97-541: Charlton Riverside , previously known as New Charlton , is the area along the south bank of the river Thames at Charlton, London , which forms part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich . It was formerly a primarily industrial zone, known for the glass and rope making industries, but is now an area of regeneration. The area formerly known as New Charlton is situated in the Greenwich wards of Peninsula and Woolwich Riverside. It
194-592: A low-tide barrage (rather than a weir) was built by the Thames Conservancy in 1894 downstream at Richmond Lock to improve the navigation by maintaining water level upstream to at least half-tide level. Today, the Port of London Authority is the navigation authority that manages the tidal river, including Richmond Lock and barrage. Wharfs and jetties are generally confined to the northern ( Middlesex ) bank between Richmond and Putney. This stretch of tideway (known as
291-582: A large part of south-eastern and a small part of western England; the river is fed by at least 50 named tributaries . The river contains over 80 islands . With its waters varying from freshwater to almost seawater, the Thames supports a variety of wildlife and has a number of adjoining Sites of Special Scientific Interest , with the largest being in the North Kent Marshes and covering 20.4 sq mi (5,289 ha). According to Mallory and Adams,
388-503: A network of creeks. Lying below sea level, it is prone to flooding at exceptional tides, but has nevertheless been inhabited since Roman times. The usually quoted source of the Thames is at Thames Head (at grid reference ST980994 ). This is about 1.5 mi (2.4 km) north of the village of Kemble in southern Gloucestershire , near the town of Cirencester , in the Cotswolds . However, Seven Springs near Cheltenham , where
485-556: A part of Charlton Riverside. The SPD also includes Charlton railway station and a small section of Charlton Church Lane. Industrial development on the flat land adjoining the Thames at Charlton Riverside began in the middle of the 19th century, especially after the opening of a private railway branch line to Angerstein Wharf in 1852. A notable establishment was the Siemens Brothers Telegraph Works opened in 1863 (although
582-597: A part of Woolwich, since it is situated in the historic parish of Woolwich . From 1863 until 1968 this was the site of Siemens Brothers , where many who were living across the road in New Charlton worked. This is also where Charlton Athletic F.C. played their first football matches at Siemens Meadow from 1905 until 1907. In the Charlton Riverside Masterplan SPD the Westminster Estate is considered
679-626: A pool and small weir, before reaching the A429 bridge near Kemble. On the stretch between Ewen and Somerford Keynes the bourne passes through fields and there are a number of watermills . The path then follows the watercourse through the Cotswold Water Park to Ashton Keynes , where the water divides into a number of streams; the Thames Path partly follows one of these and rejoins the river by Waterhay Bridge. Downstream from this point canoeing in
776-508: A significant proportion of family homes. A network of streets and open spaces will be shaped by the area's industrial heritage. In 2013, Royal Greenwich UTC opened as part of this plan. The college failed to attract sufficient numbers of students and in 2016 was converted into a free school , Royal Greenwich Trust School . Adjacent to it, also on Woolwich Road and officially in Woolwich, is Windrush Primary School, formerly Maryon Park School, from
873-616: A summer venue for organised swimming, which is prohibited on safety grounds in a stretch centred on Central London . After the river took its present-day course, many of the banks of the Thames Estuary and the Thames Valley in London were partly covered in marshland , as was the adjoining Lower Lea Valley . Streams and rivers like the River Lea , Tyburn Brook and Bollo Brook drained into
970-699: Is a National Trail following the River Thames from one of its sources near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Woolwich foot tunnel , south east London. It is about 185 miles (298 km) long. A path was first proposed in 1948 but it only opened in 1996. In theory, the Thames Path's entire length can be walked, and a few parts can be cycled, but certain sections are closed for an indefinite period, including Temple Bridge at Hurley and Marsh Lock in Henley. Some parts of
1067-502: Is a meander cutoff formed when Penton Hook Lock was built. Any public footpaths that cross or go along any of the other small islands formed by construction of the Thames locks only allow access to the path alone. Lock building by the Thames Commissioners had improved the whole river navigation from Inglesham to the upper limit of the tidal reach at Staines by 1789. On the tidal Thames below Staines, six new locks were built by
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#17328562014561164-466: Is a landmark on the Boat Race course, while Glover's Island forms the centre of a view from Richmond Hill . Islands of historical interest include Magna Carta Island at Runnymede , Fry's Island at Reading, and Pharaoh's Island near Shepperton. In more recent times Platts Eyot at Hampton was the place where Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB)s were built, Tagg's Island near Molesey was associated with
1261-487: Is a short section of path on the north bank opposite Purley-on-Thames; this is still shown on Ordnance Survey maps but is inaccessible except by boat, caused by the lack of two ferries formerly diverting around Purley Hall. The second and furthest downstream is a particularly picturesque section of towpath (again shown on OS maps) within the National Trust grounds of Cliveden ; here the lack of three ferries accounts for
1358-402: Is an important water source, especially in the drier months, so maintaining its quality and quantity is extremely important. Groundwater is vulnerable to surface pollution, especially in highly urbanised areas. Brooks, canals and rivers, within an area of 3,842 sq mi (9,951 km ), combine to form 38 main tributaries feeding the Thames between its source and Teddington Lock . This
1455-628: Is believed that Tamesubugus' name was derived from that of the river. Tamese was referred to as a place, not a river in the Ravenna Cosmography ( c. AD 700 ). The river's name has always been pronounced with a simple t /t/ ; the Middle English spelling was typically Temese and the Brittonic form Tamesis . A similar spelling from 1210, "Tamisiam" (the accusative case of "Tamisia"; see Kingston upon Thames § Early history ),
1552-649: Is bounded by the river Thames in the north and the A206 (Woolwich Road) in the south. On the west it borders the Greenwich Peninsula at Horn Lane and Horn Link Way. On the east it borders Woolwich at the Thames Barrier and Eastmoor Street. The Westminster Estate, the area between the Thames Barrier and Warspite Road, has at times been referred to as part of New Charlton. The Survey of London however regards it as
1649-545: Is formed for much of its length for shipping and supplies: through the Port of London for international trade, internally along its length and by its connection to the British canal system. The river's position has put it at the centre of many events in British history, leading to it being described by John Burns as "liquid history". Two broad canals link the river to other rivers: the Kennet and Avon Canal ( Reading to Bath ) and
1746-678: Is found in Magna Carta . The Thames through Oxford is sometimes called the Isis . Historically, and especially in Victorian times, gazetteers and cartographers insisted that the entire river was correctly named the Isis from its source down to Dorchester on Thames and that only from this point, where the river meets the Thame and becomes the "Thame-isis" (supposedly subsequently abbreviated to Thames) should it be so called. Ordnance Survey maps still label
1843-471: Is in downstream order. The letter in brackets indicates whether the path downstream of that point takes the northern or southern bank (using north or south in reference to the river as a whole, rather than at that specific point). Bridges and ferries are listed in full under Crossings of the River Thames . The river can be crossed at about a third of the locks, although some of these crossings are not part of
1940-532: Is much of interest. The Thames Path is one of the Mayor of London 's strategic walking routes . The Thames Path Cycle Route is a black-signposted route that follows the river between Putney Bridge in the west and Greenwich in the east. It mostly follows the Thames Path, but diverges in various sections, especially where the path follows a footpath-only route. It also links National Cycle Route 1 (east of London) with National Cycle Route 4 (west of London). The route of
2037-492: Is now dominated by shopping centres, supermarkets and retail warehouses . Large retailers are Asda , Sainsbury's , Makro , Argos and Marks & Spencer . In the south-west corner, around Woolwich Road and Aldeburgh Street there is some housing, as well as along Anchor and Hope Lane. East of this street is Ropery Business Park with several small business. River Thames The River Thames ( / t ɛ m z / TEMZ ), known alternatively in parts as
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#17328562014562134-635: Is often shallow, weedy and swift but after heavy rain flooding of the riverside paths is common. Today the Environment Agency (the current successor to the Thames Conservancy) is the navigation authority responsible for the Thames between Cricklade and Teddington. The navigation towpath starts from Inglesham (just upstream of Lechlade), as does the ability to navigate the river for all but very small boats, although there were once weirs with flash locks to enable passage as far as Cricklade, and there
2231-630: Is only one functioning public house in the area, the Anchor & Hope, with an outdoor café overlooking the Thames. A set of watermen's stairs has survived here, reconstructed in concrete. The former Lads of the Village pub was later named the Thames Barrier Arms. It is now a veterinary clinic. A former industrial site near the Thames Barrier houses an indoor paintball facility. The southern part of Charlton Riverside along Woolwich Road and Bugsby's Road
2328-452: Is responsible for managing the flow of water to help prevent and mitigate flooding, and providing for navigation: the volume and speed of water downstream is managed by adjusting the sluices at each of the weirs and, at peak high water, levels are generally dissipated over preferred flood plains adjacent to the river. Occasionally, flooding of inhabited areas is unavoidable and the agency issues flood warnings. Due to stiff penalties applicable on
2425-898: Is shared by many other river names in Britain, such as the River Tamar at the border of Devon and Cornwall , several rivers named Tame in the Midlands and North Yorkshire , the Tavy on Dartmoor , the Team of the North East, the Teifi and Teme of Wales , the Teviot in the Scottish Borders and a Thames tributary, the Thame . Kenneth H. Jackson proposed that the name of
2522-549: Is sometimes called the Isis), Reading , Henley-on-Thames and Windsor . The Thames also drains the whole of Greater London . The lower reaches of the river are called the Tideway , derived from its long tidal reach up to Teddington Lock . Its tidal section includes most of its London stretch and has a rise and fall of 23 ft (7 m). From Oxford to the estuary, the Thames drops by 55 metres (180 ft). Running through some of
2619-478: Is still a right of navigation up to Cricklade. The navigation above Lechlade clearly must have been neglected after the Thames and Severn Canal provided an easier route by canal for barge traffic and not all of the river downstream from Cricklade has a footpath alongside. The Thames Path uses the existing Thames towpath between Inglesham and Putney Bridge wherever possible. The former Thames and Severn Canal entrance
2716-508: Is the present-day limit of navigation for powered craft, and is one and a half miles upstream of the highest lock ( St John's Lock ), near Lechlade . Today, between the canal entrance and Putney Bridge, the towpath still allows access by foot to at least one side of the river for almost the whole length of the main navigation of the river, but not mill streams , backwaters or a few meanders cut off by lock cuttings , since towpaths were originally only intended to enable towing of barges on
2813-404: Is the usual tidal limit ; however, high spring tides can raise the head water level in the reach above Teddington and can occasionally reverse the river flow for a short time. In these circumstances, tidal effects can be observed upstream to the next lock beside Molesey weir , which is visible from the towpath and bridge beside Hampton Court Palace . Before Teddington Lock was built in 1810–12,
2910-763: The River Isis , is a river that flows through southern England including London . At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom , after the River Severn . The river rises at Thames Head in Gloucestershire and flows into the North Sea near Tilbury , Essex and Gravesend , Kent, via the Thames Estuary . From the west, it flows through Oxford (where it
3007-769: The Berwyn Mountains in North Wales . About 450,000 years ago, in the most extreme Ice Age of the Pleistocene , the Anglian , the furthest southern extent of the ice sheet reached Hornchurch in east London, the Vale of St Albans, and the Finchley Gap . It dammed the river in Hertfordshire , resulting in the formation of large ice lakes, which eventually burst their banks and caused
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3104-525: The British Geological Survey from the banks of the tidal River Thames contain geochemical information and fossils which provide a 10,000-year record of sea-level change. Combined, this and other studies suggest that the Thames sea-level has risen more than 30 m during the Holocene at a rate of around 5–6 mm per year from 10,000 to 6,000 years ago. The rise of sea level dramatically reduced when
3201-562: The Churn (which feeds into the Thames near Cricklade ) rises, is also sometimes quoted as the Thames' source, as this location is farthest from the mouth and adds some 14 mi (23 km) to the river's length. At Seven Springs above the source is a stone with the Latin hexameter inscription "Hic tuus o Tamesine pater septemgeminus fons", which means "Here, O Father Thames, [is] your sevenfold source". The springs at Seven Springs flow throughout
3298-616: The Grand Union Canal (London to the Midlands). The Grand Union effectively bypassed the earlier, narrow and winding Oxford Canal which remains open as a popular scenic recreational route. Three further cross-basin canals are disused but are in various stages of reconstruction: the Thames and Severn Canal (via Stroud ), which operated until 1927 (to the west coast of England), the Wey and Arun Canal to Littlehampton , which operated until 1871 (to
3395-480: The River Lea can be considered another boundary. Most of the local riverside was also marshland. The land was drained and became farmland; it was built on after the Industrial Revolution . Canvey Island in southern Essex (area 18.45 km , 7.12 sq mi; population 40,000 ) was once marshy, but is now a fully reclaimed island in the Thames estuary, separated from the mainland of south Essex by
3492-640: The Royal Academy , London , in 1785. They are now on show at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley). Richard Coates suggests that while the river was as a whole called the Thames, part of it, where it was too wide to ford, was called * (p)lowonida . This gave the name to a settlement on its banks, which became known as Londinium , from the Indo-European roots * pleu- "flow" and * -nedi "river" meaning something like
3589-441: The Thames Barrier , which protects central London from flooding by storm surges . Below the barrier, the river passes Woolwich , Thamesmead , Dagenham , Erith , Purfleet , Dartford , West Thurrock , Northfleet , Tilbury and Gravesend before entering the Thames Estuary near Southend-on-Sea . The sea level in the Thames estuary is rising and the rate of rise is increasing. Sediment cores up to 10 m deep collected by
3686-535: The Thanetian stage of the late Palaeocene epoch. Until around 500,000 years ago, the Thames flowed on its existing course through what is now Oxfordshire , before turning to the north-east through Hertfordshire and East Anglia and reaching the North Sea near present-day Ipswich . At this time the river-system headwaters lay in the English West Midlands and may, at times, have received drainage from
3783-544: The Windsor Castle Act 1848 , also involving the building of Victoria and Albert bridges and the removal of Datchet Bridge . This accounts for the Thames Path's diversion from the river at Datchet . There are two other short lengths of navigation which have no towpath: one between Marlow bridge and lock (which never had a towpath), and one past Whitchurch lock either side of The Swan public house in Pangbourne (where
3880-707: The 1990s until 2015 Holborn College . Recent commercial developments include the Greenwich Shopping Park, the Peninsula Retail Park and Stone Lake Retail Park. A Sainsbury's superstore opened in 2015 between Woolwich Road and Bugsby's Way. Sainsbury's also has a large distribution centre in New Charlton; it was rebuilt and expanded in 2012 and re-opened by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in 2013. An IKEA store opened in 2019. In total there are around 400 businesses in Charlton Riverside (including
3977-405: The 19th century, Thames sailing barges being typical. Moderately straight lengths of the tideway are often called reaches , as they can be sailed without tacking . Crossing the river was more of a priority, as evidenced by the many watermen's stairs giving watermen and passengers access to the tidal river. Thames steamers became more common for transport on the tidal Thames from 1815 until
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4074-579: The City of London Corporation to improve the navigation between 1811 and 1815. The Thames Conservancy was established in 1857 to take over duties from the City of London because of falling revenue from boat traffic; it also took on the duties of the Thames Commissioners in 1866. Provision for pleasure boating was now the main purpose, and although the Thames Conservancy rebuilt many locks, upgrading some from flash locks to pound locks, and made navigation and towpath improvements, it only built one completely new lock on
4171-651: The North Sea, and the Thames Barrier was built in the 1980s to protect London from this risk. The Nore is the sandbank that marks the mouth of the Thames Estuary , where the outflow from the Thames meets the North Sea . It is roughly halfway between Havengore Creek in Essex and Warden Point on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. Until 1964 it marked the seaward limit of the Port of London Authority. As
4268-539: The River Thames on the Tideway include the rivers Crane , Brent , Wandle , Ravensbourne (the final part of which is called Deptford Creek ), Lea (the final part of which is called Bow Creek ), Roding (Barking Creek), Darent and Ingrebourne . In London, the water is slightly brackish with sea salt, being a mix of sea and fresh water. This part of the river is managed by the Port of London Authority . The flood threat here comes from high tides and strong winds from
4365-679: The Thames Barrier. It was identified as part of an Opportunity Area by the Mayor of London in 2008 and, more clearly, in the London Plan of 2011. Regeneration of the area is now focused on the Charlton Riverside Masterplan agreed by the Royal Borough of Greenwich in April 2012 and updated in February 2017. The masterplan envisages a series of new neighbourhoods with medium-rise housing and
4462-416: The Thames Estuary), the river is subject to tidal activity from the North Sea . Before the lock was installed, the river was tidal as far as Staines, about 16 mi (26 km) upstream. London, capital of Roman Britain , was established on two hills, now known as Cornhill and Ludgate Hill . These provided a firm base for a trading centre at the lowest possible point on the Thames. A river crossing
4559-410: The Thames Path can be divided into these sections: The list below gives the points where the Thames Path crosses the river between Cricklade and Teddington . Above Cricklade, the Thames is a stream and in some places there may be no water except after rain. Below Teddington there are paths on both sides of the river until the Greenwich foot tunnel , after which the path is only on the south. The list
4656-410: The Thames Path must divert away from the river and the towpath to cross the river elsewhere, leaving some sections of towpath not on the Thames path. Many walkers visit the locks on the River Thames and in summer some have facilities open for visitors. A few have small campsites . The locks at Cookham and Whitchurch are not on the Thames Path and require some effort to visit. Whitchurch Lock cutting
4753-453: The Thames Path, particularly west of Oxford , are subject to flooding during the winter. The river is tidal downstream from Teddington Lock and the lower parts of these paths may be underwater if there is a particularly high tide, although the Thames Barrier protects London from catastrophic flooding. The Thames Path uses the river towpath between Inglesham and Putney and available paths elsewhere. Historically, towpath traffic crossed
4850-470: The Thames as "River Thames or Isis" down to Dorchester. Since the early 20th century this distinction has been lost in common usage outside of Oxford, and some historians suggest the name Isis is nothing more than a truncation of Tamesis , the Latin name for the Thames. Sculptures titled Tamesis and Isis by Anne Seymour Damer are located on the bridge at Henley-on-Thames , Oxfordshire (the original terracotta and plaster models were exhibited at
4947-537: The Thames below Staines from a point marked by the London Stone , had similarly bought out the towpath tolls of riparian land owners as enabled by an earlier Thames Navigation Act in 1776. From the 1840s, the development of the railways and steam power gradually made redundant the need for horse-drawn barges on the non-tidal Thames, although people were still using the towpath to tow small pleasure boats in 1889. The towpath route has not changed since then, apart from now following Shifford lock cut; however, over time
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#17328562014565044-439: The Thames is not Indo-European (and of unknown meaning), while Peter Kitson suggested that it is Indo-European but originated before the Britons and has a name indicating "muddiness" from a root *tā- , 'melt'. Early variants of the name include: Indirect evidence for the antiquity of the name "Thames" is provided by a Roman potsherd found at Oxford, bearing the inscription Tamesubugus fecit (Tamesubugus made [this]). It
5141-653: The Thames path's diversion from the river at Cookham . When Cookham Lock was built in 1830, Hedsor Water became a backwater and lost its towpath. Around 1822, Clifton and Old Windsor locks were built, with lock cuttings which cut across river meanders; here the towpath was rerouted along the lock cuttings and there is no public riverside access to these river meanders. However, some stretches of river bypassed by navigation cuttings still retain public footpath access: firstly at Desborough Island (formed by Desborough Cut ); secondly, parts of older towpath accessible at Duxford (towpath now follows Shifford Lock cut); and lastly,
5238-511: The Thames, from Middle English Temese , is derived from the Brittonic name for the river, Tamesas (from * tamēssa ), recorded in Latin as Tamesis and yielding modern Welsh Tafwys "Thames". The name element Tam may have meant "dark" and can be compared to other cognates such as Russian темно ( Proto-Slavic * tĭmĭnŭ ), Lithuanian tamsi "dark", Latvian tumsa "darkness", Sanskrit tamas and Welsh tywyll "darkness" and Middle Irish teimen "dark grey". The origin
5335-442: The Upper Rowing Code Area) has special navigation rules to accommodate the activities of a number of rowing clubs , and includes the course used for The Boat Race . Chiswick Eyot is on this section and is notable as being the only tidal island on the river . Since August 2020, the towpaths on both banks have been closed under Hammersmith Bridge because of cracks in the structure; walkers and cyclists must therefore divert from
5432-440: The Wilts & Berks Canal, the Oxford Canal and the Thames and Severn Canal connected to the non-tidal Thames. It was not until a little after the Thames Navigation Commission were enabled by a 1795 Act of Parliament to purchase land for a continuous horse path that the non-tidal navigation (and hence the towpath) was consolidated as a complete route under a single (toll charging) authority, upstream to Inglesham. This improved
5529-513: The ability of horse-drawn barge traffic to travel upstream to the Thames and Severn Canal, which had opened in 1789 and provided an alternative route (also using the Wilts & Berks Canal) for boat traffic to Cricklade. The commissioners had to create horse ferries to join up sections of towpath (for example at Purley Hall ), as the Act did not allow them to compulsorily purchase land near an existing house, garden or orchard. The City of London Corporation , who had rights and responsibilities for
5626-423: The case of the Colne ), and man-made distributaries such as the Longford River . Three canals intersect this stretch: the Oxford Canal , Kennet and Avon Canal and Wey Navigation . Its longest artificial secondary channel (cut), the Jubilee River , was built between Maidenhead and Windsor for flood relief and completed in 2002. The non-tidal section of the river is managed by the Environment Agency , which
5723-423: The confluence, the overall length of the Thames measured from Seven Springs, at 229 mi (369 km), is greater than the Severn's length of 220 mi (350 km). Thus, the "Churn/Thames" river may be regarded as the longest natural river in the United Kingdom. The stream from Seven Springs is joined at Coberley by a longer tributary which could further increase the length of the Thames, with its source in
5820-468: The drier parts of mainland Britain and heavily abstracted for drinking water, the Thames' discharge is low considering its length and breadth: the Severn has a discharge almost twice as large on average despite having a smaller drainage basin . In Scotland , the Tay achieves more than double the Thames' average discharge from a drainage basin that is 60% smaller. Along its course are 45 navigation locks with accompanying weirs . Its catchment area covers
5917-401: The factory was largely in Woolwich). The company manufactured two new transatlantic cables in the 1880s, and contributed to the PLUTO project in World War II. Since the 1960s the area had sunk into industrial decline , with most of the original factories closing (Siemens Brothers in 1968). There have been several regeneration projects in the area, starting in the 1980s, after the opening of
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#17328562014566014-412: The flowing river or the wide flowing unfordable river. The river gives its name to three informal areas: the Thames Valley , a region of England around the river between Oxford and West London; the Thames Gateway ; and the greatly overlapping Thames Estuary around the tidal Thames to the east of London and including the waterway itself. Thames Valley Police is a formal body that takes its name from
6111-533: The grounds of the National Star College at Ullenwood . The Thames flows through or alongside Ashton Keynes , Cricklade , Lechlade , Oxford , Abingdon-on-Thames , Wallingford , Goring-on-Thames and Streatley (at the Goring Gap ), Pangbourne and Whitchurch-on-Thames , Reading , Wargrave , Henley-on-Thames , Marlow , Maidenhead , Windsor and Eton , Staines-upon-Thames and Egham , Chertsey , Shepperton , Weybridge , Sunbury-on-Thames , Walton-on-Thames , Molesey and Thames Ditton . The river
6208-404: The ice melt nearly concluded over the past 4,000 years. Since the beginning of the 20th century, rates of sea level rise range from 1.22 mm per year to 2.14 mm per year. The Thames River Basin District, including the Medway catchment, covers an area of 6,229 sq mi (16,130 km ). The entire river basin is a mixture of urban and rural, with rural landscape predominating in
6305-416: The impresario Fred Karno and Eel Pie Island at Twickenham was the birthplace of the South East's R&B music scene. Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster (commonly known today as the Houses of Parliament ) were built on Thorney Island , which used to be an eyot . Researchers have identified the River Thames as a discrete drainage line flowing as early as 58 million years ago, in
6402-476: The navigation. The Thames has been used for navigation for a long time, although owners of weirs, locks and towpath often charged tolls . The towpath owes its existence, in its current form, to the Industrial Revolution and the Canal Mania of the 1790s to 1810s, and so is related to the history of the British canal system . The Thames already allowed for passage onto the River Kennet Navigation and River Wey Navigation , but this period in history also saw
6499-430: The non-tidal Thames, at Shifford in 1898. There is a Thames Path on both sides of the river downstream of Teddington Lock, the southern path including the original towpath as far as Putney Bridge. Because of the locks built by the City of London, the river is now tidal only downstream from Teddington Lock, although during spring tides flood warnings are sometimes issued upstream towards Molesey Lock . A further lock with
6596-426: The non-tidal river, which is a drinking water source before treatment, sanitary sewer overflow from the many sewage treatment plants covering the upper Thames basin should be rare in the non-tidal Thames. However, storm sewage overflows are still common in almost all the main tributaries of the Thames despite claims by Thames Water to the contrary. Below Teddington Lock (about 55 mi or 89 km upstream of
6693-470: The path across the weir at Benson Lock (the towpath ferry was upstream). In recent times, crossings have been created for the Thames Path; the Shepperton to Weybridge Ferry was restarted in 1986, Temple Footbridge near Hurley was built in 1989, a footpath was attached to Bourne End Railway Bridge in 1992 (the ferry was upstream), and Bloomers Hole Footbridge was built in 2000. No other replacement river crossings have been created for lapsed ferries, so
6790-474: The railways dominated public transport. Falling income from river traffic and disputes over the construction of Victoria Embankment because of Crown Estate ownership of the tidal riverbed led to the City of London's seceding management of their part of the river to the Thames Conservancy in 1857; and the section below Teddington was further passed on to the Port of London Authority in 1908. Construction of riverside buildings and structures often meant embanking
6887-414: The river at the bridge until they reach the adjacent road (Castelnau on the south bank, Hammersmith Bridge Road on the north) and then cross the road at the nearest safe point before returning to the river. Historical records state that the towpath started at Putney. Downstream of here sailing , sculling and rowing , and following the current (or rising and falling tide) were the means of movement until
6984-431: The river east of the town, and now follows the river all the way downstream to Castle Eaton . The path next follows country lanes , a short stretch along a backwater to Hannington Bridge then goes across fields to Inglesham. In 2018 the path incorporated a section of permissive path alongside the river at Upper Inglesham. Above Inglesham the river is not dredged and being without weirs to control water levels, it
7081-478: The river is practical. The path wanders to and from the river amongst more gravel pits until Hailstone Hill, where a riverside path starts by the old railway line. A little further, the North Wilts canal from Latton formerly crossed the river on an aqueduct and ran alongside and south of the river to West Mill Lane. Here the path leaves the river to go through Cricklade , past Cricklade Town Bridge , rejoining
7178-505: The river meander at Culham. The Culham meander is accessible, even though only parts are designated as public footpath (towpath now follows Culham Lock cut) and there is also riverside public footpath along the ancient causeway past Sutton Pools . Certain sections are closed indefinitely for reasons such as bridge failures. Details are shown on the trail's interactive map. Historically, there have been replacements for towpath ferry crossings with bridges at Goring and Clifton Hampden and
7275-629: The river passes Pimlico and Vauxhall , and then forms one of the principal axes of the city, from the Palace of Westminster to the Tower of London . At this point, it historically formed the southern boundary of the medieval city, with Southwark , on the opposite bank, then being part of Surrey . Beyond central London, the river passes Bermondsey , Wapping , Shadwell , Limehouse , Rotherhithe , Millwall , Deptford , Greenwich , Cubitt Town , Blackwall , New Charlton and Silvertown , before flowing through
7372-456: The river to divert onto its present course through the area of present-day London. The ice lobe which stopped at present-day Finchley deposited about 14 metres of boulder clay there. Its torrent of meltwater gushed through the Finchley Gap and south towards the new course of the Thames, and proceeded to carve out the Brent Valley in the process. Thames Path The Thames Path
7469-435: The river using many ferries , but few of these crossings exist now and some diversion from the towpath is necessary. The general aim of the path is to provide walkers with a pleasant route alongside the river. The way this is achieved naturally falls into three distinct areas, depending on the nature of the river in the area. In the absence of a tow path, the Thames Path uses all available riverside rights of way between
7566-439: The river was tidal at peak spring tides as far as Staines upon Thames . In descending order, non-related tributaries of the non-tidal Thames, with river status, are the Churn , Leach , Cole , Ray , Coln , Windrush , Evenlode , Cherwell , Ock , Thame , Pang , Kennet , Loddon , Colne , Wey and Mole . In addition, there are occasional backwaters and artificial cuts that form islands, distributaries (most numerous in
7663-588: The river, covering three counties . In non-administrative use, the river's name is used in those of Thames Valley University , Thames Water , Thames Television , publishing company Thames & Hudson , Thameslink (north–south rail service passing through central London ) and South Thames College . An example of its use in the names of historic entities is the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company . Marks of human activity, in some cases dating back to Pre-Roman Britain , are visible at various points along
7760-451: The river, while some islands, e.g. Thorney Island , formed over the ages. The northern tip of the ancient parish of Lambeth , for example, was marshland known as Lambeth Marshe , but it was drained in the 18th century; the street names Lower Marsh and Upper Marsh preserve a memory. Until the middle of the Victorian era, malaria was commonplace beside the River Thames, even in London, and
7857-515: The river. These include a variety of structures connected with use of the river, such as navigations, bridges and watermills , as well as prehistoric burial mounds . The lower Thames in the Roman era was a shallow waterway winding through marshes. But centuries of human intervention have transformed it into a deep tidal canal flowing between 200 miles of solid walls; these defend a floodplain where 1.5 million people work and live. A major maritime route
7954-600: The sandbank was a major hazard for shipping coming in and out of London, in 1732 it received the world's first lightship . This became a major landmark, and was used as an assembly point for shipping. Today it is marked by Sea Reach No. 1 Buoy. The River Thames contains over 80 islands ranging from the large estuarial marshlands of the Isle of Sheppey and Canvey Island to small tree-covered islets like Rose Isle in Oxfordshire and Headpile Eyot in Berkshire. They are found all
8051-556: The section east of the Thames Barrier). One of the few remaining industrial facilities on the riverside is the construction aggregate and ready mix cement works of Aggregate Industries at Angerstein Wharf adjacent to the Greenwich Peninsula. The southern end of the Thames Barrier which opened in 1983 is at Charlton Riverside. The Thames Path was laid out here shortly afterwards but officially only opened in 1996. There
8148-491: The sites of 15 former ferries and one former lock, so the Thames Path makes 11 other diversions from the remaining towpath because of the lack of a river crossing at their original locations. There is also a twelfth temporary diversion at Hammersmith Bridge, described below. Walkers can visit the lengths of river navigation not on the Thames Path using the current towpath, except for two isolated sections of towpath not connected by any public path (or ferry) at either end. The first
8245-528: The south coast), and the Wilts & Berks Canal . Rowing and sailing clubs are common along the Thames, which is navigable to such vessels. Kayaking and canoeing also take place. Major annual events include the Henley Royal Regatta and the Boat Race , while the Thames has been used during two Summer Olympic Games : 1908 ( rowing ) and 1948 ( rowing and canoeing ). Safe headwaters and reaches are
8342-498: The tidal Thames and acquiring riverbed ownership. The historical progression of so many construction works, is why there is not continuous foreshore access for a riverside path within the Port of London . Today, downstream of Putney, there are jetties and wharfs on both banks of the river, and sections of the Thames Path often have to divert away from the river around riverside buildings. There are also many docks , most of them downstream of Tower Bridge . In central London , there
8439-556: The towpath does not connect up without ferries; access to this lock requires a 10-minute walk across Odney Common on Formosa Island and the Lock Island (incorporating the former Mill Eyot) to Sashes Island . Marlow Lock access requires a short walk through town back streets. All the other locks have obvious access from the Thames Path. The lock islands at Pinkhill Lock , Eynsham Lock , King's Lock , Boulters Lock and Shepperton Lock can be visited, as can Penton Hook Island which
8536-410: The towpath ferries became obsolete and the last towpath ferry to stop running was the rope ferry at Bablock Hythe in the 1960s. The main exception to towpath access to the navigation between Inglesham and Putney is a stretch of river where the former towpath was removed past Windsor Castle . The castle's private grounds of Home Park, Windsor were extended to include the riverbank and its towpath by
8633-462: The towpath has been lost). At both these weirs, lengthy rope winches were required for barges to pass Marlow and Whitchurch in the days before steam power. It is also required to divert around Oxford Cruisers downstream of Pinkhill Lock , even though the towpath is still shown as a public right of way on Ordnance Survey maps. The remainder of the navigation between Inglesham and Putney has an existing towpath; however, river crossings are now missing at
8730-556: The traditional source of the river in Trewsbury Mead and Inglesham , but is unable to run alongside the river in several places. The Thames Path starts beside the monument for the traditional river source and follows the water down the hill towards the Fosse Way . In the fields either side of the A433 are some springs ; and south of this road, a small water channel can be found and then
8827-701: The way from Fiddler's Island in Oxfordshire to the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. Some of the largest inland islands, for example Formosa Island near Cookham and Andersey Island at Abingdon, were created naturally when the course of the river divided into separate streams. In the Oxford area the river splits into several streams across the floodplain ( Seacourt Stream , Castle Mill Stream , Bulstake Stream and others), creating several islands ( Fiddler's Island , Osney and others). Desborough Island , Ham Island at Old Windsor and Penton Hook Island were artificially created by lock cuts and navigation channels. Chiswick Eyot
8924-412: The western part. The area is among the driest in the United Kingdom. Water resources consist of groundwater from aquifers and water taken from the Thames and its tributaries, much of it stored in large bank-side reservoirs . The Thames itself provides two-thirds of London's drinking water, while groundwater supplies about 40 per cent of public water supplies in the overall catchment area. Groundwater
9021-566: The year, while those at Thames Head are seasonal (a winterbourne ). With a length of 215 mi (346 km), the Thames is the longest river entirely in England. (The longest river in the United Kingdom, the Severn , flows partly in Wales .) However, as the River Churn, sourced at Seven Springs, is 14 mi (23 km) longer than the section of the Thames from its traditional source at Thames Head to
9118-479: Was built at the site of London Bridge . London Bridge is now used as the basis for published tide tables giving the times of high tide . High tide reaches Putney about 30 minutes later than London Bridge, and Teddington about an hour later. The tidal stretch of the river is known as "the Tideway ". Tide tables are published by the Port of London Authority and are available online. Times of high and low tides are also posted on Twitter. The principal tributaries of
9215-458: Was built through an island in the river and public access to the lock over the weir from Pangbourne or across the millstream at Whitchurch-on-Thames was closed in 1888 to avoid the loss of tolls on Whitchurch Bridge ; as a consequence, Whitchurch is the only Thames lock that is inaccessible by foot – it is only accessible by boat. Cookham Lock is still accessible although it is not on the Thames Path. The Thames divides into several streams here and
9312-458: Was frequently lethal. Some cases continued to occur into the early 20th century. Draining of the marshes helped with its eradication, but the causes are complex and unclear. The East End of London , also known simply as the East End , was the area of London east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames, although it is not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries;
9409-610: Was subject to minor redefining and widening of the main channel around Oxford, Abingdon and Marlow before 1850, when further cuts to ease navigation reduced distances further. Molesey faces Hampton , and in Greater London the Thames passes Hampton Court Palace , Surbiton , Kingston upon Thames , Teddington , Twickenham , Richmond (with a famous view of the Thames from Richmond Hill), Syon House , Kew , Brentford , Chiswick , Barnes , Hammersmith , Fulham , Putney , Wandsworth , Battersea and Chelsea . In central London ,
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