Page 276 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

274  L ONDON AREA B Y AREA

A 90-Minute Walk Around Richmond and Kew

This delightful riverside walk begins in historic Richmond, by
the remains of Henry VII’s once splendid palace, and ends at
Kew, Britain’s premier botanic garden. For more detail on the
sights in Richmond and Kew, turn to pages 258–67.
Richmond Green Leave Old Palace Yard at the
From Richmond station 1, pro- right-hand corner 6, following
ceed to Oriel House 2, which is a sign “To the River”, and turn i
practically opposite. Take the left to pass the White Swan pub The river at low tide KEW BRIDGE RD a
s
alleyway beneath it, and turn 7. At the river, go right along Kew STRAND ON
left towards the red-brick and the towpath under the iron year, training for races. The most Bridge THE GREEN
terracotta Richmond Theatre 3, railway bridge and then the prestigious occasions are the H I G H S T R E E T
built in 1899. The remarkable concrete Twickenham Bridge Henley Regatta in July and
Edmund Kean, whose brief, 8, completed in 1933, to reach the Oxford v Cambridge Boat FERRY LANE p KEW KEW ROAD
meteoric career in the early 19th Richmond Lock 9, with its cast- Race, every spring from Putney T h a m e s GREEN
century had a lasting impact on iron footbridge built in 1894. to Mortlake (see p60).
English acting, was closely The Thames is tidal as far as o
associated with the previous Teddington, some 5 km (3 miles) HIGH ST M O RTL
theatre on the site. Opposite is upstream, and the lock is Marina
Richmond Green 4. Cross it used to make the river u
diagonally and go through the continuously navigable. L O N D O N R O A D RD
The
entrance arch 5 of the old KEW Pond CUMBERLAND A KE R OA D
Tudor palace, which is adorned
with the arms of Henry VII. The Riverside GARDENS LICHFIELD RD Kew
Do not cross the bridge but The Lake Gardens
Richmond continue along the wooded y KEW GARDEN RD
Richmond owes much of its path by the river to Isleworth Ait S YON PAR K K E W R O A D
importance – as well as its name 0, a large island where herons t
– to Henry VII, victor of the Wars may be standing warily on
of the Roses and the first Tudor the riverbank. Just beyond it, r
monarch. On becoming king in on the far shore, is All Saints’ T h a m e s
1485 he spent a lot of time at Church q, whose 15th-century
an earlier residence on this site, tower has survived several q e
Sheen Palace, dating from the rebuildings, most recently in the w
12th century. The palace burned 1960s. Further round the inlet, OLD D EER PAR K
down in 1499 and Henry had it Isleworth w, once a small river-
K ing's
rebuilt, naming it Richmond after side village with a busy harbour, Observatory
the town in Yorkshire where he is now a dorm itory suburb of K E W R O A D
held an earldom. In 1603, Henry’s central London. Here, there is 0
granddaughter, Elizabeth I, died river traffic to watch: barges, LOW E R MO RTLA KE ROAD
here. The houses inside the yachts and, in summer, the
archway on the left contain passenger boats that ply upriver
remnants, much modified, of to Hampton Court (see pp260–63). R O A D
the 16th-century buildings. Rowers are out at most times of LITTLE 2 KEW R D
TWI C K E N HA M GREEN THE Richmond
1
OLD
PALACE
LANE
4
9 7 5 RICHMOND 3 QUADRANT
GREEN
SHEEN RD
8 Twickenham 6 GEORGE ST
Bridge
T H E A V E N U E

Key
3 Richmond Theatre Walk route

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