The Thames Path by Leigh Hatts

Leigh Hatts writes: The Thames Path was inaugurated in 1976 with an opening ceremony at the Thames Barrier which was then the limit of the eastern, or downstream, end.

I recall that the occasion began with the arrival of a small party walking from Greenwich. It included David Sharp, the distinguished Ramblers’ lead on the proposed route. As author of the Countryside Commission’s Thames Walk feasibility study I was invited to join him.

During my eighteen months’ work I had much consulted David and used his initial Ramblers’ report as the base to discover what might be possible to turn a then fragmented route into a national trail.

Landowners on one side sometimes wanted the path to be on the other side.

On that opening day some houses in narrow Crane Street, near the Trafalgar Tavern, were decorated to welcome the walkers.

Marking the 30th anniversary of the Thames Path will be a month long relay walk along the route from the Source in Gloucestershire to Woolwich where the now extended Thames Path meets the new coast path.

On the final day the relay will cover that opening day walk from Greenwich to the Barrier and on to Woolwich.

Information about the joining in the relay is available on the national trail website.

***David Sharp and his wife Margaret are commemorated by a riverside seat at Barnes, a few yards from their home of many years. After the path opening David went on to be the original author the Thames Path guide to walking from the Source (Aurum Press) whilst I wrote Walking the Thames Path (Cicerone Press) for those wishing to start in familiar London and go upstream in search of the Source.

The United States of America is celebrating the 250th anniversary of its declaration of independence from Britain in 1776.

The key associations with England are mainly to be found along the River Thames.

The most obvious link that comes to mind is the Pilgrims Fathers since the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower setting sail from London was only recently marked. It’s difficult to describe it as having been a celebration since the anniversary fell during Covid. However, there was a ceremony on the river at Rotherhithe and on the Palace of Westminster terrace.

The Mayflower pub on Rotherhithe’s riverside is old and, although largely rebuilt, claims links with the Mayflower crew.

The ship left its home port of Rotherhithe in 1620 for America but probably picked most of its passengers downstream. The captain Christopher Jones is buried in Rotherhithe churchyard.

The first mate John Clark, also from Rotherhithe, has given his name to Clark’s Island in Massachusetts.

The charters creating the first two American colonies had been signed a little earlier at Greenwich Palace by James I who was in residence there in 1607 and again in 1620 when agreeing the charters of Virginia and Massachusetts. As a result there was a court ruling that the American colonies were technically in the Manor Greenwich and so represented at Westminster by the local MPs.

Putney Church, where the Thames Path runs round its south side, is known for the Putney Debates which took place there in 1647 and later influenced the drafting of the US Constitution.

Another influence was Magna Carta which King John assented to in 1215 on Runnymede water meadow by the River Thames.

The site is marked by a memorial erected by the American Bar Association which is returning to London for its annual conference this year. The programme includes a visit to Runnymede.

Nearby is something even more extraordinary: a piece of land which has been declared as ‘American soil’ in memory of President Kennedy.

Sir William Blackstone lived at Wallingford next to the landmark St Peter’s with its candle snuffer steeple. His definitive book Commentaries On The Laws Of England is the source of common law for USA.

Just before this time, in 1737, Richmond in Virginia was given its name by lawyer William Byrd who was reminded of the view of the Thames from Richmond Hill when seeing the bend in the James River.

The divisions during the aftermath of the 1776 declaration can be seen in St Mary’s Battersea where the Thames Path runs through the churchyard. The church has a window commemorating military officer Benedict Arnold who in 1780 switched from the American to the British side. He is buried in the church whilst his name lives on in America as an idiom for a traitor. The window was created in friendship and paid for by an American.

For Harvard graduates the place with the greatest resonance is riverside Southwark Cathedral. John Harvard, whose father was a butcher in Borough High Street, was baptised there in 1607. Its Harvard Chapel is in one of the oldest parts of the church.

The chapel’s east window is by American John Farge and donated in 1907 by the US ambassador who declared: ‘We reiterate the hope that all Harvard men will come to the rock from which they were hewn and to the hole of the pit from which they were rigged to the place where the founder of this great University spent much of his youth, and so add more links which bind this old country with the new.’

The Castle Hotel, opposite Windsor Castle’s main entrance, is being refurbished.

This is the former Mermaid Inn dating from at least the early 1500s. William Shakespeare may have known it at the end of that century as he features the nearby Garter in his The Merry Wives of Windsor.

The present facade of the old Mermaid is late 18th century which is when the name changed to The Castle Hotel.

It’s much larger than at first appears with an extension at the back opened by Prince Philip during the last reign.

The big changes, even requiring a one week closure, follows the hotel becoming part of the small Sutton hotel group. The front entrance, flanking rooms, staircase and much more are being carefully redecorated.

Meanwhile the library is the temporary breakfast room.

A 12% discount booking offer is on the website.

When fully open later this year there will probably be few vacancies as the demand for overnight stays rises with receptions and investitures being held at Windsor Castle during the Buckingham Palace restoration programme.

**If visiting Windsor Castle (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) one can catch a view of the Thames upstream from the end of the North Terrace.

Temple footbridge between Marlow and Hurley which closed in 2023 is unlikely to be restored until 2028 at the earliest.

Although the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, DEFRA, has offered £250,000 towards repair work.

An outline design for the Temple crossing is expected to be published next November.

The diversion via Marlow Bridge is here.

Due to lack of funding for public services there is a growing number of temporary diversions along the Thames which are going to be long term.

Goring has one of the diversions.

Shortly before Goring & Streatley Bridge there is a half mile (0.8km) diversion away from the Thames due to an eroding towpath.

Funding secured so far is insufficient to complete the repair so further help is being sought. The riverside route is unlikely reopen until late 2026 at the earliest.

DIVERSION: At the blocked towpath (when walking upstream) turn inland along an enclosed footpath which joins a driveway to reach Manor Road.

Turn left for just over 300 yards passing Long Meadow (left) to go left at a lamp post outside a house called Little Norfolk.

The wide driveway passes the house (left). After Fairfield (left) the way descends and narrows. A long enclosed footpath leads to the river.

The remains of a boathouse can still be discerned on the right -as seen a little downstream.

Go right for Goring.

Note: Goring can be reached quickly by remaining on Manor Road. At a junction continue forward past the closed John Barleycorn pub (right) and go left The Miller of Mansfield for Pierreponts cafe and the river.

National Trail notice here.

Also note: Another change in Goring is the closure of the Tourist Information Centre.

A closed footbridge, half a mile from Staines, is now expected to remain out of use until 2027.

Bridge 142, still bearing its Thames Conservancy livery paint, carries the towpath over to one side of a hardly discernible island shortly before the M25 and Bell Weir Lock.

During 2023 the cast iron crossing was hit by a tree and in February last year it was closed after an inspection detected cracks.

A diversion was immediately put in place and at first expected to last for just six months.

Suddenly this November there has been some progress with an environmental survey and a further inspection by ground investigation specialists to decide the bridge replacement specification.

The diversion begins at a warning notice placed a quarter of a mile before Bridge 142 for those walking upstream.

The alternative is urban and quickly highlights how the Thames is a successful and vital green corridor isolating the walker from nearby noise and pollution.

DIVERSION: Turn inland, by a boat turned flower bed, down River Park Avenue. At the main road, called The Causeway, go right.

After passing under the M25 motorway, the pavement comes to an end at a crossing.

Cross over as indicated by the traffic/pedestrian lights.

Go right for a short distance to find path starting on the left. Follow this winding wooded path to the towpath and turn left.

Bell Weir Lock is ahead.

There is now a slightly improved route at Battersea Power Station allowing one to approach the river a little earlier after the Nine Elms diversion.

New Directions: Having turned off Battersea Park Road and into the wide Pump House Lane keep to the right side.

The wide road rises to a roundabout close to the power station. Go right along the east side of the building (left).

At the far end, as the road bears left, go half right down a footpath to reach the river.

Turn left with the water (right) to pass the power station (left). The way continues under Grosvenor Railway Bridge towards Battersea Park.

The towpath between Kew Bridge and Richmond has reopened having been closed for just over a year.

A ribbon was cut on Saturday morning on the short restored stretch of path by Kew councillor and deputy mayor Clare Vollum whose wide knowledge and interest in the river includes her Thames Strategy chairmanship.

The towpath at Kew is a causeway between the Thames and a flood channel which empties into the river just above Richmond railway bridge. At very high tide this outflow can take in water which travels back along the narrow channel to be deposited into the river at Kew where the breach occurred.

Richmond transport cabinet member Alexander Ehmann said the project presented the most challenging ground and tidal conditions.

‘Thousands of walkers, runners, cyclists and commuters use this route every year and it’s a crucial part of how we connect with the Thames, the environment, our communities and indeed how we connect with our past and seeing it open today is exactly why we do this work.’

Project manager Sam Emmett recalled that the breach occurred on 19 October last year and the team was on site by April with many consents having been required. Materials were brought upstream from Rainham.

Design engineer Judy Eid said that there were design complexities as the system of the towpath and drain dated back to the 1700s and there was no documentation of any repairs.

Speaking for contractors Conway, Toby Allen confirmed that the main work was delivered by river with close monitoring of tide times. A large crane was positioned on one of two pontoons and on average twenty individuals were on site each day.

The towpath between Kew Bridge and Richmond Lock is due to reopen later this morning.

A year ago the path was violently breached by fast moving water from a parallel culvert.

Yesterday afternoon as the autumn sun disappeared contractors still had vehicles on the path as they completed restoration work.

There will be a brief reopening ceremony at the Richmond end near the lock at 10am.

The towpath between Kew Bridge and Richmond will reopen next Saturday 8 November.

A reopening ceremony is due to take place at 10am near Richmond Lock.

A section of the towpath alongside Kew Gardens collapsed twelve months ago with tidal water gushing along a parallel culvert.

Those working on the repairs have faced challenging tidal and ground conditions which required additional piling and reinforcement to ensure the long-term stability of the path.

Later in the morning a very low tide is expected at 12.40pm thanks to the annual Richmond Draw-Off when lock gates stay open.