Thames
River
The Thames in London
Country	England
Counties	Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire
Cities	Oxford, Reading, Slough, London, Southend
Source
- location	Kemble
- elevation	110 m (361 ft)
Mouth	Thames Estuary, North Sea
- location	Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	346 km (215 mi)
Basin	12,935 km² (4,994 sq mi)
Discharge	for London
- average	65.8 m³/s (2,324 cu ft/s)
Discharge elsewhere (average)
- entering Oxford	17.6 m³/s (622 cu ft/s)
- leaving Oxford	24.8 m³/s (876 cu ft/s)
- Reading	39.7 m³/s (1,402 cu ft/s)
- Windsor	59.3 m³/s (2,094 cu ft/s)

The Thames (pronounced /tɛmz/) is a major river flowing through southern England. While best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows through several other towns and cities, including Oxford, Reading and Windsor. Several places exist with the name Thames, and the word is also used as part of several brand and company names Most famous is the River Thames in England, on which the city of London stands // Other Thames Rivers There is a Thames River in Canada There is a Thames... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ... Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... , Reading is a town, unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) and urban area in the English county of Berkshire. ... Slough (pronounced ) is a town and unitary authority (Borough of Slough) in England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Southend-on-Sea is a resort town in Essex, England. ... Kemble is a village in Gloucestershire, England. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The Thames Estuary is a large estuary where the River Thames flows into the North Sea. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... Southend-on-Sea is a resort town in Essex, England. ... For other meanings of Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). ... This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... “km” redirects here. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... It has been suggested that Thousand Cubic Feet be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... It has been suggested that Thousand Cubic Feet be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... It has been suggested that Thousand Cubic Feet be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... , Reading is a town, unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) and urban area in the English county of Berkshire. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... It has been suggested that Thousand Cubic Feet be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... This article is about the English town. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... It has been suggested that Thousand Cubic Feet be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... Map of the River Thames (England) Created by ChrisO, February 15, 2004 File links The following pages link to this file: River Thames Categories: GFDL images ... For other uses, see River (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... , Reading is a town, unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) and urban area in the English county of Berkshire. ... This article is about the English town. ...

The river gives its name to the Thames Valley, a region of England centred around the river between Oxford and West London, and the Thames Gateway, the area centred around the tidal Thames and the Thames Estuary to the east of London. The Thames Valley is generally the region that drains into the River Thames, England, but is used in a more specific term by the government. ... Satellite image of the inner part of West London Ayad Dibis is the best in West London. ... The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching 40 miles eastwards from East London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. ... The Thames Estuary is a large estuary where the River Thames flows into the North Sea. ...

Summary

The River Thames is the longest river entirely in England, rising officially at Thames Head in Gloucestershire, and flowing into the North Sea at the Thames Estuary. It has a special significance in flowing through London, the capital of the United Kingdom, although London only touches a short part of its course. The river is tidal in London with a rise and fall of 7 metres (23 ft) and becomes non-tidal at Teddington Lock. The catchment area covers a large part of South Eastern and Western England and the river is fed by over 20 tributaries. The river contains over 80 islands, and having both seawater and freshwater stretches supports a variety of wildlife. Thames Head, near Cirencester, England, is traditionally identified as the source of the River Thames. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... The Thames Estuary is a large estuary where the River Thames flows into the North Sea. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Teddington Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in the town of Teddington in the western suburbs of London, England. ...

The river has supported human activity from its source to its mouth for thousands of years providing habitation, water power, food and drink. It has also acted as a major highway both for international trade through the Port of London, and internally along its length and connecting to the British canal system. The river’s strategic position has seen it at the centre of many events and fashions in British history, earning it a description as “Liquid History”. It has been a physical and political boundary over the centuries and generated a range of river crossings. In more recent time the river has become a major leisure area supporting tourism and pleasure outings as well as the sports of rowing, sailing, skiffing, kayaking, and punting. The river has had a special appeal to writers, artists, musicians and film-makers and is well represented in the arts. It is still the subject of various debates about its course, nomenclature and history. The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames in London, England. ...

Physical and natural aspects

Course of the river

The monument at the official source of the Thames.

River Thames Flood Barrier

The Thames passes by some of the sights of London, including the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye

The Thames has a length of 215 miles (346 km). Its usually quoted source is at Thames Head (at grid reference ST980994), about a mile north of the village of Kemble and near the town of Cirencester, in the Cotswolds. However, Seven Springs near Cheltenham, where the river Churn rises, is also sometimes quoted as the Thames' source, as this location is furthest from the mouth both in distance along its course and as the crow flies. The springs at Seven Springs also flow throughout the year, while those at Thames Head are only seasonal. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 620 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Thames Barrier ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 620 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Thames Barrier ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1800x802, 237 KB) Photographer: Peter Morgan from Beijing, China Title: Thames River London Taken on: 2004-12-21 21:25:02 Original source: Flickr. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1800x802, 237 KB) Photographer: Peter Morgan from Beijing, China Title: Thames River London Taken on: 2004-12-21 21:25:02 Original source: Flickr. ... This may refer to the: British Houses of Parliament. ... The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is an observation wheel in London, England. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... “km” redirects here. ... The source of a river, usually a lake or a spring, is the farthest point of a river from its estuary or confluence with another river. ... Thames Head, near Cirencester, England, is traditionally identified as the source of the River Thames. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... Kemble is a village in Gloucestershire, England. ... , Cirencester  is a market town in Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles (150 km) west northwest of London. ... The Cotswolds is the name given to a range of hills in central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, a hilly area reaching over 300 m or 1000 feet. ... For the parliamentary constituency, see Cheltenham (UK Parliament constituency). ... The River Churn rises at Seven Springs near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England and flows south across the Cotswold dip slope passing through Cirencester and joining the River Thames near Cricklade in Wiltshire. ... Look up as the crow flies in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A natural spring on Mackinac Island in Michigan. ...

The Thames flows through or alongside Ashton Keynes, Cricklade, Lechlade, Oxford, Abingdon, Wallingford, Goring-on-Thames, Reading, Henley-on-Thames, Marlow, Maidenhead, Windsor, Eton, Staines and Weybridge, before entering the Greater London area. The present course is the result of several minor redirections of the main channel around Oxford, Abingdon and Maidenhead and more recently the creation of specific cuts to ease navigation. Ashton Keynes is a village and civil parish in the North Wiltshire district of Wiltshire, England, near the border with Gloucestershire, and about 6 miles south of Cirencester. ... , Cricklade is a small town in north Wiltshire in England, on the River Thames, situated midway between Swindon and Cirencester. ... Location within the British Isles Lechlade is a town in Gloucestershire, England, and is the highest navigable point on the River Thames. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... , Abingdon (traditionally known as Abingdon-on-Thames) is a market town in Oxfordshire in Southern England. ... Map sources for Wallingford at grid reference SU6089 Wallingford is a small town in Oxfordshire in southern England. ... , Goring-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Oxfordshire. ... , Reading is a town, unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) and urban area in the English county of Berkshire. ... , Henley-on-Thames is a town on the north side of the River Thames in south Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead. ... Overlooking river Thames and Marlow Marlow (previously Great Marlow or Chipping Marlow) is a town on the very southern tip of Buckinghamshire, England. ... Statistics Population: 58,848 (2001) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SU889811 Administration District: Windsor and Maidenhead Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Berkshire Historic county: Berkshire Services Police force: Thames Valley Ambulance service: South Central Post office and telephone Post town: MAIDENHEAD... This article is about the English town. ... Eton is a town in Berkshire, England, lying on the opposite bank of the River Thames to Windsor and connected to it by Windsor Bridge. ... For the French commune, see Stains. ... , Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. ... Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. ...

From the outskirts of Greater London, the river passes Hampton Court, Kingston, Teddington, Twickenham, Richmond (with a famous view of the Thames from Richmond Hill), Syon House and Kew before flowing through central London. In central London, the river forms one of the principal axes of the city, from the Palace of Westminster to the Tower of London and was the southern boundary of the mediaeval city, with Southwark on the opposite bank. The clock tower straddles the entrance between the inner and outer courts Hampton Court Palace is a former royal place on the north bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames about 12 miles (19 km) southwest and upstream of Central London, nowadays open to... Kingston upon Thames, part of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is an ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned, and is now a lively suburb of London. ... , Teddington is an area of London, England on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. ... Twickenham is a suburb in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, south west London. ... Richmond is a suburb in southwest London, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. ... Syon House before the alterations of the 1760s Robert Adams plan for the reconstruction of Syon House. ... Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... “Houses of Parliament” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Tower of London (disambiguation) Her Majestys Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower), is a historic monument in central London, on the north bank of the River Thames. ... For other places with the same name, see Southwark (disambiguation). ...

Once past central London, the river passes between Greenwich and the Isle of Dogs, before flowing through the Thames Barrier, which protects central London from flooding in the event of storm surges. Below the barrier, the river passes Dartford, Tilbury and Gravesend before entering the Thames Estuary near Southend-on-Sea. This article is about Greenwich in England. ... The Isle of Dogs in 1899, at the height of its commercial success The Isle of Dogs is in the centre of this 2005 aerial view of east London as seen from the skies over south London. ... The Thames Barrier is a flood control structure on the River Thames, constructed between 1974 and 1984 at Woolwich Reach, London. ... Impact of a storm surge A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically a tropical cyclone. ... , Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. ... Tilbury is located on the north bank of the River Thames, in the borough of Thurrock in England, at the point where the river suddenly narrows to about 800 yards/740 metres in width. ... Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. ... The Thames Estuary is a large estuary where the River Thames flows into the North Sea. ... Southend-on-Sea is a resort town in Essex, England. ...

Catchment area and discharge

The river drains a catchment area of 4,994 square miles (12,934 km²) or 5,924 square miles (15,343 km²) if the River Medway is included as a tributary.^[1] Rivers in Kent, showing the Medway. ...

The non-tidal section

Main article: Locks and weirs on the River Thames

The Jubilee River at Slough Weir

Brooks, canals and rivers, within an area of 3,841 square miles (9,948 km²), combine to form 38 main tributaries feeding the Thames between its source and Teddington Lock, the tidal limit. Before Teddington Lock was built in 1810-12, the river was tidal as far as Staines. The tributaries include the rivers Churn, Leach, Cole, Coln, Windrush, Evenlode, Cherwell, Ock, Thame, Pang, Kennet, Loddon, Colne, Wey and Mole. In addition there are many backwaters and distributaries and some man-made channels such as the Longford River. Teddington Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in the town of Teddington in the western suburbs of London, England. ... The River Churn rises at Seven Springs near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England and flows south across the Cotswold dip slope passing through Cirencester and joining the River Thames near Cricklade in Wiltshire. ... The River Leach is a river tributary to the River Thames, running mostly in the county of Oxfordshire. ... The River Cole is a tributary of the River Thames which flows through Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, where it forms the border. ... The River Coln is a river in Gloucestershire, England. ... The Windrush at Bourton-on the-Water A pedestrian bridge across the River Windrush at Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire The River Windrush is a river in the English Cotswolds, forming part of the River Thames catchment. ... The Evenlode is a small river joining the Thames 5 km north-west of Oxford. ... The River Cherwell is a river which flows through the midlands of England. ... The River Ock is a small English river or brook. ... Rivers Thame (cyan) and Thames (blue) in south-east England The River Thame (pronounced as tame) is a river in southern England. ... The River Pang in Pangbourne The River Pang is a small clear chalk river in the west of the English county of Berkshire, and a tributary of the River Thames. ... The Kennet is a river in the south east of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. ... The River Loddon is a tributary of the River Thames. ... The Colne is a river in England. ... The River Wey in Surrey is one of the Waterways in the United Kingdom and a tributary of the River Thames. ... The River Mole is a river in southern England, which rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north west through Surrey for 80 km (50 miles) to the River Thames at Hampton Court Palace. ... The Longford River is an artificial waterway that diverts water 19km from the River Colne at Longford to Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace where it reaches the Thames. ...

More recently, an artificial secondary channel to the Thames, known as the Jubilee River, was built between Maidenhead and Windsor for flood relief, being completed in 2002. The Jubilee River is a new channel which was built during the 1990s to divert flood waters from the River Thames around Maidenhead, Windsor and Eton. ...

More than half the rain that falls on this catchment is lost to evaporation and plant growth. The remainder provides the water resource that has to be shared between river flows, to support the natural environment, navigation and the community needs for water supplies to homes, industry and agriculture.

The non-tidal section of the river is managed by the Environment Agency which has the twin responsibilities of managing the flow of water to control flooding, and providing for navigation. The volume and speed of water down the river is managed by adjusting the gates at each of the weirs and at high water levels are usually dissipated over flood planes adjacent to the river. Occasionally flooding is unavoidable, and the Agency issues Flood Warnings. During heavy rainfall the Thames occasionally receives raw sewage discharge due to sanitary sewer overflow. (see also the List of environmental organizations) The Environment Agency (Welsh: Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd) of England and Wales was created by the Environment Act 1995, along with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. ... Decentralized wet weather overflow event Sanitary sewer overflow (SSO} is a condition whereby untreated sewage is discharged into the environment, escaping wastewater treatment. ...

The tidal section

Main article: Tideway

London Stone at Staines, built in 1285 marked the tidal limit of the Thames and the City of London's jurisdiction

The lower course of the Thames in 1840

Below Teddington Lock (about 55 miles/89 kilometres upstream of the Thames Estuary) the river is subject to tidal activity from the North Sea. Before the lock was installed the river was tidal as far as Staines. London, capital of Roman Britain was established on two hills, now known as Cornhill and Ludgate Hill. These provided a firm base for a trading centre at the lowest possible point on the Thames.^[2] A river crossing was built at the site of London Bridge. London Bridge is now used as the basis for published tide tables giving the times of high tide. High tide reaches Putney about 30 minutes later than London Bridge, and Teddington about an hour later. The tidal stretch of the river is known as "the Tideway". Downstream from Teddington Lock, the Thames is subject to tides and is known as the Tideway. This stretch of the Thames is just under 160 km long. ... Motto: Domine dirige nos Latin: Lord, guide us Shown within Greater London Sovereign state Constituent country Region Greater London Status City and Ceremonial County Admin HQ Guildhall Government  - Leadership see text  - Mayor David Lewis  - MP Mark Field  - London Assembly John Biggs Area  - Total 1. ... Download high resolution version (906x454, 165 KB)A map of the lower Thames in 1840. ... Download high resolution version (906x454, 165 KB)A map of the lower Thames in 1840. ... This article is about tides in the Earths oceans. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between 43 and 410. ... , Cornhill is one of the principal streets of the City of London, the historic nucleus of modern London. ... Ludgate Hill is a hill in the City of London, near the old Ludgate, a gate to the City that was taken down, with its attached jail, in 1780. ... This article is about tides in the Earths oceans. ... Downstream from Teddington Lock, the Thames is subject to tides and is known as the Tideway. This stretch of the Thames is just under 160 km long. ...

The principal tributaries on the Tideway include the rivers Brent, Wandle, Effra, Westbourne, Fleet, Ravensbourne (the final part of which is called Deptford Creek), Lea, Roding, Darent and Ingrebourne. At London, the water is slightly brackish with sea salt, being a mix of sea and fresh water. Look up tributary in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Brent is a river in south-east England. ... The route of the River Wandle (Red) and some of its tributaries (Green) into the River Thames (Blue) The River Wandle is a river in southeast England. ... The outlet for the Effra river empties into the Thames by Vauxhall Bridge, from which this shot was taken. ... The River Westbourne is a river in London, England. ... Entrance to the Fleet River, Samuel Scott, c. ... The River Ravensbourne is a tributary of the River Thames in South London, England. ... The River Ravensbourne is a tributary of the River Thames in South London, England. ... This article is not about the River Lee that flows through Cork, in the Republic of Ireland; see River Lee (Ireland). ... The confluence of the River Darent (left) and the River Cray (right) on Crayford Marshes. ... The River Ingrebourne is a tributary of the Thames which passes roughly north east to south west through the London Borough of Havering in East London. ... Brackish redirects here. ...

This part of the river is managed by the Port of London Authority. The flood threat here comes from high tides and strong winds from the North Sea, and the Thames Barrier was built in the 1980’s to protect London from this risk. The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames in London, England. ...

The average discharge of the Thames grows up to approximately 66 cubic metres per second at the end of its non-tidal section, at Kingston upon Thames, a figure which is exceeded by some other British rivers (e.g., the Severn and the Tay). Indeed, if the Thames were not a tidal river, its average discharge in the centre of London would be somewhere between 80 and 100 cubic metres per second, and the Thames would look like a small river, not the large river we can see today by Westminster, the Houses of Parliament or the City.^{[citation needed]} Kingston upon Thames, part of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is an ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned, and is now a lively suburb of London. ... “Severn” redirects here. ... The River Tay looking eastwards from Perth The River Tay, in terms of flow (193 kilometres or 120 miles), is the longest river in Scotland. ... Motto: Domine dirige nos Latin: Lord, guide us Shown within Greater London Sovereign state Constituent country Region Greater London Status City and Ceremonial County Admin HQ Guildhall Government  - Leadership see text  - Mayor David Lewis  - MP Mark Field  - London Assembly John Biggs Area  - Total 1. ...

Islands

Main article: Islands in the River Thames

Temple Island — the start of the Henley Royal Regatta course

The river Thames contains over 80 islands ranging from the large esturial marshlands of the Isle of Sheppey, Isle of Grain and Canvey Island to small tree covered islets like Rose Isle, Oxfordshire and Headpile Eyot Berkshire. Some of the largest inland islands - Formosa Island near Cookham and Andersey Island at Abingdon - were created naturally when the course of the river divided into separate streams, while Desborough Island, Ham Island at Old Windsor and Penton Hook Island were artificially created by lock cuts and navigation channels. Chiswick Eyot is a familiar landmark on the Boat Race course, while Glover's Island forms the centrepiece of the spectacular view from Richmond Hill. Islands with a historical interest are Magna Carta Island at Runnymede, Fry's Island at Reading and Pharaoh's Island near Shepperton. In more recent times Platts Eyot at Hampton was the place where MTBs were built, Tagg's Island near Molesey was associated with the impresario Fred Karno, and Eel Pie Island at Twickenham was the birthplace of the South East’s R&B music scene. This article lists the islands in the River Thames, England. ... Download high resolution version (600x873, 146 KB)Temple Island - the start of Henley Royal Regatta. ... Download high resolution version (600x873, 146 KB)Temple Island - the start of Henley Royal Regatta. ... Temple Island Temple Island is an island in the River Thames north of Henley-on-Thames. ... View towards Minster from Elmley Marshes The Isle of Sheppey is a small (36 square miles, 94 km²) island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some 38 miles (62km) to the east of central London. ... Grain church The Isle of Grain, (OE Greon meaning gravel) is in north Kent, England at the eastern end of the Hoo peninsula. ... , Canvey Island (area 18. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Magna Carta Island is an island in the River Thames, adjoining the water meadows at Runnymede, but in the English county of Berkshire. ... Frys Island is an island in the River Thames in Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... Platts Eyot is an island on the River Thames in Hampton, England. ... Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB) was the name given to fast torpedo boats by the US and Royal Navies. ... Fred Karno - the stage name of Frederick John Westcott (March 26, 1866 - September 18, 1941) - was a theatre impressario. ... Eel Pie Island, in the River Thames at Twickenham in London, England, can only be reached by a footbridge or boat. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ...

Geological history

Goring Gap, where the Thames broke through the Chilterns, seen from Lardon Chase

The River Thames can first be identified as a discrete drainage line as early as 58 million years ago, in the late Palaeocene Period Thanetian Stage.^[3] Until around half a million years ago, the Thames flowed on its existing course through what is now Oxfordshire, before turning to the north east through Hertfordshire and East Anglia and reaching the North Sea near Ipswich. At this time the river system headwaters lay in the English West Midlands and may, at times, have received drainage from the North Wales Berwyn Mountains. Arrival of an ice sheet in the Quaternary Ice Age, about 450,000 years ago, dammed the river in Hertfordshire and caused it to be diverted onto its present course through London. This created a new river route aligned through Berkshire and on into London after which the river rejoined its original course in southern Essex, near the present River Blackwater estuary. Here it entered a substantial freshwater lake in the southern North Sea basin. The overspill of this lake caused the formation of the Dover Straits or Pas-de-Calais gap between Britain and France. Subsequent development led to the continuation of the course which the river follows at the present day.^[4] The Goring Gap, viewed the Berkshire Downs, on a snowy January Day. ... The Goring Gap, viewed the Berkshire Downs, on a snowy January Day. ... The Chiltern Hills are a chalk escarpment in south east England. ... The Goring Gap seen from Lardon Chase on a snowy January day Lardon Chase, the Holies and Lough Down are three adjacent National Trust countryside properties, situated in the English county of Berkshire, above the village of Streatley and overlooking the Goring Gap. ... The Paleocene epoch (65-56 MYA) (early dawn of the recent) is the first geologic epoch of the Palaeogene period in the modern Cenozoic era. ... Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... Norfolk and Suffolk, the core area of East Anglia. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... For other uses, see Ipswich (disambiguation). ... The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the Midlands. ... Approximate extent of North Wales North Wales (known in some archaic texts as Northgalis) is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales. ... Cadair Berwyn, with Llyn Lluncaws in the foreground The Berwyn Range is an isolated and sparsely-populated area of moorland located in the north-east of Wales, United Kingdom, roughly bounded by Llangollen in the north-east, Corwen in the north-west, Bala in the south-west, and Oswestry in... An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km² (19,305 mile²).[1] The only current ice sheets are in Antarctica and Greenland; during the last ice age at Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) the Laurentide ice sheet covered much... The Quaternary Period is the geologic time period from the end of the Pliocene Epoch roughly 1. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other meanings of Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). ... In geography, a blackwater river has water-colour ranging from clear tea to coffee. ... Map showing the location of the Strait of Dover. ... Pas-de-Calais is a département in northern France named after the strait which it borders. ...

At the height of the last ice age around 12000 years ago, Britain was connected to mainland Europe via a large expanse of land known as Doggerland in the southern North Sea basin. At this time, the Thames' course did not continue to Doggerland, but was aligned southwards from the eastern Essex coast where it met the Rhine, the Meuse and the Scheldt^[4] flowing from what are now The Netherlands and Belgium. These rivers formed a single river—the Channel River (Fleuve Manche)—that passed through the Dover Strait and drained into the Atlantic Ocean in the western English Channel. Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... // Doggerland is the former landmass in the southern North Sea which connected the island of Great Britain to mainland Europe during the last ice age. ... For other uses, see Rhine (disambiguation). ... The Meuse(Maas) at Maastricht Length 925 km Elevation of the source 409 m Average discharge 230 m³/s Area watershed 36 000 km² Origin France Mouth Hollands Diep Basin countries France - Belgium - Netherlands The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a large European river rising in France, flowing through Belgium and... The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut, Latin Scaldis) is a 350 km[1] long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands. ... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ...

Wildlife

Swan Upping - skiffs surround the swans

Fishing at Penton Hook Island

Various species of bird feed off the river or nest on it, some being found both at sea and inland. These include Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, and Herring Gull. The Swan is a familiar sight on the river but the Black Swan is more rare. The annual ceremony of Swan upping is an old tradition of counting stocks. Geese that can be seen include Canada Geese, Egyptian Geese, and Bar-headed Geese, and familiar ducks include the Mallard, Mandarin Duck, and Wood Duck. Other water birds to be found on the Thames include the Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Heron, and Kingfisher. In addition there are many types of British birds that live alongside the river, although they are not specific to the river habitat. A Thames skiff is a traditional River Thames wooden rowing boat. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), known in Australia as the Black Cormorant, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds. ... Binomial name Larus ridibundus Linnaeus, 1766 The Black-headed Gull, (Larus ridibundus), is a small gull which breeds in much of Europe and Asia, and also in coastal eastern Canada. ... Binomial name Pontoppidan, 1763 The Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, is a large gull which breeds across North America, Europe and Asia. ... Binomial name (Gmelin, 1789) Synonyms Anas olor Gmelin, 1789 Cygnus olor immutabilis var. ... Binomial name Cygnus atratus Latham, 1790 Subspecies Black Swan New Zealand Swan (extinct) Synonyms Anas atrata Latham, 1790 Chenopis atratus The Black Swan, Cygnus atratus is a large non-migratory waterbird which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest of Australia. ... Swan Upping is an annual ceremonial and practical activity in England in which mute swans on the River Thames are rounded up, caught, marked, and then released. ... For the outerwear manufacturer, see Canada Goose (clothing). ... Binomial name Alopochen aegyptiacus (Linnaeus, 1766) The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. ... Binomial name Anser indicus (Latham, 1790) Synonyms Eulabeia indica The Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) is a goose which breeds in Central Asia in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes. ... For other uses, see Mallard (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) European distribution of Aix galericulata The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata), or just Mandarin, is a medium-sized perching duck, closely related to the North American Wood Duck. ... Binomial name Aix sponsa Linnaeus, 1758 Nesting (light green), wintering (blue) and year-round (dark green) ranges of . ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The Great Crested Grebe, Podiceps cristatus is a member of the grebe family of water birds. ... Binomial name Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Fulica prior The Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), or just Coot, is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae. ... Species Samoan Wood Rail, Gallinula pacifica (sometimes placed in genus Pareudiastes, extinct?) Makira Wood Rail, Gallinula silvestris (sometimes placed in genus Pareudiastes or Edithornis, extinct?) Tristan Moorhen, Gallinula nesiotis (extinct) Gough Island Moorhen, Gallinula comeri Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa Lesser Moorhen, Gallinula angulata Spot-flanked Gallinule... Binomial name Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae. ... Binomial name Alcedo atthis (Linnaeus, 1758) The European Kingfisher or Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, is widely distributed in Europe, Africa, and Asia. ...

The Thames contains both seawater and freshwater, thus providing support for seawater and freshwater fish. The salmon, which inhabits both environments has been reintroduced, and succession of fish ladders built into weirs to allow them to travel upstream. The eel is a particularly associated with the Thames and there were formerly many eel traps designed to catch them. Some of the freshwater fish to be found in the Thames and its tributaries include brown trout, chub, dace, roach, barbel, perch, pike, bleak, and flounder. Colonies of short-snouted seahorses have also recently been discovered in the river.^[5] Pool-and-weir fish ladder at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River Fishways, most commonly referred to as fish ladders but also known as fish passes, are structures placed on or around man-made barriers (such as dams and weirs) to assist the natural migration of diadromous fishes. ... The bridge and weir mechanism at Sturminster Newton on the River Stour, Dorset. ... Binomial name Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) The European Eel, Anguilla anguilla, is a snakelike fish. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Morphs Salmo trutta morpha trutta Salmo trutta morpha fario Salmo trutta morpha lacustris The brown trout (Salmo trutta morpha fario and morpha lacustris) and the sea trout ( morpha trutta) are fish of the same species. ... This article describes the European chub, Leuciscus (Squalius) cephalus. ... Binomial name Leuciscus leuciscus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Common Dace (Leuciscus leuciscus) is a freshwater or brackish fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, also known as the Dare or the Dart. ... For other uses, see Roach. ... Barbels are group of large carp-like freshwater fish, almost all of the genus Barbus In comparison to Carp which typically inhabit mud bottomed ponds and still waters, barbels are usually found in gravel and rocky bottomed fast flowing waters with high dissolved oxygen content. ... Binomial name Perca fluviatilis Linnaeus, 1758 The European perch (Perca fluviatilis) is a species of perch found in Europe and Asia. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The northern pike (known as the pike in Britain), Esox lucius, is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox (the pikes). ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The bleak is a small pelagic fish of the Cyprinid family. ... Flounder or flukes are flatfish that live in ocean waters ie. ... Binomial name Peters, 1869 The knobby seahorse, short-headed seahorse, or short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus breviceps) is a species of fish in the Syngnathidae family. ...

In addition the Thames is host to some invasive crustaceans including Signal crayfish and Chinese Mitten Crab. Binomial name Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana, 1852) The signal crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus, is an American crayfish indigenous to the western United States. ... Binomial name Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853 The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), also known as big binding crab (大閘蟹) and Shanghai hairy crab (上海毛蟹), is a medium-sized burrowing crab found in the coastal estuaries of eastern Asia from Korea in the north to the Fujian province of China in...

On 20 January 2006 a northern 16-18 ft (5 m) bottle-nosed whale was spotted in the Thames and was seen as far upstream as Chelsea. This is extremely unusual because this type of whale is generally found in deep sea waters. Crowds gathered along the riverbanks to witness the extraordinary spectacle. But it soon became clear there was cause for concern, as the animal came within yards of the banks, almost beaching, and crashed into an empty boat causing slight bleeding. Approximately 12 hours later, the whale was believed to be seen again near Greenwich, possibly heading back to sea. There was a rescue attempt lasting several hours, but it eventually died on a barge. See River Thames whale.^[6] is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Binomial name Hyperoodon ampullatus (Forster, 1770) Northern Bottlenose Whale range Binomial name Hyperoodon planifrons Flower, 1882 Southern Bottlenose Whale range A bottlenose whale is one of two species of whale in the Ziphid family. ... This article is about Greenwich in England. ... Whale being rescued near Battersea Bridge Wikinews has news coverage related to this subject: Whale spotted in Thames river, Central London Experts fear for the health of London whale Rescue teams try to save London whale London whale dies The River Thames Whale was a juvenile female Northern Bottlenose whale...

Human aspects

The River Thames has served several roles in human history, being an economic resource, a water highway, a boundary, and more recently a leisure facility.

Human history

The Tower, with Tower Bridge built 800 years later

An engraving by Claes Van Visscher showing Old London Bridge in 1616, with Southwark Cathedral in the foreground

The Frozen Thames, 1677.

19th century painting "Haymaking on the Thames" by John Clayton Adams

Wallingford Bridge and St Peter's Church

The Thames at Hampton

The Thames as it flows through London, with the Isle of Dogs in the centre.

There is evidence of human habitation living off the river along its length dating back to Neolithic times.^[7] The British Museum has a decorated bowl (3300-2700 BC), found in the River at Hedsor, Buckinghamshire and a considerable amount of material was discovered during the excavations of Dorney Lake.^[8] A number of Bronze Age sites and artifacts have been discovered along the banks of the River including settlements at Lechlade,