by car or public transport.

Schopenhauer and Eagle House

Then there was the magnificent Eagle House on Wimbledon High Street.

Built in 1613, this Grade II*-listed Jacobean house was later used as a school and is associated with German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, whose connection with the property is commemorated by a blue plaque.

Not necessarily something you expect to discover while wandering around Wimbledon Village on a weekend housesit!

Ending my 48 hour housesit in Wimbledon Village

And finally there was Wimbledon Village itself.

After all my walking, history hunting and architectural discoveries, the High Street and surrounding streets offered plenty of opportunities to slow down.

There are cafés, bakeries and shops to explore, along with second-hand and charity shops where you can search for affordable clothes, books and unexpected treasures.

It is also an excellent place simply to stop for a coffee and watch Wimbledon life go by.

What did I love about this 48 hour housesit?

My 48 hour housesit in Wimbledon was short, but perhaps that was part of its charm.

In only two days I had discovered pioneering communications history, literary connections, beautiful period houses, the childhood home of the first Wimbledon men’s champion, a famous London Common and the delights of exploring Wimbledon Village on foot.

But most of all, the weekend reminded me of something I have always loved about housesitting.

You don’t simply visit somewhere. For a brief time, you live there.

You have a front door of your own, a neighbourhood to discover and an opportunity to explore streets you might otherwise never think of visiting.

A short 48 hour housesit doesn’t have to mean a limited experience. Sometimes a 48 hour housesit is all you need to discover another corner of Britain and start seeing it through a local’s eyes.

Would I go housesitting in Wimbledon again?

Absolutely.

Though next time I might ask for a little longer than 48 hours.

And perhaps a Womble sighting.

BIO

By Lamia Walker

Lamia Walker created HouseSitMatch.com from a personal passion for pets and travel, a global housesitting community she has grown over more than a decade. She believes in safe, vetted matches and the power of trust between homeowners and sitters. Through practical guidance and personal experience, Lamia helps people travel with confidence while their homes and pets are cared for.

Further Reading

At Housesit Match we like to share useful blogs and practical advice about housesitters, housesitting and pet sitting. We hope you find this small selection of our blogs on house sitters useful, such as this one on a 48 hour housesit in Wimbledon.

Housesit Match Benefits for Home and Pet Owners

Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money

Top dogsitting tips for beginners

What is House Sitting?