Trowlock Island

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Teddington Lock's Weir is a large structure on the same side of the river by Teddington Studios and the Lensbury Club{{#tag:ref|On the northern bank, traditionally e.g. in boat races referred to as the Middlesex bank such as [http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/boating/stoppage/detail/4477/Hampton+Court+Bridge+to+Trowlock+Island Teddington Head Race in early November]|group= n}}, which is {{convert|450|m|yd|abbr=on}} downstream.[http://www.gridreferencefinder.com Grid reference Finder measurement tools] From the Thames Path crossing across the Lock in the north Ham is accessible.[http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/mapsearch.aspx Ordnance Survey map, English Heritage{{dead link|date=December 2019}} From the Teddington riverside by the island, stations of Hampton Wick and Teddington are {{convert|1.4|km}} and {{convert|1.9|km}} respectively by foot or road and therefore the centre of Hampton Wick is closer to the island than any other settlement.

Trowlock Island contains 29 bungalows in plots as well as the Royal Canoe Club's clubhouse and gym. Trowlock Island is about {{convert|1/3|mi|km|abbr=off|adj=pre|of a|spell=in}} long with a path down the middle and houses on either side. Beyond the last house is a lightly wooded area with moorings on both the main river and the backwater.

Like many islands in the Thames, the form of the island has changed over time, being shown as three separate islets on John Rocque's map of 1746.{{cite map |publisher=British Library |title=An Exact Survey of the Citys of London, Westminster, ye Borough of Southwark, and the Country near Ten Miles round |url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/crace/a/007zzz000000019u00018000.html |scale=5.5 in. : 1 Stat. Mile (1 : 11520) |cartography =John Rocque |edition=1769 print |location=London}} The name derives from Trow, a type of barge averaging 50–60 tons.{{cite book |first=Fred. S. |last=Thacker |title=The Thames Highway | url=https://archive.org/stream/thameshighwayhis00thacrich#page/58/mode/2up| year=1914 |publisher=Fred S. Thacker |location=Holborn, London|lccn=15024238 |page=59}} Harry Gibbs' boat building firm was located on the island in 1910.{{cite web |url=http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/tour_detail.asp?TourID=5 |title=Livelihoods, Leisure and the Islands |publisher=The Twickenham Museum|access-date=30 June 2013}}

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Access is by way of a hand-wound chain ferry.{{cite news |first=Rosie|last=Murray-West|title=Islanders in court after refusing to pay £5,000 ferry fee|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1508727/Islanders-in-court-after-refusing-to-pay-5000-ferry-fee.html|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=2006-01-25|access-date=2009-01-07}}

Trowlock Island Limited manages the shared infrastructure of the island and its board of directors is elected by the shareholders — each bungalow or plot of land carries with it a number of shares so that all houseowners plus the Royal Canoe Club collectively own the company. The Canoe Club has made a recent significant investment in providing new facilities for young people, including a new gym, boatsheds and training facility. Included in this re-development is a plan for encouraging bio-diversity, such as bats (pipistrelle and Daubenton's bat being the species most likely to be found in the area), water fowl and rare species of cultivated plants.[http://www.britishislands.blogspot.com/2011/09/trowlock-island.html Trowlock Island from a British Isles Topographical Blog]

The island, with surrounding water and banks of reach of the Thames are home to numerous species of wildlife; the following can be seen as nesting nearby:{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}

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;References

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• Islands in the River Thames

:*Islands in the River Thames listed in order upstream from the sea.

• [http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/136496.aspx?stationId=7269 Environment Agency station at Trowlock Island]
• [https://trowlockisland.org/ Trowlock Island Community Site]

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{{LB Richmond}}

Category:Islands of the River Thames

Category:Geography of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Category:Islands of London