We start in Teddington, the limit of the tidal river, with the Tide End Cottage pub and Anglers Arms near the footbridge over the weir-stream and lock cut. Teddington has the longest weir and largest locking system on the river, with three locks having a rise and fall of just under nine feet and just below the locks jurisdiction passes from the Environment Agency to the Port of London Authority.
River-side Twickenham has some fine old houses, St. From Teddington Locks, on the right, Surrey bank are the expanse of Ham Lands and the entrance to the dock serving the gravel pits, now the base of the Thames Young Mariners, for sailing and canoeing. We then reach Richmond Bridge and the waterfront, with a boat-builders yard and day-boat hire base in front of a combination of old and old building styles from architect Quinlan Terry, opened by the Queen in Then we reach the Old Town Hall, with a library and museum to the White Cross pub, whose customers can be marooned at high tides.
Then past Old Deer Park, now playing fields and a golf-course, with stone obelisks near the river markers along the meridian line through Kew Observatory, built by George III. Then past a collection of houseboats and barges where the River Crane flows in, behind Isleworth Ait, which has working boatyards and an important heronry. Leaving Richmond on the Surrey bank, we look across Syon Reach to a rare, preserved habitat, a tide meadow that is flooded twice a day and to our right are Kew Gardens, with the red brick of Kew Palace, to Kew Bridge and Pier.
Then Chiswick Ayot, with its post showing the available room under Hammersmith Bridge , the elegant houses of Chiswick Mall to Hammersmith. Past Upper Mall with the famous Dove pub and Kelmscott House, where William Morris had his printing and design works into Lower Mall, with boat clubs, pontoons and a house-boat colony. The decorative Hammersmith Bridge, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, opened in , is the lowest bridge on the tidal river and pleasure boats can often be seen stemming the tide waiting for sufficient air draught.
Crossing Beverley Brook we come to Putney Hard, with many rowing clubs, pubs, a ships chandlery and the post marking the start of the Boat Race. Then, before Putney Bridge is a barge-loading slipway and after the bridge, St. Mary the Virgin, with its medieval tower. Upper Thames. Middle Thames. Old Windsor to Teddington. Upper Tideway. River Thames Publications. Teddington Locks. Teddington Lock. Chiswick Eyot. Read more.
