http://www.thamespath.org.uk From the Sea to the Source Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:26:03 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Kew Gardens is 250 years old next year and it may be worth celebrating on the very first day of 2009. Princess Augusta started the botanic garden in 1759. Most walkers on the Thames Path do not now break off to visit the gardens, however tempting, as the admission price is a ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/11/03/free-day-at-kew/ News of the very severe fire at Garrick's Villa in Hampton is a shock.  Famous actor Richard Garrick bought the house in 1754 and twenty years later employed Robert Adam to make major alterations.  The fire could be seen from the towpath on the opposite bank at midday today. The grounds are divided ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/10/25/garricks-villa-damaged-by-fire/ The Good Pub Guide 2009 published this week highlights as always some Thames pubs. The Baskerville Arms at Shiplake is in the Oxford chapter along with, much further upstream, The Trout at Godstow. This has become expensive and rather too upmarket inrecent years although it is very good to see that ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/10/15/good-pub-guides-2009-recommendations/ A London to sea Thames Estuary Path is now government policy.  The Thames Gateway Parklands Vision was launched this week by architect Sir Terry Farrell, the Government's Parklands design champion, at the Thames Gateway Green Forum. Speaking alongside Sir Terry at the Royal Horticulural Hall, Housing Minister Iain Wright said that urban ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/10/11/thames-path-to-link-to-thames-estuary-path/ Demolition has begun on  Chambers Wharf ready for a new development which will restore the riverside path along Bermondsey Wall. Chambers Wharf lies between Rotherhithe and St Saviour's Dock near Tower Bridge. At present walkers have to divert along Chambers Street at the back .  On Wednesday Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat MP ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/10/04/chambers-wharf-demolition-starts-on-bermondsey-wall/ "The presence of lock-keepers' homes along the River Thames has made a huge contribution to improving safety and reducing crime, vandalism and antisocial behaviour along the riverside" says Reading West MP Martin Salter. Writing in Thames Guardian, the journal of the River Thames Society, the MP backs the lock-keepers' campaign to ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/09/12/martin-salter-mp-backs-lock-keepers/ A new bridge has been built over the River Thames to take thousands of visitors to the Reading Festival.  The temporary structure, made out of the stage used for Madonna's tour, has just been completed upstream of Caversham Bridge.  In recent years young campers on the Mapledurham side have had to queue ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/08/19/reading-festival-bridge/ Faith In The Frame, a new 10 part series for ITV1, is being launched with a programme devoted to Stanley Spencer's painting The Resurrection in Cookham Churchyard. The first programme goes out on Sunday evening 31 August and sees Melvyn Bragg chair a 30 minute discussion with novelist Howard Jacobson, art ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/08/17/spencers-cookham-painting-launches-bragg-series/ Those living in the London ITV region will have been able to enjoy Peter Ackroyd's 30 minute Thames programme this evening. This first episode visited the source near Cirencester and claimed that the Rhine was once part of the Thames. Most interesting was an interview with the owners of Rose Isle just ... http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/08/08/peter-ackroyds-river-thames-television-series/ Those wishing to cross the Thames at Hambelden on weekdays during August and much of September may be delayed for about 15 minutes on weekdays. This is due to repairs being carried out on the weir. See page 113. http://www.thamespath.org.uk/2008/07/31/hambleden-weir-footpath-warning/