Crane Park Island is a Local Nature Reserve in Twickenham in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is also part of The Crane Corridor Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. [1] [2] The site is an island in the River Crane, which is owned by Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council and managed by the London Wildlife Trust. [3] [4] The (only) entrance is next to the Shot Tower in Crane Park.
The area was formerly the site of Hounslow Gunpowder Works, and the island was created to contain a mill pool to drive mill machinery. Some remains of it can still be seen, but the only major surviving structure is the Shot Tower, built in 1828. There were frequent explosions, and the Shot Tower was probably built as a watch tower to warn workers of fire hazards. The Ogden Standard on 9 July 1915 reported that there was a huge explosion heard for 10 miles (16 km). An initial small explosion warned factory workers and they were able to flee before the larger explosion. Only 1 person was killed but flying debris wounded many. [5] In 1927 the licence to manufacture gunpowder was withdrawn, and part of the site was sold to Twickenham Council. The Council turned it into Crane Park, which opened in 1935. In 1990 Crane Park Island was designated a Local Nature Reserve. [6]
The island is heavily wooded, and also has a pond and areas of scrub and reedbeds. Mammals include the rare water vole, and other animals such as kingfishers (a legally protected species), woodpeckers, frogs, damselflies and dragonflies are also found there. [3] [7]
Hounslow is a large suburban district of West London, 10+3⁄4 miles west-southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hounslow, and is identified in the London Plan as one of the 12 metropolitan centres in Greater London.
The London Borough of Hounslow is a London borough in West London, England, forming part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 when three smaller borough councils amalgamated under the London Government Act 1963. It is governed by Hounslow London Borough Council.
Isleworth is a town located within the London Borough of Hounslow in West London, England. It lies immediately east of the town of Hounslow and west of the River Thames and its tributary the River Crane. Isleworth's original area of settlement, alongside the Thames, is known as 'Old Isleworth'. The north-west corner of the town, bordering on Osterley to the north and Lampton to the west, is known as 'Spring Grove'.
Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames 9.9 miles (15.9 km) southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the borough council's administrative headquarters are located in the area.
St Margarets is a suburb and neighbourhood in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, about 9 miles (14 km) west-southwest of central London. It is bounded by the Thames Tideway to the north-east, and the River Crane to the north-west and north where the land tapers between these rivers. Land and buildings closer to Richmond Bridge than the eponymous railway station are, traditionally distinctly, known as East Twickenham. Both places go by their post town and traditional parish, Twickenham quite often; in the 19th century the south of St Margarets was marked on maps as Twickenham Park.
Whitton is an area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England. Historically, the boundaries of Whitton were the north-western part of Twickenham manor, bounded internally by the sections of the River Crane and the Duke of Northumberland's River.
The River Crane, a tributary of the River Thames, runs 8.5 miles (13.6 km) in West London, England. It forms the lower course of Yeading Brook. It adjoins or passes through three London boroughs: Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames, in the historic county of Middlesex. The drainage basin is heavily urbanised but many of the Hayes to Whitton flood-meadows have been conserved, forming a narrow, green vale, opening out to what remains of Hounslow Heath in the centre – a near-continuous belt of semi-natural habitat.
Richmond upon Thames in the south west of Greater London has more parks, open spaces and nature reserves than any other London borough.
Hounslow Heath is a local nature reserve in the London Borough of Hounslow and at a point borders Richmond upon Thames. The public open space, which covers 200 acres (80 ha), is all that remains of the historic Hounslow Heath which covered more than 4,000 acres (1,600 ha). The present day area is bounded by A315 Staines Road, A3063 Wellington Road South, A314 Hanworth Road, and the River Crane.
London Wildlife Trust (LWT), founded in 1981, is a local nature conservation charity for Greater London. It is one of 46 members of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, each of which is a local nature conservation charity for its area. The Trust aims to protect London's wildlife and wild spaces, and it manages over 40 nature reserves in Greater London. One of its campaigns is to turn London's gardens into mini-nature reserves, and it provides education services for schools. Local groups work on reserves and organise walks.
Fulwell is a neighbourhood of outer South West London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It straddles the west of the generally firmer borders of Twickenham and Teddington, reinforced as local postcode districts. The name is first known in documents of the fifteenth century. It may be from a reliably full well or a corruption of foul well. Until 1965 Fulwell was in the historic County of Middlesex.
Isleworth Ait, also known as Isleworth Eyot, is a between 3.5-hectare (8.6-acre) and 9.370-acre (3.792 ha) teardrop-shaped island in the River Thames in England. The long ait is on the Tideway facing Old Isleworth and the towpath alongside the Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club. These places are in the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames. The island faces Heron's Place and a number of commercial buildings.
Elmbridge Open Space or Elmbridge Meadows is a Local Nature Reserve in Berrylands in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in London. It is a linear open space along the western bank of the Hogsmill River which starts at Malden Way and ends at a path between Surbiton Hill Park to Green Lane.
Crane Park is a 30 hectare public park next to the River Crane in western Twickenham. The park north of the river is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and the south in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is part of The Crane Corridor Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, and includes two Local Nature Reserves, Crane Park Island and Pevensey Road.
Cranebank is a Local Nature Reserve on the east bank of the River Crane in Hatton in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is owned and managed by Hounslow Council. It is also part of The Crane Corridor Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation.
Bedfont Lakes Country Park is a 72.5-hectare Local Nature Reserve and Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation in Bedfont in the London Borough of Hounslow.
Hogsmill River Park or Hogsmill Valley is a linear park along the banks of the Hogsmill River in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in London. It stretches from the junction of Surbiton Hill Park and Elmbridge Avenue in Berrylands in the north to the junction between the river and a footpath to Manor Close in Old Malden in the south.
Pevensey Road is a 10.2 hectare Local Nature Reserve in Hanworth in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is also part of the Crane Corridor Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. It is owned and managed by Hounslow Council.
Duke's Hollow is a 0.27 hectare Local Nature Reserve and Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation in Chiswick in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is owned and managed by Hounslow Council.
