Laleham Camp site, 01932 564149
1805: The Traveller's Guide: Or, English Itinerary: By Walley Chamberlain Oulton
LALEHAM dist. from Staines 2 miles, is famous for the entertainment it affords to the lovers of angling. The Thames narrows considerably here; and, about the shallows or gulls, the water is beautifully transparent. The tranquillity of the scenery, the various objects gliding on the stream, and groups of cattle in the adjacent meadows, present a pleasing subject to the contemplative mind.
1906: A R Hope Moncrieff, "Surrey" -
... road and tow-path run together beside Laleham Park towards Chertsey Bridge, the Surrey bank [ right ] being fringed by willow copses, much sort for floating flirtations and picnic teas.
Map: Laleham Abbey Site
The former Laleham Abbey, originally known as Laleham House, was built for the
Earl of Lucan between 1803 and 1806.
1829: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Laleham Park -
Circumstances, in themselves trivial, often
confer celebrity upon places hitherto of unlettered note. Thus, a beautiful
villa at Laleham, a village in Middlesex, eighteen and a half miles south west
of London, has acquired frequent passing notice from its having lately become
the temporary residence of the young Queen of Portugal, whose removal to
England appears to have been a prudent measure to keep her petite Majesty
"out of harm's way."
Laleham is delightfully situate on the banks of
the Thames, between Shepperton and Staines, and is famed for the
entertainment it affords to the lovers of angling. The river narrows
considerably here; and about the shallows, or gulls, the water is beautifully
transparent. The above temporary royal residence is built in an elegant villa
style; and the grounds have been very tastefully laid out under the immediate
direction of the present proprietor, the Earl of Lucan. They comprise 40 acres,
with some very fine elm timber. The "Young Queen" is described as an
interesting and lively child, and is within a month of the same age as the
Princess Victoria, and Prince George of Cumberland,
both of whom were born in May, 1819. She has not the slightest tinge of a
tropical complexion; her hair is extremely light, her face pale, her eyes light
blue and very sparkling. She is not tall of her age, but remarkably well
formed. Her Majesty arrived in London in October last, and for some time
resided at Grillon's Hotel, Albemarle Street; but her health requiring change
of air, Laleham was engaged for a short period; although, in allusion to the
situation, it was said to be very low - a flat joke indeed.
In this delightful retreat, the young Queen and
her suite at present reside; and so pacific is our taste, that to enjoy the
tranquil scenery of Laleham, and the
sports of the stream that waters its park, we would willingly forego all the
cares of state, and leave its plots and counterplots to more ambitious minds.
When the Lucan family left the village, the 70 acres of Abbey grounds were given for public use and now form Laleham Park
Map: Burway Rowing Club
Laleham Slipway
Off Thames Side, 200 yards downstream of junction with Ferry Lane
Laleham Gulls. An ancient ford?
1632: John Taylor –
Five barges fast aground here
1800:-
3 wiers of oak stakes have been driven to pen up the water in the shoals
1804:-
It was painfull to me to see the rugged state of the towing path, so dreadfully broken in, in places where the poor horses go in the water belly deep. The stream running over the shallows, not being in flood, at the rate of 4˝ miles an hour.
1859: Laleham Ferry, Mr & Mrs Hall -
Laleham Ferry in 1859, Mr & Mrs Hall
1859: Mr & Mrs Hall -
From Penty-Hook there is nothing to interest the voyager until he reaches the pretty ferry at Laleham. He may, if he pleases, step ashore at the clean and neat ferry-house here pictured, and either dine on the bank, or in one of the small rooms, to which access is readily obtained. In any case, he will do well to look about him. The steeple of a church adds its eloquent grace to a pleasing though flat landscape: it is the church at Laleham. On the opposite side is the square tower of Chertsey Church. Cattle are feeding on the luxuriant grass in Chertsey Mead, or cooling themselves in the shallow stream; the ferry-boat is conveying foot passengers only, for the river here is not deep, and a mounted traveller may cross it, swimming merely the small “bit” that forms the channel of the barges.
1870: Laleham Ferry, Henry Taunt -
Laleham Ferry, Henry Taunt, 1870
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT01453
1881: Leslie -
Below Penton Hook at Laleham there is an old-fashioned house, on the tow-path side, with garden enclosed by a fine old red-brick wall; and I liked it perhaps all the better, as out of a little green back gate, three pretty girls without their hats came running down to their boat as I was passing.
William Morris:-
… enormous willow trees and queer suggestions of old houses …
1934: Laleham, Francis Frith -
1934: Laleham, Francis Frith
Map: Laleham Reach
Laleham Reach is north, upstream of Laleham
Map: Penton Hook
Penton Hook is NOT Penton Hook Island but part of the right bank below Penton Hook Island and Lock
Map Penton Hook Marina
right bank off weir stream below Penton Hook Lock
Upstream to PENTON HOOK LOCK
Estuary
PLA
QEII Br
Barrier
Tower Br
Custom Ho
London Br
; Frost Fairs
Cannon St Rb
The Great Stink
Southwark Br
Millenium Br
Blackfriars Rb
Blackfriars Br
Waterloo Br
Charing Cross Rb
Westminster Br
Lambeth Br
Vauxhall Br
Victoria Rb
Chelsea Br
Albert Br
Battersea Br
Battersea Rb
Wandsworth Br
Fulham Rb
Putney Br
Hammersmith Br
Barnes Rb
Chiswick Br
Kew Rb
Kew Br
RICHMOND
Twickenham Br
Richmond Rb
Richmond Br
TEDDINGTON
Kingston Rb
Kingston Br
Ditton Slip
Hampton Br
MOLESEY
SUNBURY
Walton Br
Desborough Cut
SHEPPERTON
Chertsey Br
CHERTSEY
M3 Br
Laleham Slip
PENTON HOOK
Staines Rb
Staines Br
Runnymede Br
BELL WEIR
Magna Carta Is
OLD WINDSOR
Albert Br
Datchet
Victoria Br
Black Potts Rb
ROMNEY
Eton
Windsor Br
Windsor Rb
Windsor Slip
Elizabeth Br
BOVENEY
Dorney Lake
York Cut
Summerleaze Fb
MonkeyIsland
New Thames Br
BRAY
Bray Slip
Maidenhead Rb
Maidenhead Br
Below Boulters
BOULTERS
Cliveden
Hedsor
COOKHAM
Cookham Slip
Cookham Br
BourneEnd RFb
Quarry Woods
A404 Br
MARLOW
Marlow Br
Bisham
TEMPLE
HURLEY
Medmenham
Culham Ct
Aston Slip
HAMBLEDEN
Temple Is
Fawley Ct
Remenham
Regatta
Phyllis Ct
Henley Slip
Leander
Red Lion
Henley Br
Angel on Br
Landing
Hobbs Boatyard
Hobbs Slipway
MARSH
Hennerton
Bolney
Wargrave
Shiplake Rb
R.Loddon
SHIPLAKE
Sonning Br
SONNING
Dreadnought
K&A Canal
CAVERSHAM
Reading Br
Caversham Br
Reading Slip
Purley
MAPLEDURHAM
Hardwick Ho
Whitchurch Br
WHITCHURCH
Hartswood Reach
Gatehampton Rb
Goring Gap
Goring Br
GORING
Swan
CLEEVE
Moulsford
Moulsford Rb
Papist Way Slip
Winterbrook Br
Wallingford Br
BENSON
Shillingford Br
R.Thame
DAYS
Burcot
Clifton Hampden
Clifton Church
Clifton H Br
Barley Mow
Long Wittenham
CLIFTON
Appleford Rb
Sutton Courtenay
Sutton Br
CULHAM
Culham Cut Fb
Abingdon Slip
Abingdon
Abingdon Br
ABINGDON
Nuneham Rb
Nuneham
Nuneham Park
Radley Boats
SANDFORD
Rose Island
Kennington Rb
Isis Br
Iffley Mill
IFFLEY
Oxford Rowing
Isis
Donnington Br
Riverside Slip
Boathouses
Punting
Lower Cherwell
Upper Cherwell
Islip
Head of River
Salters Steamers
Folly Br
Bacons Folly
Oxford Fb
Osney Fb
Weir stream
Osney Rb
Bullstake Stream
Osney Marina
OSNEY
Osney Br
Four Rivers
OLD RIVER
CANAL
Medley Weir Site
Medley Fb
Bossoms
Perch
Trout
GODSTOW
Godstow Nunnery
Godstow Br
Thames Br
KINGS
River Evenlode
EYNSHAM
Swinford Br
Oxford Cruisers
PINKHILL
Farmoor
Stanton Harcourt
Bablock Slip
Arks Weir Site
NORTHMOOR
Harts Fb
//Rose Revived
Newbridge
//Maybush
River Windrush
below Shifford
SHIFFORD
Shifford Fb
Tenfoot Fb
Trout Inn
Tadpole Br
RUSHEY
Old Mans Fb
RADCOT
Radcot Cradle Fb
Swan Inn
Radcot New Br
Radcot Old Br
GRAFTON
Eaton Hastings
Kelmscott
Eaton Fb
BUSCOT
Bloomers Hole Fb
Trout Inn
St Johns Br
ST JOHNS
Halfpenny Br
Marina Slip
LIMIT
Inglesham
Hannington Br
Kempsford
Castle Eaton Br
Marston Meysey
A419 Br
Cricklade
SOURCE?
THAMES HEAD
SEVEN SPRINGS