Chiswick, the wealthiest and most desirable town in Hounslow borough, took centre stage again this week with the unveiling of the Hogarth statue.
    The imposing bronze stands proudly on the High Road, blessed with wide pavements and mature street trees, reminiscent of a Parisienne boulevard with many cafes and restaurants spilling onto the footway.
    To the north, of course, is Bedford Park, the world's first garden suburb, where many impressive houses are occupied by the rich and famous and as expensive as anywhere in Greater London. South, and nestling onto the river, are Chiswick Mall and Grove Park, with some of the most sought after properties in the capital, now fetching prices well over the million pound mark.
    Chiswick is both cosmopolitan and metropolitan (and as a London postal district is incongruously tagged onto the Middlesex end of Hounslow borough).
    The area has a rich heritage, with Chiswick House and its associations with the influential Lord Burlington; Gunnersbury Mansion, the summer residence of the richest family in the world; and Hogarth House where the painter produced some of his major works, as reminders of its popularity with past generations. The Hogarth Memorial, financed by public subscription, was long overdue and will provide an important reminder of its vibrant history.