110-589: Old Woolwich or Woolwich Central Riverside is an area along the Thames in Woolwich , South East London . It is the oldest inhabited part of Woolwich, going back to an Anglo-Saxon riverside settlement. When the demographic centre of Woolwich shifted south in the 1800s, the area became a Victorian slum . Most of Old Woolwich was cleared in the 20th and early 21st centuries to make way for industrial, infrastructural and other large-scale developments. Although most of
220-410: A wharf held by St Mary's Priory, Southwark . Woolwich Ferry was first mentioned in 1308 but may be older. Several Medieval pottery kilns have been discovered north of Beresford Street in 2007-08. The oldest and best-preserved kiln probably produced so-called 'London ware' in the 14th century. Around Bell Water Gate some private shipbuilding or repair may have existed in the 15th century. Very little
330-558: A Victorian slum . The most notorious part was the so-called Dusthole, between Beresford Street, Warren Lane and the river, named after the dust from neighbouring coal wharves. Many people that lived in this area were of Irish descent. Poverty and prostitution were prevalent here. The depravity of the area attracted numerous religious institutions and led in 1850 to the establishment of the Woolwich Baths and Lecture Hall on Nelson Street, one of London's earliest public baths . Later in
440-474: A filling station, a carwash and shops. To its east is a group of three, originally four Georgian shop-houses (nos. 121-123), all with M-shaped gambrel roofs . The fourth house, next to Furlongs, was demolished in 1994, after which the shops were given new frontages. The Coopers' Arms, also Plaisted's Wine House (no. 120), is a pub established around 1740 by John Hare, whose brewery stood nearby. The current neo-Georgian building dates from 1929-30. The decorative lamp
550-561: 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
660-460: A petrol station and flats surrounded by public spaces. These ambitious plans were scaled down after construction had started, which resulted in the current hybrid building of red and yellow brick and mirrored-glass façades with blue detailing. A riverside walk was laid out around the same time. It now forms part of the Thames Path . East of the leisure centre a large car park occupies the site of
770-507: 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,
880-585: A spireless tower, built in 1732-39. St Mary's Gardens was laid out as a park in Romantic style on the grounds of the former churchyard. The park features a belvedere with views of the river. A brick wall along Woolwich Church Street forms the southern boundary of Woolwich Dockyard . The development of the Mast Quay Buildings (phase 1, 2004-06), at the eastern extremity of the Dockyard, was amongst
990-668: A stern castle two decks high. She was 165 feet (50.29 m) long, measuring 1,000 tons burthen and having a complement of 700 men. She was ordered by Henry VIII , probably to replace Grace Dieu (later renamed Regent ), which had been destroyed at the Battle of Saint-Mathieu in August 1512. At a time of naval rivalry with the Kingdom of Scotland , her size was in response to the Scottish ship Great Michael , which had herself been
1100-454: A substantial remodeling in Erith in 1536 (the same year as Mary Rose ), during which the height of the hull was reduced. In this new form she was 1000 tons burthen and carried 151 guns of varying size, including 21 of bronze (comprising 4 cannon, 3 demi-cannon, 4 culverins , 2 demi-culverins, 4 sakers , 2 cannon perriers and 2 falcons ), her full crew was reduced to between 700 and 800. She
1210-639: 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
SECTION 10
#17327804067251320-471: 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
1430-474: Is an early 19th-century house and the Castle Tavern, an old public house that was rebuilt in 1937. The rest of Parson's Hill, including two chapels, was swept away in the 1960s construction of John Wilson Road. Nothing remains of the historical north elevation of Woolwich High Street. Even the relatively new Waterfront Leisure Centre has been designated for demolition. On the south side, a chaotic picture
1540-402: 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
1650-649: 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 ),
1760-442: Is created by two clusters of small, mostly run-down shops, a garage complex and a cinema which is by far the largest building here. The former Granada Cinema of 1936-37 is used as a Pentecostal church. It has some of the most lavish cinema interiors in London. The adjacent shop fronts (Woolwich High Street nos. 131-132) are probably from the early 19th century, perhaps built after the road-widening around 1810. Furlongs Garage occupies
1870-604: 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
1980-697: 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
2090-601: Is known about the size and disposition of the settlement. One or two houses from the 15th or 16th century survived until the late 19th century, long enough to be recorded by local antiquarians. In 1512 a naval shipyard was established at Gun Yard, east of Bell Water Gate (now a car park next to the Waterfront Leisure Centre). Gun Yard or Gun Wharf may have been formed from two existing yards, Crane's Wharf and Daniel's Wharf, using about 80 meters of river frontage between Bell Water Gate and Globe Lane. In 1515
2200-411: Is probably older. Plaisted's is separated from the corner building on Hare Street by a narrow alley that leads to a part of Mortgramit Square previously known as Dog Yard. The large cornershop was built for Burton 's in 1929 with neo-Egyptian detailing. It is now a restaurant with a nightclub above. The original shopfront, mostly on Hare Street, survives behind bright yellow shuttering. The north side of
2310-452: 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
SECTION 20
#17327804067252420-948: 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
2530-772: 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 is sometimes called the Isis), Reading , Henley-on-Thames and Windsor . The Thames also drains
2640-594: Is the oldest surviving building in this area. The Waterfront Leisure Centre stands at the original sites of the Woolwich Ferry terminal and Woolwich Power Station. It was built in 1986-88 as a replacement for the Public Baths in Bathway . The original design consisted of two separate units on both sides of Nile Street. It included a large indoor swimming pool, sports facilities, a supermarket, a garden centre,
2750-404: 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,
2860-558: The Henry Grace à Dieu was built here, at the time probably the largest warship in Europe. Not long after this, in the 1540s, the naval yard moved to an area further west and became known as The King's Yard or Woolwich Dockyard . Gun Wharf continued to be used for naval storage. In 1573 the royal ropeyard was established, more or less where Beresford Street is situated now. The warehouse at Gun Yard may have been rebuilt in brick around
2970-811: 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
3080-541: 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
3190-570: 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
3300-632: 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
3410-489: 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
Old Woolwich - Misplaced Pages Continue
3520-662: 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
3630-504: 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
3740-549: 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
3850-641: The church of St Mary Magdalene . Most of the shops on Woolwich High Street have been rebuilt several times. Although severely altered, they hold some historical value. Some sections of the Thames river wall date from the early 19th century. Remnants of watermen's stairs can be seen at Bell Water Gate and behind the Waterfront Leisure Centre at the end of Nile Street (formerly Hog Lane). The Bell Water Gate river stairs were altered in 1824 and have remained largely unchanged since. The Hog Lane or Green Dragon Stairs were reconstructed in concrete in
3960-641: The 1530s, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries . After his death, the estate came into the possession of George Barne , also a Lord Mayor of London. His great-grandchildren Richard and Francis Lovelace may have been born here in the early 17th century. In the mid-17th century weapons testing began at the Warren, near Tower Place. The warehouse at Gun Yard was rebuilt in 1663 as a large U-shaped building. After 1671 gun storage moved away from here to
4070-461: The 18th century, partly for stacking timber. The parish church of St Mary Magdalene was rebuilt in the 1730s through aid from the Commission for Building Fifty New Churches . The new church was bigger and stood slightly further back from the river. John Rocque's Map of London of 1746 shows very few buildings south of the main east-west street and the ropeyard. Five streets, all perpendicular to
4180-570: The 1930s. The Mitre public house was rebuilt in 1927-28 in the typical half-timbered Brewer's Tudor style of the period. It closed in 2008. Adjacent is a small house called Ferry Cottage that probably dates from the early 19th century. On the east side of the South Circular Road is Parson's Hill, a remainder of an old path climbing up between the old rectory on the High Street and the parish church on Church Hill. All that's left
4290-508: The 1970s but the old paved causeway can still be seen at low tide. The coaling jetty of 1930-31 is all that remains of Woolwich Power Station . The Woolwich Ferry terminal as it exists today largely dates from the 1960s. From the roundabout and the adjacent car park a four-lane concrete causeway curves towards the loading ramp. The most prominent element is a 21 m wide and 29 m tall (above low tide) lifting tower of white polycarbonate. The ferry administration and maintenance building, as well as
4400-470: The 19th century, more and more houses were replaced by industrial developments (coal wharves, a gas company and a power station). During the 20th century most remaining parts of Old Woolwich were demolished, initially to make room for military and industrial developments (expansion of the Royal Arsenal and Woolwich Power Station ), later also for entertainment venues ( Granada and Odeon cinemas). In
4510-460: The 1st century BCE. Remains of Iron Age , probably Celtic fortifications were found at the current Waterfront development site between Beresford Street and the Thames. This was reused as a castrum or castellum in the late-Roman period. According to the Survey of London , " this defensive earthwork encircled the landward sides of a riverside settlement, the only one of its kind so far located in
Old Woolwich - Misplaced Pages Continue
4620-503: The 2012 Woolwich Town Centre Masterplan, Greenwich Council revealed plans for the Glass Yard site. The Waterfront Leisure Centre will relocate to General Gordon Square (under construction in 2023) and the old site will be redeveloped for mixed use whereby the extension of Hare Street to the river front (in effect the reconstruction of historic Hog Lane / Nile Street) is an important element. Very little remains of Old Woolwich, even from
4730-597: The Central Riverside Area. More than three thousand homes are planned here, mainly luxury apartments in tower blocks near the river (Waterfront, West Quay & Armourer's Courts developments), as well as directly south of the A206 (Callis Yard, Murray's Yard & Spray Street developments). The first proposals for the Waterfront & West Quay towers were presented by Berkeley Homes in 2004. It occupies
4840-531: The High Street and a pedimented clock on the corner. The 18th-century house next door is much altered but its exposed brick flank on Ferry Place is original. Ferry Place, or Cock Yard until 1938, is a narrow cul-de-sac that in 1871 had 69 people living in it. Further east is Thakrar House, a five-bay building put up in the late 1850s for an outfitter. Adjacent, nos. 108-112 constitute five much-altered but essentially Georgian shop-houses. They were once located opposite Market Hill; their 18th-century occupants overlooked
4950-528: The High Street, are marked on the map: Hog Lane, Bell Water Gate, Taler Tree Gate, Ship Stairs and Warren Lane. Apart from that, the built-up area consisted of Church Hill, Parson's Hill, Woolwich High Street, a pocket of houses between the Ropeyard and the Warren, and a scattering of cottages at Green's End (now Beresford Square ). On another map of 1748-49 the so-called watermen's stairs are marked, used for loading and offloading ships. They are all situated at
5060-452: The London area, that may have been a significant port, anterior to London ". The Anglo-Saxon name for Woolwich ( uuluuich ) indicates that this was a -wich town , a trading place for wool. In 2015, Oxford Archaeology discovered a Saxon burial site near the riverside with 76 skeletons from the late 7th or early 8th century. The absence of grave deposits indicates that this was an early Christian settlement. The first church, which stood to
5170-736: 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
5280-605: 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
5390-480: 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
5500-521: 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
5610-493: 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
SECTION 50
#17327804067255720-423: 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 a large part of south-eastern and
5830-511: 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
5940-400: The adjacent and desolate-looking market pound. 51°29′39″N 0°03′45″E / 51.494081°N 0.062418°E / 51.494081; 0.062418 Thames The River Thames ( / t ɛ m z / TEMZ ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis , is a river that flows through southern England including London . At 215 miles (346 km), it
6050-407: The ambulance station, are low-rise utilitarian structures with a touch of Brutalism . Originally the roof of the workshop block was accessible to the public as a viewing platform. The south entrance building of the Woolwich Foot Tunnel was built at the north-west side of Nile Street in 1910-12. It is now hidden behind the Waterfront Leisure Centre. The round building of red brick with its leaded dome
6160-411: The area around Tower Place, which had been acquired by William Pritchard, an ordnance contractor from Eltham . In exchange for the 31-acre Warren or Tower Place estate, Pritchard acquired Gun Yard plus a large payment in cash. He continued using the Gun Yard for shipping and storage of military and non-military provisions, as well as adding a repair shop for gun carriages and a saltpetre refinery. Around
6270-456: The buildings at Woolwich Power Station were almost continuously renewed until it closed down in 1978. Around 1965 the ferry approach was moved further west where it was connected via a roundabout to a new dual carriageway (John Wilson Street). A marshalling yard was added west of the ferry approach. Woolwich High Street and Beresford Street were widened around the same time. A light industrial estate at Ropeyard Rails replaced what had once been
6380-423: 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
6490-423: 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
6600-408: The earlier buildings have been demolished, the area has retained some interesting architecture, including the Georgian parish church, the Edwardian foot tunnel rotunda and two cinemas of the 1930s. The area designated as Woolwich Central Riverside is situated along the south bank of the river Thames in Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich . It is bounded to the north by the Thames and to
6710-447: The earliest signs of urban renewal in Woolwich. In 2022, two tower blocks were added. A few older buildings remain south of the roundabout where the A205 meets the A206 . At the eastern slope of Church Hill an unusual cluster is formed by two derelict buildings and a formidable Art Deco cinema. The former Odeon Cinema , now called Gateway House, is used by the New Wine Church . Its streamlined exterior looks as glamorous as it did in
SECTION 60
#17327804067256820-399: The eastern end of the street, facing Beresford Square , Holy Trinity Church was built in 1833-34. This large Anglican church had an imposing façade in Portland stone with a stump tower above a Greek Revival portico . In 1856 the overcrowded churchyard at St Mary Magdalene 's was closed and a new parish cemetery, Woolwich cemetery , opened in Plumstead . In 1893-95 the old churchyard
6930-412: 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
7040-422: The former Woolwich Power Station coal yard. This and the land further east is earmarked for redevelopment. Closer to the Royal Arsenal the Waterfront residential tower blocks have topped out at just under 80 m. Woolwich parish church sits on a promontory named Church Hill that was settled early on. Nothing of the original houses in this area survived. The church of St Mary Magdalen is a plain brick building with
7150-533: 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
7260-463: The heavy broadside. The only surviving contemporary depiction of the craft is from the Anthony Roll . Henry Grace à Dieu saw little action. She was present at the Battle of the Solent against French forces in 1545, in which Mary Rose sank. Overall, she was used more as a diplomatic vessel, including taking Henry VIII to the summit with Francis I of France at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520 (although smaller ships had to be used to take
7370-404: 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
7480-416: 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
7590-419: The industrial and post-industrial phases of the 19th and 20th century. Among the buildings that have disappeared are Tower Place, the Ropeyard with its clock tower, Holy Trinity Church as well as several other churches and chapels, the Empire Theatre, at least ten pubs, the Woolwich Baths, Woolwich Power Station and the Auto Stacker . Of the buildings that remain none are older than the Georgian era , including
7700-499: The infamous Dusthole. In the mid-1980s, more buildings in Beresford Street were cleared in order to reroute the A206 north of the Royal Arsenal Gatehouse . All these projects involved large-scale demolition in the historic heart of Woolwich. Presented as 'slum clearance', it met with little resistance in a town that was used to being rebuilt continuously. With the successful regeneration of the former Royal Arsenal by Greenwich Council and Berkeley Homes , urban renewal has spread to
7810-485: The intersection of these two streets stood the parish cage and stocks . Later this area was named Market Hill, after the market moved here around 1670 from its earlier location near the ropeyard. Further east stood Tower Place, a Tudor mansion with an octagonal tower and a warren around it. The house was built in the 1540s for Martin Bowes , a wealthy goldsmith and merchant, later a Lord Mayor of London . Bowes had bought riverside holdings in Woolwich and Plumstead in
7920-475: The largest warship when launched in 1511. The ship was built from 1512 to 1514 at the purpose-built Gun Wharf in Old Woolwich . This wharf became the origin of Woolwich Dockyard , although in the 1540s the dockyard moved further west to an area known as "The King's Yard", where it would remain for more than 300 years. Henry Grace à Dieu was one of the first vessels to feature gunports and had twenty of
8030-478: The market with its watch-house, pump, cage and stocks. Nos. 111-112 are probably the oldest surviving houses in Woolwich, from the early 18th century, perhaps also the smallest. Nos. 110-111 are from the late 18th and early 19th century and are one storey higher. No. 108 was rebuilt in the 1820s, of plain brick, three storeys high and three bays wide. Callis Yard was for more than a century a municipal depot. The site
8140-533: The new heavy bronze cannon, allowing for a broadside . She was fitted out later in the Naval Dockyard in Erith . In all she mounted 43 heavy guns and 141 light guns. Very early on it became apparent that the ship was top heavy. She was plagued with heavy rolling in rough seas and her poor stability adversely affected gun accuracy and general performance as a fighting platform. To correct this, she underwent
8250-426: 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
8360-485: The north ends of the aforementioned streets, some with poetic names: Green Dragon Stairs, Blue Anchor Stairs and Sheep (or Ship) Stairs. In the late 18th century, the population of Woolwich approached 10,000 and new areas for housing were found south of the main street. A new town centre comprising Beresford Square , Powis Street and the Bathway Quarter was laid out around 1800. The ropeyard closed in 1832 and
8470-536: The north of the present parish church , was almost certainly pre-Norman and dedicated to Saint Lawrence . It was probably rebuilt in stone around 1100. From the 10th till the mid-12th century Woolwich was controlled by the abbots of St. Peter's Abbey in Ghent . Some of the Ghent lands passed to the royal manors of Dartford and Eltham . Not included were a riverside quay held by Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate , and
8580-514: The north side are furthest advanced. Part of this area is a park (Royal Arsenal Gardens, renamed Maribor Park around 2018), part of it a construction site. A Premier Inn hotel opened here, after much delay, in 2017. A 17-storey building is planned on the corner with Warren Lane, with taller buildings behind it, nearer to the river. A residential block with students' flats will replace the Woolwich Catholic Club, built in 1979-80. On
8690-484: The pivot point between the two streets. Not a single stone remains of the ropeyard that once dominated this area, nor are there any buildings left from the 1830s when Beresford Street was laid out. In fact, very little remains from the 1960s when the area was redeveloped as a light industrial and office estate. On both sides of the street vacant lots alternate with 20th-century buildings, some of which are destined for demolition or refurbishment. Plans by Berkeley Homes for
8800-637: 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
8910-540: 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. Henry Grace %C3%A0 Dieu Henry Grace à Dieu ("Henry, Thanks be to God"), also known as Great Harry ,
9020-439: 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
9130-596: 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
9240-456: 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
9350-519: 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
9460-505: The same time the north-west part of the yard was fenced off for the exclusive use of the ropeyard. West of Bell Water Gate, around present-day Glass Yard, there was some glass industry in the 17th century, while pottery production seems to have continued here at the same time. By the end of the 17th century, the Warren, later the Royal Arsenal , had grown to rival the Tower of London as the country's main ordnance depot. The ropeyard
9570-406: The same time. A new crane and thatch-roofed workshop were added in 1586. Apart from naval storage, the wharf was used for bringing in raw materials for the ropeyard as well as shipping out finished rope. The north-west section of the yard was named Ropeyard Wharf. Hemp , tar and rope were carried or carted some 180 meters between this area and the ropeyard via Bell Water Gate and the High Street. At
9680-611: 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
9790-607: The second half of the century road widening, new car parks, the relocation of the Woolwich Ferry terminal, as well as large-scale building projects such as the Auto Stacker (1961), Riverside House (1963) and a new leisure centre (1988) made further demands on land in the riverside area. A modest power station built in 1893 in Globe Lane was taken over by Woolwich Borough Council in 1903. As its capacity grew,
9900-498: The site of the Dog Yard brewery, established by John Hare in the 1730s. This ambitious brick-clad garage complex dates from 1938-39. It was said to be the largest motoring complex in south-east London at the time. It comprises a four-storey garage with a ramp, linked to a smaller building by a high-level bridge over Mortgramit Square. Originally it also featured showrooms on Powis Street . The largely 1950s High Street frontage includes
10010-542: The site was acquired by the Greenwich wine merchant George Smith. Three years later the area was cleared and Beresford Street was laid out. By 1847 the street had been fully developed with two-storey-houses (some double-fronted, one room deep), two public houses (Beresford Arms and Duke of Sussex), a theatre (Theatre Royal, later Woolwich Empire) and a chapel (Wesleyan Association Chapel; later followed by Baptist Tabernacle, Salvation Army Chapel and St Saviour's Mission). At
10120-587: The sites of the historic gun wharf, as well as - ironically - the Dusthole. Although slowed down by the financial crisis of 2007–2008 , the plan gained new momentum in 2014 when it was decided that Woolwich would be connected to Crossrail . The Royal Arsenal Gardens have been partly built on, partly realigned as Maribor Park. A 128-bedroom hotel facing Beresford Street and the first of around ten residential towers were completed in 2017. By 2023, six of ten tower blocks were completed, with two more nearing completion. In
10230-562: The south by Woolwich Church Street, Woolwich High Street and Beresford Street (all part of the A206 road ), although some historic alleys and yards on the south side of these streets are included in this survey. To the west it is bounded by Woolwich Dockyard , and to the east by the Royal Arsenal . Old Woolwich is located north of the present-day commercial heart of Woolwich, which is centred around Beresford Square and Powis Street . Woolwich Central Riverside has been inhabited at least since
10340-541: 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
10450-425: The south side of the street, an office-to-residential conversion of Royal Sovereign House was completed in 2020. Built in 1980-81, this was originally part of a development incorporating a supermarket and a five-storey office block. The 1880s Union Street School, on the corner of Macbean Street (formerly Union Street), was demolished in 2011. Plans for redevelopment have been presented for this vacant lot, as well as for
10560-475: The street east of the Waterfront Leisure Centre has been entirely razed and turned into a temporary car park, awaiting redevelopment as part of the Waterfront scheme. The south side of Woolwich High Street continues with a scattering of small shops, followed by the Callis Yard construction site, and the 1960s Riverside House offices. On the corner with Hare Street is a large shop of 1882 with a narrow façade on
10670-500: The town's main shopping area. Horse-drawn trams arrived in Woolwich Church Street, High Street and Beresford Street in 1881. The Woolwich Free Ferry was established in 1889, replacing privately owned ferry services. Between Nile Street and Surgeon Street an entire block had to be cleared in order to build the ferry terminal, new river walls and approach roads. The area north of the High Street gradually turned into
10780-705: 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
10890-412: 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
11000-487: 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 the drier parts of mainland Britain and heavily abstracted for drinking water,
11110-580: 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
11220-452: Was an English carrack or " great ship " of the King's Fleet in the 16th century, and in her day the largest warship in the world. Contemporary with Mary Rose , Henry Grace à Dieu was even larger, and served as Henry VIII's flagship . Built by William Bond (master shipwright) under the direction of Robert Brygandine (clerk of the ships), she had a large forecastle four decks high, and
11330-479: 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
11440-463: 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;
11550-406: Was given an improved and innovative sailing arrangement with four masts, each divided into three sections; the forward two square rigged with mainsail, topsail and topgallants; and the aft two carrying five lateen sails between them. This allowed for easier handling of the sails and spread wind forces more evenly on the ship, resulting in better speed and maneuverability, and allowing better use of
11660-410: Was largely cleared in the 2010s. A section of the old horse stables was saved and restored. In 2016-18, a cluster of mainly low-rise apartment buildings were built here, including an 18-storey residential tower. The latter stands close to a 17-storey office tower, part of Riverside House, built in 1962-63. Most of Riverside House is on Beresford Street but the anomalous and much-disliked office block forms
11770-473: Was not a popular posting. However, the town's population grew rapidly, to about 6,500 in 1720. The entire area between the Dockyard and the Warren was filled in with houses. The south part of Gun Yard (facing the High Street) was developed in the 1720s as a market surrounded by houses on three sides and with a central market office. The northern part of the plot remained in use as a riverside wharf throughout
11880-412: Was rebuilt in 1695-97 by the surveyor and naval engineer Edmund Dummer , adding a double ropewalk to the existing one. The yard was extended to 324 m, stretching all the way to Green's End. At its north end stood a brick warehouse with a clock tower . It employed as many as 400 men. This, and the shipbuilding at Woolwich Dockyard, attracted ever more workers to Woolwich, which due to the malarial marshland
11990-617: 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 ,
12100-529: Was transformed into a public park, St Mary's Gardens. The park formed an oasis between the densely populated streets south of Woolwich Church Street, and the Dockyard north of it. An attempt was made to move the market from Market Hill to Market Street in the Bathway Quarter but this proved to be unpopular. In 1888 the market was officially established at Beresford Square. Powis Street became a successful commercial street and replaced Woolwich High Street as
#724275