The Thames is the heartblood of London, the trade access upon which the city was built and the source of much of its wealth as it grew into the capital we know today.
It’s a rather different Thames these days, with many of the original docklands abandoned or given over to new residential and commercial developments, but it’s still one of the countries’ busiest waterways – and its banks and bridges provide some of the most stunning views in London.
Rising just south of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, the Thames is around 205 miles long – 140 miles from the source to the limit of its tidal waters at Teddington Lock and then another 65 miles to The Nore sandbank between Shoeburyness in Essex and Sheerness in Kent, where its estuary officially becomes open sea.
Its major landmarks, as it makes its way through London, include Kew Gardens, Tate Britain, the Houses of Parliament, London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
During the Roman occupation of London, the Thames was much broader and shallower, but the comparatively small boats could easily access the riverbank. After the Norman Conquest, the port’s external trade increased and the embankment of the river east of London Bridge was created, reclaiming more than 42 square miles of marshland at Rotherhithe, Deptford and the Isle of Dogs.
Legal quays were established between London Bridge and the Tower of London during the reign of Elizabeth I and port activity grew so that by 1770, the Upper Pool (the part of the river below London Bridge) held as many as 1,775 ships and delays to the unloading of goods were commonplace.
Guarded quays, where goods could be stored in secure warehouses, heralding the birth of London’s docklands – the West India Docks were opened in 1802, followed by the London Docks in Wapping, the East India Docks, the Greenland Dock, St. Katharine’s Dock, Royal Victoria Dock, Millwall Docks, Royal Albert Dock and
Tilbury docks.
In 1909, the Port of London Authority (PLA) was created and oversaw construction of the King George V Dock, the last of the great London port facilities, in 1921.
Nearly all the Docklands facilities suffered extensive damage in during World War II bombing raids and the economic viability never really recovered.
Alternative developments began, two of the most notable of which are Canary Wharf, now a key part of London’s central business district and one of the main financial centres of the UK, and London City Airport, which opened on the Royal Docks site in 1987.
Famous for its high-rise buildings, including the fourth-tallest in the UK, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf comprises around 16 million square feet of office and retail space and together with Heron Quays and Wood Wharf forms the Canary Wharf Estate covering around 97 acre.
London City Airport is the fifth busiest international airport in London by passengers and aircraft movement, and the fourteenth busiest in the UK.
Owing to its proximity to the docklands and financial district, London City Airport’s users are primarily business travellers, mainly to Europe, although leisure flights from the airport are increasing.
The river’s most famous sights:
Kew Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, sponsored by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a botanical research and education institution. Founded from the exotic garden at Kew Park in the 1840s, it is now a centre for botanical study and its herbarium has more than 8.5 million preserved plant and fungal specimens.
London Eye
Sometimes known as the Millennium Wheel, the London Eye was formally opened on December 31, 1999, by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair. It was originally intended as a temporary attraction, but permanent status was granted in 2002, although its previous boast as the highest viewing point in the capital was superseded by the opening of The Shard’s observation deck in 2013.
The Houses of Parliament
Also known as the Palace of Westminster, the Houses of Parliament are an imposing sight on the north side of the Thames, standing on the opposite end of Westminster Bridge to the London Eye. Designed by Sir Charles Barry, the structure includes The Elizabethan Tower, home to the bell by whose name the tower is most commonly known – Big Ben.
St Paul’s Cathedral
One of London’s most iconic and best-known landmarks, the Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill dates back to an original church on the site in AD 604. The current building was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and completed as part of the rebuilding programme after the Great Fire of London. St Paul’s Cathedral is subject to a protected view, limiting the height of buildings within its sightline to preserve the ability of the famous dome to be seen from miles around.