The Project

The Thames Path, a national trail running for 180 miles from Woolwich in London to Kemble in Gloucestershire, was 20 years old in 2016. In Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea, the Thames Path offers residents and visitors the opportunity for an engaging walk through some beautiful parks, past historic buildings and excellent views of river scenery and wildlife.

However, going back in time 150 years, the riverside was a very different place from today. The Thames was of vital importance in transporting raw materials to the wharves and factories lining the riverside in an ever-expanding London. Boatbuilders, engineering works and coal wharves were a familiar site, making west London's riverside a bustling, crowded and industrious place with an abundance of tales to tell.

The importance of riverside industries lasted right up to the 1960s. However, in recent years, growing redevelopment along the Thames Path is changing the nature of the area, making it even more important to rediscover the fascinating heritage of this place.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Thames Path, Urbanwise.London (formerly The Hammersmith & Fulham Urban Studies Centre) worked with 7 local Primary Schools (St Peters CE, Queens Manor, All Saints CE, Sulivan, Langford, Ashburnham Community and Christ Church) to produce the materials for this page.

On this site, you can find a video, guide and interactive map produced as part of the work done in partnership with the schools mentioned above. We hope you find the information interesting and useful.

We encourage you to visit the Thames Path and explore these fascinating places. Enjoy your visit!

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Acknowledgements

Urbanwise.London worked with 7 local Primary Schools (St Peters CE, Queens Manor, All Saints CE, Sulivan, Langford, Ashburnham Community and Christ Church) to produce the material for this Guide. We would like to thank all children, teachers and support staff from those schools for their support during the project. We would also like to give special thanks to all our volunteers and the following organisations for their help during the project: Hammersmith and Fulham Archives, William Morris Society, Fulham F.C., Thames Explorer Trust, Fulham Palace, The Hurlingham Club, Kensington and Chelsea Archives, Barratt Homes at Fulham Riverside, Kayaking London, Chelsea Old Church and Chelsea Physic Garden.

Finally, we would like to thank Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for funding this project.

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