Islands in the River Thames
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English This article lists the islands in the River Thames, or at the mouth of a tributary (marked †), in England. It excludes human-made islands built as part of the building of forty-five two-gate locks which each accompany a weir, and islets subordinate to and forming part of the overall shape of another. The suffix -ey (pronounced today Template:IPAc-en) is common across England and Scotland and cognate with ait and meaning island, a term – as ait or eyot – unusually well-preserved on the Thames. A small minority of list entries are referred to as Island, Ait or Eyot and are vestiges, separated by a depression in the land or high-water-level gully.
Most are natural; others were created by excavation of an additional or replacement navigation channel, such as to provide a shorter route, a cut. Many result from accumulation of gravel, silt, wildfowl dung and plant decay and root strengthening, particularly from willows and other large trees. Unlike other large rivers, all today are considered fixed. All in the reaches below Lechlade have been protected against erosion by various combinations of canalisation of the river, building up with dredged material from the river bed, water reeds, concrete, cement, wood or sheet piling.
List of islands
.JPG){kind=link}
The islands are listed in order upstream from the sea.
| Name | Area (acre) |
Area (ha) |
References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isle of Sheppey† | Template:Convert | <ref>See article Isle of Sheppey for source. Its area is Template:Convert</ref> | |
| Two Tree Island† (also known as Leigh Marshes) | Template:Convert | ||
| Canvey Island† | Template:Convert | <ref>See article: Canvey Island for source. Its area is Template:Convert</ref><ref>Its land forms the land part of a wider parish, which took in mud flats, saltings and eroded land to the south-east where the river is broad – its scope is stated to be 9055.442 acres per OS 25-inch map of 1898 Ordnance Survey Essex Sheet LXXVII SE revised 1895-1896, published 1898.</ref><ref>http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10244250/boundary Template:Webarchive boundary map of Canvey Island parish – Vision of Britain – The University of Portsmouth and others</ref> | |
| Lower Horse Island† on Holehaven† a sandbank of Holehaven Creek, Corringham | Template:Convert | ||
| Upper Horse Island | 1.97 | 0.8 | |
| Chiswick Eyot, Chiswick | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch map of 1910 Ordnance Survey Surrey II.10 revised 1910, published 1913.</ref> | |
| Oliver's Island, Strand-on-the-Green | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch map of 1896 Ordnance Survey London LXXXIV published 1897.</ref> | |
| Brentford Ait, Brentford | Template:Convert | <ref name="ReferenceA">OS 25-inch map of 1910 Ordnance Survey London sheet LXXXIV revised 1891-94, published 1897.</ref> | |
| Lot's Ait, Brentford | Template:Convert | <ref name="ReferenceA"/> | |
| Isleworth Ait, Isleworth | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch map of 1910 Ordnance Survey London sheet XCVI revised 1891-94, published 1897.</ref> | |
| Corporation Island, Richmond | Template:Convert | <ref name="approx">approx.</ref> | |
| Glover's Island, Twickenham | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch map of 1894 Ordnance Survey London CXXII repeated on sheet CX published 1897.</ref> | |
| Eel Pie Island, Twickenham | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch map of 1894, Surrey sheet VI.7 revised 1893-1894, published 1898.</ref> | |
| Swan Island, Twickenham | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch map of 1894 Ordnance Survey London CXXII published 1897.</ref> | |
| Trowlock Island, Teddington | Template:Convert | ||
| Steven's Eyot, Kingston upon Thames | Template:Convert | ||
| Raven's Ait, Surbiton | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch map of 1894, Middlesex sheet XXV.12 revised 1893-1894, published 1898.</ref> | |
| Boyle Farm Island, Thames Ditton | Template:Convert | <ref name=ditton>OS 25-inch map of 1895, Surrey sheet XII.7 revised 1895, published 1897.</ref> | |
| Thames Ditton Island, Thames Ditton | Template:Convert | <ref name=ditton/> | |
| Ash Island, East Molesey | Template:Convert | <ref name=Ehampton>OS 25-inch map of 1894 Ordnance Survey London CXXXIX published 1897.</ref> | |
| Tagg's Island, Hampton | Template:Convert | <ref name=Ehampton/> | |
| Garrick's Ait, Hampton | Template:Convert | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>OS 25-inch map of 1894 Surrey sheet VI.14 published 1897. Ordnance Survey</ref> |
| Benn's Island, Hampton | Template:Convert | <ref name="approx"/> | |
| Platts Eyot, Hampton | Template:Convert | <ref name="Whampton">OS 25-inch map of 1894-5 Middlesex sheets XXV.6 & 10 published 1896</ref> | |
| Grand Junction Isle, Sunbury | Template:Convert | <ref name=Whampton/> | |
| Sunbury Court Island, Sunbury | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch map of 1893-4 Surrey sheet VI13 published 1896. Ordnance Survey. C. Measured as 2.464 by own research using online map tools; as east end sheared off rest slightly extended</ref> | |
| Rivermead Island, Sunbury | Template:Convert | <ref>Actual measurement. Compares to broader island OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Middlesex of 1912, sheet XXV.9 in four parcels, total Template:Convert. Published 1915.</ref> | |
| Sunbury Lock Ait, Walton on Thames | Template:Convert | <ref name="sunbury">OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Middlesex of 1912, sheet XXV.9 in four parcels, total Template:Convert. Published 1915.</ref> | |
| Wheatley's Ait, Sunbury-on-Thames (also known as Wheatleys Eyot) | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Middlesex of 1912, sheet XXV.9, published 1915.</ref> | |
| Desborough Island, Walton-on-Thames | Template:Convert | <ref>approx</ref> | |
| D'Oyly Carte Island, Weybridge | Template:Convert | <ref name=weybridge>OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Surrey of 1894, sheet XI.7 published 1896.</ref> | |
| Lock Island, Shepperton | Template:Convert | <ref name=weybridge/> | |
| Hamhaugh Island, Shepperton | Template:Convert | <ref name=weybridge/> | |
| Pharaoh's Island, Shepperton | Template:Convert | <ref name=weybridge/><ref>Since this source island has been made thinner to south-west to obstruct less of the main flow of the river, stated acreage reference number Shepperton: 226, measuring Template:Convert, named Dog Ait</ref> | |
| Laleham Burway including Abbey Mead, Chertsey | Template:Convert | ||
| Penton Hook Island, Laleham | Template:Convert | <ref>OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Surrey of 1912, sheet V.14&15 published 1914</ref> | |
| Truss's Island, Thorpe | Template:Convert | ||
| Church Island, Staines-upon-Thames | Template:Convert | <ref name="wraysbury">OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Buckinghamshire of 1899, sheet LVIII.8 published 1899</ref> | |
| Hollyhock Island with Holm Island, Staines-upon-Thames | Template:Convert | <ref name=wraysbury/> | |
| The Island (formerly marsh), Hythe End | Template:Convert | <ref name=wraysbury/> | |
| Magna Carta Island, Runnymede | Template:Convert | <ref name=wraysbury/> | |
| Pats Croft Eyot, Runnymede | Template:Convert | <ref name=wraysbury/><ref>Acreage number 198, Wraysbury</ref> | |
| The Island, Wraysbury | Template:Convert | <ref name=wraysbury/><ref>Acreage number 120, Wraysbury</ref> | |
| Friary Island, Wraysbury | Template:Convert | <ref name=oldwindsor>No trench visible. No longer an island</ref><ref>OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Surrey of 1912, sheet IV.8 published 1914</ref> | |
| Friday Island, Old Windsor | Template:Convert | <ref name=oldwindsor/> | |
| Ham Island, Old Windsor | Template:Convert | ||
| Lion Island, Old Windsor | Template:Convert | ||
| Sumptermead Ait, Datchet | Template:Convert | ||
| Black Potts Ait, Windsor | Template:Convert | <ref name="windsor">OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Buckinghamshire of 1897, sheet LVI.6 published 1899</ref> | |
| Romney Island, Windsor | Template:Convert | <ref name=windsor/><ref>Romney Island is in three sections as broken by two short side weirs; it also has the long breakwater below Windsor Bridge called The Cobbler</ref> | |
| Cutlers Ait, Windsor | Template:Convert | <ref name=windsor/> | |
| Firework Ait, Windsor | Template:Convert | <ref>Template:Convert at most. This patch of less than six trees is too small to be shown on most maps of Windsor and Eton</ref> | |
| Jacob's Island, Windsor | Template:Convert | <ref> Named after Arthur Jacobs http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsorpeople/ArthurJacobs.html</ref> | |
| Deadwater Ait, Windsor | Template:Convert | <ref name=windsor/> | |
| Baths Island, Eton Wick | Template:Convert | <ref name=windsor/> | |
| Bush Ait, Windsor | Template:Convert | <ref name=windsor/> | |
| Queen's Eyot, Dorney | Template:Convert | ||
| Monkey Island, Bray | Template:Convert | <ref name="bray">OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Buckinghamshire of 1897, sheet LVII published 1899</ref> | |
| Pigeonhill Eyot, Bray | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Headpile Eyot, Bray | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Guards Club Island, Maidenhead (also known as Bucks Ait) | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Bridge Eyot, Maidenhead | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Grass Eyot, Maidenhead | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Ray Mill Island, Maidenhead | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/><ref>Note: Ray Mill Island is fully attached to the bank on one side</ref> | |
| Boulter's Island or Boulter's Lock Island, Maidenhead | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Glen Island, Maidenhead | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Bavin's Gulls, Maidenhead (also known as Sloe Grove Islands) | Template:Convert | <ref>three main islands are marked Template:Convert from north to south.</ref> | |
| Formosa including manmade Mill and Sashes Islands, Cookham | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Sheriff Island, Marlow | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Gibraltar Islands, Marlow | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Temple Mill Island, Hurley | Template:Convert | <ref name=bray/> | |
| Frog Mill Ait, Hurley | Template:Convert | <ref name=frogmillfarm>OS Map sheet L1.11 of Bucks (county) revised 1897, published 1898.</ref> | |
| Black Boy Island, Hurley | Template:Convert | <ref name=frogmillfarm/><ref>With Frog Mill Ait, forms archipelago of three, these are the largest two, that to the north measured Template:Convert</ref> | |
| Magpie Island, Medmenham | Template:Convert | <ref>Formerly two islands plus islet trees to south now all one. Pre-20th century maps show a narrow channel (between these); total published area then excluding filled in area: Template:Convert</ref><ref name=frogmillfarm/> | |
| Hambleden Mill island | Template:Convert | <ref>OS Map sheet L1.6 of Bucks (county) revised 1897, published 1898.</ref> | |
| Temple Island, Remenham | Template:Convert | <ref name="henley">OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Oxfordshire of 1897, sheets LIV.5, LVI.13, LVI.14 and LVI1.16 published 1898</ref> | |
| Rod Eyot, Henley-on-Thames | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Ferry Eyot, Harpsden | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Poplar Eyot, Wargrave | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Handbuck Eyot, Wargrave | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Unnamed Eyot, Wargrave | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Shiplake railway bridge island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Shiplake weir island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Phillimore Island, Charvil | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| The Lynch, Lower Shiplake | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Hallsmead Ait, Lower Shiplake | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/><ref>Marginally washed away at upper end since last Ordnance Survey out-of-copyright published measurement given</ref> | |
| Buck Ait, Sonning | Template:Convert | <ref>Greatly washed away at upper end since last Ordnance Survey out-of-copyright published measurement given</ref> | |
| Long Ait, Sonning | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Sonning Eye, Sonning including Aberlash House island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Sonning Hill island, Sonning | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Sonning Marsh, Caversham Lakes Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Heron Island, Reading | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/><ref>Heron Island was and island and downstream islet, marsh in 1898; one island below these former two islands was Template:Convert and has been given over to the river</ref> | |
| View Island, Reading | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/><ref>Was Template:Convert in map cited however has been cut back to raise marshy Template:Convert eastern bulk and broaden main channel to south</ref> | |
| De Bohun Island, Reading | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Fry's Island, Reading (also known as De Montfort Island) | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Pipers Island, Reading | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| St Mary's Island and the Lower Large, Reading | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/><ref>as to the Lower Large</ref> | |
| Appletree Eyot, Tilehurst | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Poplar Island, Tilehurst | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Mapledurham Mill Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Whitchurch Mill Greater Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Lower Basildon marsh island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Streatley Mill Greater Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Cleeve Mill lower island, Goring | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Cleeve Mill island, Goring | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Cleeve Mill upper island, Goring | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Cholsey Marsh island | Template:Convert | <ref name="approx"/><ref>Former three separate aits merged by in-fill of channels Template:Convert per published maps</ref><ref name=henley/> | |
| Crowmarsh Mill Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Little Wittenham Footbridge Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=henley/> | |
| Clifton Cut Island | Template:Convert | <ref name="abingdon">OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Oxfordshire of 1897, sheets XLV.16, XXXII.10 and XXXIX.2 published 1898</ref> | |
| Long Wittenham Backwater Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Culham Cut Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Sutton Pools Island, Sutton Courtney | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Nag's Head Island, Abingdon | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Andersey Island, Abingdon | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Tiger Island (opposite the Abbey Grounds), Abingdon | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Lock Wood Island, Nuneham Courtenay | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Fiddler's Elbow, Sandford-on-Thames | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/><ref>Fiddler’s Elbow breaks into a 1.956 northern section (broken from the 8.631 remainder) by a minor, weired meandering creek in its northern part)</ref> | |
| Fidder's Elbow far northern section | Template:Convert | ||
| Swan Inn, Rose, Kennington or St Michael Isle, Kennington | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Folly Island, Folly Bridge, Oxford | Template:Convert | <ref>A small island transected by Abingdon Road that lies between two spans of Folly Bridge.</ref> | |
| Osney Island, Oxford | Template:Convert | <ref>Note: Osney is given as its narrowest definition; its larger west parts of the city would more than treble this measurement</ref><ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Fiddler's Island, Oxford | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Godstow Bridge Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| King's Lock Island | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Pinkhill Lock Island | Template:Convert | <ref name="approx"/><ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Shifford Cut Island, Chimney Meadows, Chimney, Oxfordshire | Template:Convert | <ref name=abingdon/> | |
| Radcot Bridge Lower Island, Radcot | Template:Convert | <ref name="upperreaches">OS 25-inch-to-mile map of Oxfordshire of 1898, sheets XXXVII.13 published 1899</ref> | |
| Radcot Bridge Upper Island, Radcot | Template:Convert | <ref name=upperreaches/> | |
| Swan Hotel Island, Radcot | Template:Convert | <ref name=upperreaches/> | |
| St Mary's Mead, Buscot | Template:Convert | <ref name=upperreaches/> | |
| St John's Bridge Island, Lechlade (borders Buscot) | Template:Convert | <ref name=upperreaches/> | |
| Northern meadow, Castle Eaton | Template:Convert | <ref name=upperreaches/> | |
| Cricklade north-east meadow | Template:Convert | <ref name=upperreaches/> | |
| Island between High and Oaklake bridges†, Ashton Keynes | Template:Convert | <ref name=upperreaches/> | |
| Manor stream island, Somerford Keynes and Kemble | Template:Convert | <ref name=upperreaches/> |
List of former islands
- Frog Island†, Rainham
- Isle of Dogs, Poplar
- Isle of Grain, Kent
- Thorney (or Thorney Island)† covered a broad area surrounding Westminster Abbey
- Bermondsey†, land and grounds of Bermondsey Abbey, formed by an anabranch (corollary channel) naturally dredged by the mouth of the Neckinger; a vestige of the channel is St Saviour's Dock.
- Battersea Formerly bounded by the Heath Brook,Falcon Brook and Thames.
- Beyond the alluvium/silts of the estuary, by the English Channel and North Sea
- Isle of Thanet†, Kent
Oxford floodplain
In the Oxford area the river splits into several streams across the floodplain, which create numerous islands. On the right bank a large island is created by Seacourt Stream, Botley Stream and Bulstake Stream, and there are smaller islands, including the large mainly built-up island now known as Osney, created by streams between Bulstake Stream and the Thames, including Osney Ditch. The Oxford suburbs of Grandpont and New Hinksey are on an island created by Bulstake Stream, Hinksey Stream and Weirs Mill Stream. Iffley Meadows is an island west of Iffley Lock, between Weirs Mill Stream, Hinksey Stream and the Thames.
On the left bank Fiddler's Island followed downstream by the built-up island historically known as Osney lie between Castle Mill Stream and the Thames. Cripley Meadow is also on an island formed by Fiddler's Island Stream, Castle Mill Stream and Sheepwash Channel.
Eton and Dorney
The status of Eton, Berkshire combined with Dorney is controversial. These are two mainly pre-1900-built small villages and their outlying localities: Eton Wick, Boveney and Dorney Reach. Much of these areas of land in the 19th century was marked by the Ordnance Survey "liable to floods" which led to pressure on authorities for flood protection, along with the more densely populated right bank.
They have been, since 2002, on a more protected man-made island formed by the Jubilee River, which is sometimes seen as an advanced flood relief channel rather than a channel of the Thames. As the Jubilee River is maintained with flow at all times,Template:Citation needed they may be coming to be accepted by publications as on an island of the Thames, reflecting their objective strict geographical status.
Lock islands
The construction of almost all locks on the Thames involved one or more artificial lock islands separating the lock from the weirs. These may have been created by building an artificial island in the river or by digging an artificial canal to contain the lock and turning the land between that and the river into an island. In many cases the lock island contains the lock keeper's house and can be accessed across the lock gates. Such lock islands are only listed above if they have a specific name of their own: all Thames locks are listed in Locks on the River Thames.
See also
- Crossings of the River Thames
- Tributaries of the River Thames
- Eyots and Aits, Miranda Vickers, The History Press, pp 144, 2012.