Rivers of Great Britain. The Thames, from Source to Sea.

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
ABOVE OXFORD.—By W. SENIOR. PAGE
The Source of the Thames—Early Names of the River—Seven Springs—Thames Head—The Churn and its Course—Thames and Severn Canal—Cricklade—Castle Eaton—Inglesham—Fairford and the Coln—Lechlade—The First Lock—Some Thames Flowers—Old Buscot—Hart’s Weir—Bird Life—Radcot Bridge—Eddying Pools and Golden Shallows—Canal-like Reaches—Tadpole Bridge—Bampton—Duxford Ferry—Canute’s Country—The Windrush—The Oldest Bridge—Old Father Thames—Disused Weir-pools—Bablock Hythe, Stanton Harcourt, and Cumnor—Skinner’s Weir and Pinkhill Lock—Eynsham Weir, Bridge, and Cross—The Evenlode—Witham Hill—Thames Angling—Godstow—King’s Weir—Port Meadow—Folly Bridge 1
CHAPTER II.
OXFORD TO ABINGDON.—By D. MACCOLL.
Oxford, from the Upper River; the New Town—The Courses of the River, from Medley Weir to Folly Bridge—The Houses of the Regulars and Friars—The University and Parish Churches—The Halls and Colleges of the Seculars, from the Thirteenth Century to the Reformation—Jacobean Oxford—Classic Oxford—Convenient Oxford—The Architectural Revival—The Undergraduate Revival—The River below Folly Bridge, and the Invention of Rowing—The Navigation Shape of the River—Floods—The Barges—Iffley—Littlemore—Kennington—Radley—Sandford—Nuneham 33
CHAPTER III.
ABINGDON TO STREATLEY.—By J. PENDEREL-BRODHURST.
Abingdon—The Abbey—St. Nicholas’ Church—The Market Cross—The Ancient Stone Cross—St. Helen’s Church—Christ’s Hospital—Culham—First View of Wittenham Clump—Clifton Hampden—The “Barley Mow”—A River-side Solitude—Day’s Lock—Union of the Thames and the Isis—Dorchester—The Abbey Church—Sinodun Hill—Shillingford Bridge—Bensington—The Church—Crowmarsh Giffard—Wallingford—Mongewell—Newton Murren—Moulsford—The “Beetle and Wedge”—Cleeve Lock—Streatley 62
CHAPTER IV.
STREATLEY TO HENLEY.—By W. SENIOR.
Streatley, the Artists’ Mecca—Goring versus Streatley—Goring from the Toll-gate—Streatley Mill—Weirs and Backwaters—Antiquity of Streatley and Goring—Goring Church—Common Wood—Basildon Ferry and Hart’s Wood—A Thames Osier Farm—Whitchurch Lock—Pangbourne—Hardwicke House and Mapledurham—Caversham Bridge—Reading and its Abbey—A Divergence to the Kennet, with calls at Marlborough, Hungerford, and Newbury—The Charms of Sonning—“The Loddon slow, with verdant alders crowned”—St. Patrick’s Stream—Shiplake Weir—Wargrave and Bolney Court—Park Place—Marsh Lock—Remarks on Thames Angling—The Approach to Henley 85
CHAPTER V.
HENLEY TO MAIDENHEAD.—By the Rev. PROFESSOR BONNEY, F.R.S.
The Best Bit of the River—Henley—The Church—The “Red Lion”—Shenstone’s Lines—Henley Regatta—The First University Boat-race—Fawley Court—Remenham—Hambledon Lock—Medmenham Abbey and the Franciscans—Dissolution of the Order—Hurley—Lady Place and its History—A Strange Presentiment—Bisham Abbey and its Ghost—Bisham Church—Great Marlow—The Church and its Curiosities—“Puppy Pie”—Quarry Woods—The Thames Swans and the Vintners’ Company—Cookham and Cliefden—Hedsor—Cliefden Woods—The House—Raymead—The Approach to Maidenhead [Pg vi] 113
CHAPTER VI.
MAIDENHEAD TO WINDSOR.—By H. SCHÜTZ WILSON.
Maidenhead—Bray—Jesus Hospital—The Harbour of Refuge—Frederick Walker—A Boat-race—Monkey Island—The River—Surley Hall—Boveney Lock—Eton—Windsor—St. George’s Chapel—The Castle—Mr. R. R. Holmes—James I.—Surrey—The Merry Wives of Windsor 143
CHAPTER VII.
WINDSOR TO HAMPTON COURT.—By GODFREY WORDSWORTH TURNER.
Leaving Windsor—Eton, its History and its Worthies—The College Buildings—Windsor Park—The Long Walk—The Albert Bridge—Datchet and Falstaff—Old Windsor—“Perdita’s” Grave—The Tapestry Works—The “Bells of Ouseley”—Riverside Inns—The Loves of Harry and Anne Boleyn—Magna Charter Island—Runnymede—The Poet of Cooper’s Hill—Fish at Bell Weir—A Neglected Dainty—Egham and Staines—John Emery—Penton Hook—Laleham—Dr. Arnold—Chertsey—The Lock and Bridge—Albert Smith and his Brother—Chertsey Abbey—Black Cherry Fair—Cowley the Poet—A Scene from “Oliver Twist”—St. Ann’s Hill—Weybridge—Oaklands and the Grotto—Shepperton Lock and Ferry—Halliford—Walton—The Scold’s Bridle—Sunbury—Hampton—Moulsey Hurst and its Sporting Associations—Hampton Court Bridge 161
CHAPTER VIII.
HAMPTON COURT TO RICHMOND.—By J. PENDEREL-BRODHURST.
Hampton Court—Thames Ditton: The “Swan”—The Church—Surbiton—Kingston: The Coronation Stone—Teddington—Twickenham—Eel Pie Island—Petersham—Richmond Park—Approach to Richmond 201