Category: Updates

Eel Pie Island is a mystery to most of us.

It hides Twickenham from the walker on the towpath but most of us are not sure what happens on the only inhabited island in the tidal Thames. There are myths about what used to happen.

Today it is best known as a former pop concert venue which suffered several serious fires. Only last September there was yet another when Min-y-Don, home of architect Clive Chapman, was burnt down.

A new book Eel Pie Island (Frances Lincoln; £16.99) records all known facts about the island. The main author is former Times foreign correspondent Dan van der Vat who has lived on the island for thirty years.

He insists that the 550 yard long island is in Middlesex and not Surrey, reveals that it once belonged to the nuns at Syon, examines claims about Henry VIII calling in for eel pies and explodes other such myths. He records the dates of the fires and access changes from chain barge ferry to toll bridge to new bridge.

The second author is Michele Whitby who holds a unique collection of documents, programmes and tickets from famous concerts.

She records what really went on at those pop concerts when the performers included Acker Bilk, Long John Baldry and the Rolling Stones. She also explains the role of Michael Snapper, last owner of the hotel, and generous concert promotor Arthur Chisnall.

There is the best map I have ever seen of the island and beautiful photography alongside historic photographs.

So what is it like to live on Eel Pie Island today? Its famous resident Trevor Baylis says it is just “120 drunks clinging to a mudbank”.

After reading this book you will want to live there too. It’s a delightful and  important contribution to the Thames history.

Today MV Havengore which carried Winston Churchill’s body upstream after his funeral was back on the Thames.

The vessel by chance retraced the same route as it sailed from its mooring at St Katharine’s Dock to anchor outside the Palace of Westminster where a short service took place prior to the two minute silence.

The London SE1 website has a report.

The situation at Surrey Docks Farm near Rotherhithe, downstream from Tower Bridge, has always been rather confused. There are not many public footpaths in the capital and the towpath does not exist here.

A planning application for path improvements at the farm makes it clear that the Thames Path route will be open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm. The path will only be open daytime on Mondays when funds allow for separating the path completely from the farm.

Regrettably there has been an arson attack at night which caused huge and still unresolved problems.

There is an alternative route for Mondays and summer evenings. The farm remains a good place to stop off for lunchtime refreshment.

See page 21.

The slight and brief diversion away from the water between Shiplake and Sonning has ended now that the bank has been repaired.

Pre-planted rolls have been installed along the top of piling to encourage natural vegetation.

White Hart Dock on Albert Embankment has been so hidden that many people did not know it existed.

Indeed I confess that I did not ask readers to note the blank high concrete wall when writing the directions between Lambeth and Vauxhall Bridges.

The surprise is that the draw dock opening on to Black Prince Road is on the inside of the embankment main road. Boats and barges must pass under the road.

I have written a description of an event at the dock on the London SE1 website.

See page 39.

By the end of this week the Thames Path will close between Tate Modern and Blackfriars Bridge and stay closed until New Year 2012.

The closure was delayed until the annual Thames Festival last weekend.

The riverside work is part of building a south bank entrance to Blackfriars Station which will now span the river on the existing railway bridge.

The diversion is being signed down Hopton Street, right into Southwark Street and right again into Blackfriars Road to reach Blackfriars Bridge.

There is also some extra signage pointing unhelpfully to non-existent toilets.

The Founders Arms pub is remaining open.

See page 34.

Reports of a blaze on Eel Pie Island over the weekend will have concerned many. We all knew it must be serious as a fire boat was called upstream. Unfortunately it was low tide on Saturday night which did not help with pumping.

We now know that the house which has burnt down belongs to architect Clive Chapman who has worked on several local projects including one for Twickenham riverside. The remains of his house, which he designed, can be seen from the towpath.

The disaster brings back memories of Eel Pie Island Hotel which burnt down in 1971 and another serious fire on the island in the 1990s.

Inventor Trevor Baylis who also lives on the island said that the flames were above the trees.

See page 61.

Walking downstream from Richmond to Kew this afternoon I was surprised to see -I had to look twice- that the lion was missing from the top of Syon House. I wondered about my eyesight.

This evening I learn that I was not mistaken. The lion was lifted down in March for restoration.

The lion is the crest of the Percy family, better known as the Duke of Northumberland family, and this big version dates from 1749. He first stood downstream on the top of riverside Northumberland House which gave way to Northumberland Avenue off Trafalgar Square. Since the 1874 he has been on the roof of the Duke’s country house at Syon.

ALSO

At Kew Green I found a cricket match and the church open. On the way to the station I called in at the teashop in Kew Road to buy  some Maids of Honour cakes which are made to a secret Tudor recipe. Back home I warmed them up as instructed. Delicious.

Very good news on the front page of South East Walker.

‘New path opens up a mile of Thames riverside’ says the headline.

I had been waiting for the result of a public inquiry over a disputed path at Shiplake linking the road with the isolated towpath.

I can remember in the 1980s walking from Shiplake Station into Mill Road where I turned left at the wooden Lashbrook Mission Room. This path led to open ground and the river.

Unfortunately the path was not on the definitive map when the Thames Path was opened and a new landowner disputed the path status. This why the Thames Path misses out a long and lovely stretch of towpath opposite Wargrave.

A government inspector has now confirmed an order made by Oxfordshire County Council to add the path to the map.

A confirmation order will be posted within the next few weeks and, providing there is no appeal, the path should be declared to be part of the Thames Path  sometime next year.

See page 121.

I walked past the Blacksmiths Arms in Rotherhithe on Saturday not knowing that it was being featured that day in The Independent as one of ‘50 Best Gastro Pubs‘.

I did not know that it was a gastro pub. Along with my companion I had just had a wonderful lunch for £5 at Surrey Docks Farm . The meat was from the farm and real apples were just 30p each. We sat sheltered from the sun on the terrace with hops spilling over the fence.

I see that the paper also listed The Trout at at Tadpole – although the location is given as Buckland Marsh. Sadly it’s now rather expensive.

But back in London we also tried the new Tassili Coffee Shop on the path in East Lane next to Chambers Wharf. Seems to be popular with walkers.

See pages 21, 22 and 26.