Thames Path (Hammersmith & Fulham section)

The Thames Valley has been important since it was settled in prehistoric times and from medieval times the river was an important trading route, London destined to become the busiest port in the world. By the late C18th the Thames Commissioners had established the towpath between Lechlade and Putney and the Thames Path today is on much of this route. The towpath switched from one side of the river to the other as the result of some landowners refusing permission to cross their land, or natural obstacles that necessitated this. In some cases ferries were set up to take horses across the river at these points. The towpath and the Thames itself ceased to be used for trade over the course of the C20th, and the river is now predominantly used for leisure. The Thames Path national trail was created in 1996 and now covers 184 miles from the source of the river in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier at Woolwich.

In Hammersmith & Fulham the Thames Path runs from the end of Chiswick Mall (Hounslow) in the west to Chelsea Creek (Kensington and Chelsea), in the east. The river is not visible from the first part of the Path as there are houses on both sides of Chiswick Mall; Hammersmith Terrace originally had a river walk for the residents but this was absorbed into the back gardens around 1885. The river comes into view as the Path enters Upper Mall, passing through Upper Mall Open Space (q.v.) and then past numerous large houses. The acacias in front of Rivercourt House were planted by Naomi Mitchison and Phoebe Stabler to replace three elm trees reputedly planted by Queen Catherine in memory of her husband Charles II. From Dove Passage the Path enters Furnivall Gardens (q.v.), and is part of Lower Mall. From here it passes public houses, rowing club headquarters and private housing before passing under Hammersmith Bridge. The Path follows the river for a short while before going inland. There are a number of mature trees in the housing estate beside the path, and a seat on the embankment. The path then goes through Queens Wharf building. Here there is a small water garden in the atrium of the building; there is no access but windows onto it are uncovered during office hours. The Path then skirts Riverside Studios before returning to the river and is now almost continuous to Fulham. Buildings range from architect-designed houses through private developments to social housing and sheltered accommodation and there are some commercial buildings, both new and re-used. Many of the developments have gardens that are visible from the Path, although access is restricted. Where the developments are not open to the river, trees and shrubs have been planted and seats and waste bins provided.

There are two open spaces in the west of the Fulham part of the Path. The first is Rowberry Mead, which is mainly grass rising to the red-brick school. Just by the river is a sunken play area suitable for ball games, and another with a slide. The whole forms a complex concrete shape, brightly decorated with graffiti. The second is Stevenage Park, a small undulating area of grass and trees by Eternity Wharf. River Gardens is a block of flats that surrounds a private garden, which as two ponds with fountains and planting, and is visible from the Path. It now skirts Craven Cottage, Fulham Football Club ground; a riverside walk is to be included in the redevelopment plans. The final section of this part of the Path on the Hammersmith & Fulham side of Putney Bridge is through Bishop's Park (q.v.).

Fulham Football Club claims that Craven Cottage is the oldest football ground in London, playing their first match there on 10 October 1896. Revd Ernest Stafford Hilliard, vicar of St Andrew's Church (q,v.) instigated the founding of the Church Lads Brigade, which in 1879 set up a football team that later went on to become Fulham FC. In the early days the club played on various sites in Barn Elms and Fulham, and in 1894 purchased the Craven Cottage site north of Bishop's Park (q.v.). The land was cleared of a derelict house and laid out as the football ground; the original wooden stand was replaced by a steel stand in 1905. The team went  professional in 1898.

The Path goes under Putney Bridge, but apart from a small area of garden in the flats at Willow Bank, the river is not seen until the far side of Hurlingham Park (q.v.), which contains the only area of the bank subject to regular flooding on the north side of the Thames in the borough. There is access along the riverside frontage of the superstores just before Wandsworth Bridge. Only part of the riverbank has been redeveloped along Townmead Road. The main area is around the Sainsbury's in William Morris Way and the flats to the south of this. There is good planting in the grounds of the flats, and a lot of evergreen planting around the store and its car parks. Finally the Path re-joins the river at Chelsea Harbour (q.v.) before it crosses Chelsea Creek in RB Kensington and Chelsea. Further developments are planned along the river and a new park is included in plans for the old Imperial Gasworks site.