“I’m pleased to report on a pub that was turned into a restaurant and has now reverted to being a pub,” writes Tony Hedger in the London Drinker magazine.
“The Watermans Arms, an ex-Watney pub next to the Bulls Head in Barnes, closed in the 1980s and became a succession of chain restaurants. It has now been reopened as a proper pub.”
The pub, dating from 1850 and on the corner of Barnes High Street, faces the river.
Stone-baked pizza and home-made dishes is the food feature as well as sandwiches and jacket potatoes.
Looking upstream across St Saviour’s Dock to Butler’s Wharf
Additional work on St Saviour’s Dock in central London has been found necessary so there will have to be a longer than expected closure closure of the footbridge.
The earliest that the crossing can be reopened is probably mid July.
The alternative route is:
At the west end of Bermondsey Wall West, bear left to follow Mill Street past Vogan’s Mill to the main road.
Holy Trinity Church Dockhead is to the left. Go right past the Co-op to have a good view (right) down St Saviour’s Dock.
Go right again to enter Shad Thames which into the late 20th century was noted for a strong smell of spices. Here are Jamaica Wharf, St Andrew’s Wharf and Java Wharf.
At the far end the road bears round to the left past Tea Trade Wharf (right) and under a bridge (the old Design Museum) to a junction. Turn right up steps for the River Thames and rejoin the main route on Butler’s Wharf.
Victorian designer William Morris was greatly influenced by the River Thames. He had a house by the river at Hammersmith and another near Lechlade on the Gloucestershire-Wiltshire border.
In 1880 he spent week sailing upstream from Kelmscott House in London to Kelmscott Manor in rural Oxfordshire.
“Here we were in the Thames that is the Thames, amidst the down-like country and all Cockneydom left far behind and it was jolly!”, wrote Morris about this first house to house travel by water.
This all recalled in An Earthly Paradise:William Morris & The Thames exhibition at the Rowing & River Museum on the towpath in Henley.
William Morris is maybe best known for his textiles and wallpapers. The designs are named after Thames’ tributaries such as the Rivers Cray, Evenlode, Kennet, Lea, and Lodden.
He established his dyeing and printing works at Merton Abbey on the River Wandle so his Wandle pattern was made “elaborate and splendid in order to honour our helpful stream”.
Original wallpaper designs, wooden printing blocks and books feature in the compact but fascinating exhibition.
Morris’s journal of his progress upstream is open at the page recording his pause at Henley. His houseboat, The Ark, caused surprise at Maidenhead by passing through the Regatta but at Henley he was surprised to be invaded by swans.
Progress next day seems to have been slow. The family, including a housemaid, gathered to embark at 10am and only reached Sonning by evening.
An Earthly Paradise: William Morris & The Thames is at The River & Rowing Museum, Henley; open daily 10am-5pm until 14 July william morris Society 2019; admission £12.50 (conc £11.50). Tickets valid for 12 months.
Kelmscott House on Hammersmith riverside
Meanwhile there is a free exhibition ‘The dear warp and weft at Hammersmith’: A History of Kemscott House in the coach house of William Morris’s London house.
It was whilst living at this house in Hammersmith’s Upper Mall that Morris began carpet weaving, wove his first tapestry and continued developing his approach to design, printing and dyeing.
Morris’s wife Jane thought the house to be too far from London but he maintained that Hammersmith was in the capital and the situation to be “certainly the prettiest in London”.
When away he longed to return saying: “Lord bless us how nice it will be when I can get back to my little patterns and dyeing and the dear warp and weft at Hammersmith”.
As at Henley, this William Morris Society exhibition also features Morris designs and offers the opportunity to see permanent exhibits in the basement.
‘The dear warp and weft at Hammersmith’: A History of Kelmscott House is in Kelmscott House’s coach house, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6 9TA (just west of The Dove pub); Thursday & Saturday afternoons 2-5pm until 26 October; admission free.
When walking along the towpath from Putney one could cross the traffic free Hammersmith Bridge to continue on the opposite bank to visit Kelmscott House. Be warned that on Saturdays The Dove is usually very crowded with food already ordered by others in advance. But there are two other riverside pubs on the way. The Old Ship, with often more room, is short walk beyond Kelmscott House.
The riverside path on Hay’s Wharf downstream of London Bridge is closed for maintenance until Monday 8 April.
The closure is between Hay’s Galleria and London Bridge Hospital.
The diversion is via Hay’s Galleria and right along Tooley Street. Stay on the right side of the road as the main road divides to be able to rejoin the Thames Path just before passing under London Bridge.
The prize-winning goats’ cheese is made by Rachel Yarrow and Fraser Norton of riverside North Farm below the landmark Wittenham Clumps which are also known as the Sinodun Hills.
The twelve Anglo Nubian goats, known for their rich and creamy milk, graze on the right bank. Their hay is wildflower from the immediate area.
The towpath, on the opposite bank, runs between Shillingford Bridge and the confluence of the Rivers Thames and Thame close to Dorchester Abbey.
Rachel and Fraser at North Farm were featured on Countryfile this week.
A bridleway runs through the farm which was once an early bed & breakfast for the newly opened Thames Path.
Sinodin Hill cheese in Borough MarketSinodun Hill highlighted in Borough Market’s Neal’s Yard dairy
The towpath upstream of Richmond is due to be closed this week during daytime between the Thames Young Mariners’ Bridge and Teddington Lock.
The closure for path upgrade work is between 8am and 4pm.
The suggested diversion, which is pleasant, runs inland from Ham House riverside car park and along Ham Street. Go right into Riverside Drive. After just over a mile go right down a road with a barrier. A sign points to Teddington Lock. There are houses on the left and open ground to the right.
Walking along Bermondsey Wall East the view of Tower Bridge is suddenly blocked by a huge shed.
This is a temporary building on the extended Chambers Wharf where there is continuous working to excavate a shaft for the Thames Tideway project or super sewer.
The site was once a giant cold store.
The houses at Fountain Green Square had a lovely view.
Another change here is the Old Justice pub which is closed and partly covered to flats. Two pubs close every day.
Best to stop at The Angel just before Cherry Garden Pier.
The planned bridge on a map showing the future Thames Path in front of Battersea Power Station
The proposed Nine Elms Bridge has been moved upstream and given a curve.
The original landings were at St George’s Gardens in Pimlico on the left bank and Elm Quay near the US Embassy at Nine Elms.
The latest suggestion is that the crossing should start at Claverton Street in Pimlico and curve across the water to land at Kirtling Street.
This street is the temorary line of the Thames Path until the Battersea Power Station riverside has been landscaped.
The recommendation is to be considered by Wandsworth Council’s Finance and Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee next week and if approved the plan will progress to the next stage of the design process.
The earlier proposed line of the crossing drew opposition from both sides of the river.
