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Strand-on-the-Green is one of
Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district of west London, England. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth; Chiswick House, a neo-Palladian villa regarded as one of the finest in England; and ...
's four medieval villages, and a "particularly picturesque" riverside area in West London. It is a
conservation area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
, with many "imposing"
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern I ...
s beside the
River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...
; a local landmark, the
Kew Railway Bridge Kew Railway Bridge spans the River Thames in London, England, between Kew and Strand-on-the-Green, Chiswick. The bridge was opened in 1869. History The bridge, which was given Grade II listed structure protection in 1983, was designed by ...
that crosses the River Thames and the Strand, is itself
Grade II listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Ir ...
.
Oliver's Island Oliver's Island is a tree-covered ait (river island), in the River Thames in England. It is in the London Borough of Hounslow, on the Tideway, facing Kew and Strand-on-the-Green in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and is owned by the ...
is just offshore. The area was a fishing village named "Stronde" in 1353. By the 18th century, it had become a place of river-trade with many different businesses. It became fashionable with the opening of Kew Bridge and the presence of the
royal family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term p ...
at Kew Palace. Freight traffic declined with the opening of the Grand Junction Canal. Strand-on-the-Green became a residential area in the 20th century.


Location

Strand-on-the-Green is the most westerly part of Chiswick. It is on the north bank of the
River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...
, just downriver from Kew Bridge. The name is shared by the first part of the road east of Kew Bridge, its continuation on the riverside path, and the area itself. The riverside path is fronted by a row of "imposing" 18th-century houses, interspersed with three riverside
public house A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and wa ...
s. The low-lying path borders a part of the
tidal river A tidal river is a river whose flow and level are influenced by tides. A section of a larger river affected by the tides is a tidal reach, but it may sometimes be considered a tidal river if it has been given a separate name. Generally, tidal r ...
whose capacity has been restricted by the building of embankments on both banks, and it is flooded at high water during spring tides. Houses on the street were occasionally flooded, for example in 1967, before the Thames Barrier was built to restrict the highest tides on the river. File:Strand-on-the-Green flooded at City Barge v2.jpg, Tidal flooding by the City Barge File:Flood Defences, Strand-on-the-Green.jpg, Flood defences File:Golden Salamander resting on the barge standing, Strand-on-the-Green.jpg, ''Golden Salamander'' resting on the barge standing at low tide


History


Early origins

Over 100 human skulls, now lost, were found in the river at Strand-on-the-Green during the 19th century. Similar river skulls have been dated to around 600 BC, while
ancient Roman In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 B ...
pottery has been found in the area. The area is first named "Stronde" in 1353 (probably meaning "shore"), at which time it was a fishing village. In 1593 it was named "Strand Green"; the name had become "Strand under Green" on John Rocque's 1746 map.Clegg, Gillian: ''The Chiswick Book'', Historical Publications, 2004. Gradually, other river businesses set up alongside the fishermen. According to the Chiswick and Brentford Local History Society:


Modern era

Strand-on-the-Green is one of modern
Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district of west London, England. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth; Chiswick House, a neo-Palladian villa regarded as one of the finest in England; and ...
's four medieval villages. The other three are Old Chiswick, the area around St Nicholas Church; Little Sutton; and Turnham Green. The area grew in popularity when in 1759 Kew Bridge opened, displacing the ferry that had run there for centuries. The presence of the royal family at Kew Palace further helped to make the area fashionable, encouraging the wealthy to build fine houses locally, and bringing industries such as barge-building, boat repair, malt-houses, and wharves for loading and unloading river boats. Pier House Laundry, occupying much of the western end of Thames Road (between Spring Grove and Hearne Road) was built by 1860, becoming one of London's largest laundries; it closed in 1973. In 2016, a fire badly damaged offices in the building. After Fuller, Smith & Turner sold Chiswick's Griffin Brewery in 2019, they moved their registered office to the refurbished building. The diversion of freight traffic to
Brentford Brentford is a suburban town in West London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It lies at the confluence of the River Brent and the Thames, west of Charing Cross. Its economy has diverse company headquarters buildings w ...
by the Grand Junction Canal at the start of the 19th century caused Strand-on-the-Green to decline, a process accelerated by the move of the
royal family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term p ...
from Kew Palace to
Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original c ...
. In the 20th century, Strand-on-the-Green returned to residential use, and by 1932 was called "London's last remaining village". In the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, a
parachute mine A parachute mine is a naval mine dropped from an aircraft by parachute. They were mostly used in the Second World War by the Luftwaffe and initially by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command. Frequently, they were dropped on land targets. ...
destroyed 41 houses in Thames Road and Magnolia Road, and badly damaged another 60 on 21 September 1941.


In film

The 1938 television version of '' The Constant Nymph'' is partly set on Strand-on-the-Green, backed by a still image of the river. A 1940
Pathé Pathé or Pathé Frères (, styled as PATHÉ!) is the name of various French businesses that were founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France starting in 1896. In the early 1900s, Pathé became the world's largest film equipment ...
film documented the riverside pubs, Georgian houses and the river traffic of Strand-on-the-Green at that time; it asserted that at one time, "salmon teemed in the Thames, and London got most of it from Strand-on-the-Green". Scenes from the Beatles' 1965 film '' Help!'' were shot in the City Barge pub and around Strand-on-the-Green. Part of the 1969 romantic musical '' Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' was filmed at Strand-on-the-Green.


Oliver's Island

Off Strand-on-the-Green in the River Thames is
Oliver's Island Oliver's Island is a tree-covered ait (river island), in the River Thames in England. It is in the London Borough of Hounslow, on the Tideway, facing Kew and Strand-on-the-Green in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and is owned by the ...
, a small wooded eyot. It acquired its name from unsubstantiated rumours that
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...
used the island as a hideout and held military councils at the Bull's Head pub during the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians ("Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of Kingdom of England, England's governanc ...
. The City of London's Navigation Committee erected buildings on the island after 1777, and barges were stationed here to collect tolls.


Architecture

The Strand-on-the-Green
conservation area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
, established in 2018, consists of three "character areas", namely the Strand, the pedestrianised riverside street and its grand houses, including 25
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern I ...
s; an area of small streets behind the Strand at the western side near Kew Bridge, with many "positive contributors" but no listed buildings; and an area of streets at the eastern end, mainly of "positive contributors" but also 8 listed buildings on Grove Park Terrace. The Strand itself is some 500 metres of houses, forming terraces in varied styles and heights, fronting the riverside walk. The backs of the houses face Thames Road, the many small outbuildings of differing ages giving it "an interesting and varied character." Important buildings in the group begin with the "picturesque" no. 75, a pre-Georgian building, and its next door neighbour, The Bell and Crown. The current Arts and Crafts style pub building dates to 1907. No. 71, Prospect House is a large three-storied late 18th century building with a bay window and curved balcony on iron columns. No. 65, Zoffany House, is Grade II* listed as one of the finest buildings in the area; it was built c. 1704. It is a three-storey house of brown brick with red dressings; it has five double-hung sash windows surrounded by architraves; these have rubbed flat arches. The main doorway is flanked by fluted Roman Doric pilasters, painted white. Above the door, according to the
Historic England Historic England (officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England) is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It is tasked w ...
listing, is "an entablature with triglyphs and guttae to architrave and frieze", with a fanlight window. Standing on top of the entablature is a
terracotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, and architecture, terracotta i ...
lion. In front of the house are railings and gate of wrought iron. Inside the house, the ground floor rooms have wooden panelling from the 18th century. The house is marked with a
blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...
; it states that the 18th century portrait painter Johann Zoffany lived there at the end of his life. From 1936, the architect
Philip D. Hepworth Philip Dalton Hepworth (12 March 1888 – 21 February 1963) was a British architect. He studied in both the UK and France, at the Architectural Association School of Architecture and the École des Beaux-Arts, and returned to work as an architec ...
lived in Zoffany House, carefully restoring it and rebuilding the whole of its front. File:Bell&CrownP1000129.JPG, The Bell & Crown File:Prospect House, Strand-on-the-Green.jpg, Prospect House File:Strand on the Green, Chiswick, London, England -blue plaque for Johann Zoffany-31Aug2010.jpg, Zoffany house Just to the east is the 18th or early 19th century Magnolia House (Grade II). It is a three-storey brown brick building with a parapet and double-hung sash windows, housed in flat-arched reveals. The house is distinctive in having the first and second floors with a bow front, supported by two round cast-iron columns; in the centre of this on the first floor is a French window. The windows in the bow have "good cast iron balconettes". The main door has six panels and a rectangular fan window above. Next are The Moorings, five houses from 1930, built for the "Cottage Craftsmen"; the 18th century Compass House (Grade II); Dutch House with its
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aest ...
front; the former "The Ship", a pub throughout the 19th century (Grade II); and an "impressive" terrace of 5 three-story Georgian houses at nos 52 to 55 (Grade II). There follow The Malthouse, nos 49 and 50 (early 19th century, Grade II); no. 44, Navigator's Cottage and no. 45, Picton House (two-storey 18th century houses, Grade II). The City Barge pub opened in the 15th century, though only some of the lower part survived the World War II bombing. A 1940 land mine destroyed much of the pub and the two small cottages that were next to it, where the pub's bar now stands. File:Picton House, Strand-on-the-Green.jpg, Picton House File:City-Barge-pubP1000131.JPG, The City Barge
Kew Railway Bridge Kew Railway Bridge spans the River Thames in London, England, between Kew and Strand-on-the-Green, Chiswick. The bridge was opened in 1869. History The bridge, which was given Grade II listed structure protection in 1983, was designed by ...
is a latticed
wrought iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.08%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a wood-like "grain" ...
girder bridge on pairs of
cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron– carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impu ...
piers; it has five spans each of 35 metres. It was designed by W. R. Galbraith. It was built by Brassey & Ogilvie for the
London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway (LSWR, sometimes written L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Originating as the London and Southampton Railway, its network extended to Dorchester and Weymouth, to Salisbury, Exete ...
. It opened to rail traffic in 1869, and is Grade II listed. It is used both by the London Overground
North London Line The North London line (NLL) is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of west, north-west, north, and east London, England between Richmond in the south-west and Stratford in the east, avoiding central London. Its route is a r ...
and by the London Underground
District Line The District line is a London Underground line running from in the east and Edgware Road in the west to in west London, where it splits into multiple branches. One branch runs to in south-west London and a short branch, with a limited serv ...
. Under the bridge abutment is the Strand on the Green Sailing Club, its sailing dinghies being stored and maintained there. The club was founded in 1946, and has rented the space under the bridge since 1964. File:Kew Railway Bridge looking West on Strand-on-the-Green.jpg,
Kew Railway Bridge Kew Railway Bridge spans the River Thames in London, England, between Kew and Strand-on-the-Green, Chiswick. The bridge was opened in 1869. History The bridge, which was given Grade II listed structure protection in 1983, was designed by ...
(Grade II listed), looking West along Strand-on-the-Green File:Sailing Club under Kew Railway Bridge abutment.jpg, Sailing Club under the ornate Kew Railway Bridge abutment
The Bull's Head pub (Grade II listed in 1970) is 18th century with later additions. It is a two-storey white-painted brick building, and still has its
pantile A pantile is a type of fired roof tile, normally made from clay. It is S-shaped in profile and is single lap, meaning that the end of the tile laps only the course immediately below. Flat tiles normally lap two courses. A pantile-covered ro ...
roof with two dormer windows. The entrance has a moulded doorhood resting on brackets. It is flanked by nos 10 to 14, Bull Cottages, also 18th century; they suffered flood damage from high tides, and were restored in 1967. The actor
Donald Pleasence Donald Henry Pleasence (; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. He began his career on stage in the West End before transitioning into a screen career, where he played numerous supporting and character roles including RAF ...
lived in the house at the end of the Bull's Head buildings, marked by a Blue Plaque. The Almshouses form a terrace running back from the river along an alley, Grove Row. They are described as "an attractive feature ... of a modest scale and pleasingly detailed with tall chimneys". The almshouses were built in 1724 by Thomas Child as six small one-roomed houses for the poor. They were refurbished as the "Hopkin Morris Homes of Rest" in 1933, creating three two-roomed houses. The 1933 and 1724 foundation stones survive on the end wall facing the river. The last house of the terrace facing the river is Strand on the Green House (18th century, Grade II) at the eastern end of the riverside walk. To its east is a Victorian era
drinking fountain A drinking fountain, also called a water fountain or water bubbler, is a fountain designed to provide drinking water. It consists of a basin with either continuously running water or a tap. The drinker bends down to the stream of water and s ...
in red granite, and a short riverside footpath beside the start of Grove Park Road. File:Strand-on-the-green-pub.jpg, The 18th century Bull's Head pub File:The Almshouses, Strand-on-the-Green.jpg, The Almshouses, built in 1724


Notable residents

Strand-on-the-Green has been home to a variety of distinguished people over the centuries, including the Earl of Grantham, who purchased Grove House in 1745, the actress Eileen Atkins, and the novelist Margaret Kennedy, who set her bestselling 1924 work '' The Constant Nymph'' there. The author Nancy Mitford wrote the 1945 novel '' The Pursuit of Love'' when she lived in Rose Cottage. The film director John Guillermin lived at No. 60 (The Dutch House). The newspaper publisher Sir
Hugh Cudlipp Hubert Kinsman Cudlipp, Baron Cudlipp, OBE (28 August 1913 – 17 May 1998), was a Welsh journalist and newspaper editor noted for his work on the ''Daily Mirror'' in the 1950s and 1960s. He served as chairman of the Mirror Group group of ...
, and the botanist and explorer of Australia Allan Cunningham have both lived at No. 21. The painter and gallerist
Joshua Compston Joshua Richard Compston (1 June 1970 – 5 March 1996) was a London curator and progressive thinker, whose company Factual Nonsense was closely associated with the emergence of the Young British Artists (YBAs). Early life and career beginnings ...
lived at No. 75.


See also

*
Chiswick High Road Chiswick High Road is the principal shopping and dining street of Chiswick, a district in the west of London. It was part of the main Roman road running west out of London, and remained the main road until the 1950s when the A4 was built across ...
– the relocated commercial centre of Chiswick * Chiswick Mall – another historic riverside street in Chiswick


References


Further reading

* {{coord, 51.4847, N, 0.2788, W, region:GB_type:landmark, display=title Districts of the London Borough of Hounslow Districts of London on the River Thames Areas of London Chiswick Places formerly in Middlesex