Garrick's Ait (or Garrick's Eyot on Ordnance Survey maps), previously known as Shank's Eyot, is an ait in the River Thames in England on the reach above Molesey Lock, the nearest land being Moulsey Hurst (park) [n 1] on the Surrey bank and the opposite bank being a much narrower riverside park of Hampton. It is the only island in the United Kingdom named after an actor.
It is 330 m upstream from Tagg's Island [n 2] which is more than twice the width and length. On the island are 20 houses, it being historically divided into 26 plots, but two of these, including the eastern tip, have always been trees and mooring space, respectively. Two of the approximately equal-sized plots, with few exceptions, have been combined into one. It is inaccessible except by boat. [1]
Garrick's Ait is named after David Garrick, the actor whose Temple to Shakespeare and Villa (house) are on the Hampton bank and as such is the only island in the country named after an actor. In common with most Thames islands near developed places, it became used for growing and harvesting willow/weeping willow trees when they arrived in the country in the 18th century. Wood from pollarding could be used for cricket bats, paddles, ladders, gun stocks, crates and poles for fences. Harvested branches, called osiers, are strong, flexible and resistant to rot – they were used for fish traps, basket making and for reinforcing riverbanks. [2]
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Teddington Lock is a complex of three locks and a weir on the River Thames between Ham and Teddington in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England. Historically in Middlesex, it was first built in 1810.
This article lists the islands in the River Thames, or at the mouth of a tributary, in England. It excludes human-made islands built as part of the building of forty-five two-gate locks which each accompany a weir, and islets subordinate to and forming part of the overall shape of another. The suffix -ey is common across England and Scotland and cognate with ait and meaning island, a term – as ait or eyot – unusually well-preserved on the Thames. A small minority of list entries are referred to as Island, Ait or Eyot and are vestiges, separated by a depression in the land or high-water-level gully.
Cookham Lock is a lock with weirs situated on the River Thames near Cookham, Berkshire, about a half-mile downstream of Cookham Bridge. The lock is set in a lock cut which is one of four streams here and it is surrounded by woods. On one side is Sashes Island and on the other is Mill Island connected to Formosa Island, the largest on the non-tidal Thames.
Wheatley's Ait or Wheatley Eyot is an ait (island) in the River Thames of approximately 8 hectares on the reach above Sunbury Lock, close to the northern side and in the post town Sunbury-on-Thames however in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England.
Pharaoh's Island is an island in the River Thames, in Surrey, England, 270 m (300 yd) upstream of Shepperton Lock.
Rivermead Island is a flat grassy island in the River Thames on the reach above Molesey Lock at Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England which is owned mostly by Spelthorne and as to a small part by Elmbridge Borough Council.
Chiswick Eyot is a 3.266-acre (1.3 ha) narrow, uninhabited ait of the Thames. It is a tree- and reed-covered rise on the Tideway by Chiswick, in London, England and is overlooked by Chiswick Mall and by some of the Barnes riverside on the far bank.
Three river islands (aits) form a linear group, close to the junction of the two main old streets of Thames Ditton village, in the River Thames in a corner of modern Surrey, on the Kingston reach above Teddington Lock. Thames Ditton Island, the dominant ait, is 350 yards (320 m) long and has 48 houses with gardens ; Boyle Farm Island has one house; Swan Island, between the two, is the smallest.
Molesey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England at East Molesey, Surrey on the right bank.
Platt's Eyot or Platt's Ait is an island on the River Thames at Hampton, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England, on the reach between Molesey Lock and Sunbury Lock.
Glover's Island is a small island in a tree-lined section of the Thames River, formerly known as Horse Reach on the tidal Thames, between Richmond Lock and Teddington Lock in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London, England.
Steven's Eyot is a narrow ait (island) in the River Thames in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, London, England, on the non-tidal reach above Teddington Lock.
Tagg's Island is an ait (island) on the River Thames on the reach above Molesey Lock and just above Ash Island, located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and part of Hampton. The island is roughly 400 metres long by 90 metres wide at its widest point, covering 6 acres. Although close to the Surrey bank near East Molesey, Surrey, the island is connected to the further Middlesex bank by a single track road bridge, being the only island on the non-tidal Thames accessible by car.
Grand Junction Isle is a small island in the River Thames on the reach above Molesey Lock at Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England. It is just downstream of Sunbury Court Island, which is three times longer and also close to the north bank.
Brentford Ait is a long 4.572-acre (1.9 ha) uninhabited ait in the River Thames, without buildings, on the Tideway near Brentford in London, England.
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.
Corporation Island is a small island on the River Thames in London. The island is between Richmond Bridge and Richmond Railway Bridge, where it forms part of the celebrated view from the Richmond waterfront. Its name seems to derive from its owners, the Corporation of Richmond, now the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is uninhabited and heavily wooded, and was formerly known as Richmond Ait.
Rod Eyot or Rod Ait is an island in the River Thames in England near Henley-on-Thames on the reach above Hambledon Lock. It is close to Mill Meadows and the River and Rowing Museum.
Benn's Island, previously named Church Eyot, Kember's Eyot and sometimes referred to as Benn's Ait, is a private 0.1-acre (0.040 ha) ait (island) on the River Thames south-west of London. It is among a string of narrow islands above Molesey Lock and due to its clubhouse and size — the second-smallest named island on the Thames — it has deep foundation pilings to raise the building more than 1 m above the water line.
The unnamed eyot is an island in the River Thames in Berkshire, England, north of the village of Wargrave, Berkshire, its parish in civil terms and ecclesiastical parish in the Church of England. It is on the reach above Marsh Lock.
