Inventory Site Record

St Albans Riverside is one of a number of riverside gardens between Hampton Court Road and the Thames, here named after the 5th Duke of St Albans who moved to Hampton in 1796 to a riverside house first called St Albans Bank, now St Alban's Lodge. In the C19th the riverside near Hampton Court became a popular tourist attraction in its own right and was important for its boat-building works. Among these was boat-builder Tom Tagg, who leased the ait now known as Taggs Island where he built the Island Hotel in 1870. The riverside gardens remain popular, and have lawns, trees, shrubberies and an area of ornamental planting around a sundial.

Previous / Other name:

River Thames Gardens; St Alban's Terrace Gardens

Site location:

Hampton Court Road

Postcode:

TW12 2EN

What 3 Words:

pasta.copies.envy

Type of site:

Public Gardens

Borough:

Richmond

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Fishing is permitted between boathouse and the Swiss Chalet

Events:

Public transport:

Bus R68, 111, 216, 416, 726, R68

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/11/2010

Last minor changes:

14/07/2022

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.richmond.gov.uk/parks_and_open_spaces

St Albans Riverside is a strip of gardens along the river near Taggs Island, between Hampton Court Road and the Thames, named after the great grandson of Charles II and Nell Gwynne, the 5th Duke of St Albans. He moved to Hampton in 1796 to a riverside house first called St Albans Bank then shortened to St Albans, now St Alban's Lodge. In the C19th the riverside near Hampton Court became a popular tourist attraction in its own right and the river was much-used, with summer regattas and other activities drawing day trippers and weekend visitors. By the 1870s, Hampton had developed an important boat-building industry along the river, one of which was the works of Messrs. Tagg who supplied high quality boats used all over the world. Tom Tagg leased the largest of the islands or aits here, now known as Taggs Island and linked by a bridge to the road, where he built the Island Hotel in 1870, one of a number of facilities catering for the growing number of visitors.

The riverside gardens remain popular, and have lawns, trees, shrubberies and an area of ornamental planting around a sundial in the form of a globe, a semi-circular flowerbed on a circular platform set into the slope leading down to the river, with steps up to it. Between Taggs Island and St Alban's Lodge a flight of steps is set into the lawns. Nearby is a boathouse from which a private boat repair and sales business operates, and a modern gazebo.

Sources consulted:

LB Richmond Parks booklet; G D Heath 'Hampton in the Nineteenth Century', 1973 (Twickenham Local History Society); Gerald Heath, ed. Kathy White and Joan Heath, 'Hampton Court The story of a village' (The Hampton Court Association, 2000)

Grid ref:

TQ147691 (514706,169183)

Size in hectares:

1.21

Site ownership:

LB Richmond

Site management:

Environment Planning & Review, Parks and Open Spaces

Date(s):

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

None

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

Yes

Conservation Area name:

CA

Tree Preservation Order:

Not known

Nature Conservation Area:

Yes

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

Yes

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Thames Policy Area

Other LA designation:

None

St Albans Riverside - Photo: Colin Wing
Date taken: 31/05/21 13:50

Click a photo to enlarge.

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