Things You Never Knew About the River Thames

• By: Editor
• On: 15/Jul/2009
• In: UK Travel Tips

· The River starts out as a small stream in a field in the Gloucestershire area (its reckoned that the source is about a mile north of the village of Kemble, near Cirencester) The Thames flows for over 200km through the Cotswolds and the towns of Oxford and Windsor before it makes its way to London!

· The Thames has been known to freeze over in the past. The people of London would have enjoyed "Frost Fairs" on the Thames during those times, which froze due to the cold winter weather. The earliest known river freeze was in the 12th century AD. In modern times due to the faster flow of the Thames the river no longer freezes over.

· The Thames is the longest river in England, and the river experiences an 8-metre water level change! The biggest and smallest tidal changes happen in the springtime.

· The more downstream on the Thames you go, the wider the river becomes. The area around Tower Bridge is around 270 metres in width (around 870 feet)!

· Experts reckon that the River Thames once flowed from Wales to Clacton and became a part of the River Rhine! This was before the North Sea was in existence!

· It is said that a raindrop that falls into the River at its source in the Cotswolds area is drank by an average of 8 people in advance of the time it meets the sea!

· Around 37 river crossings exist over the Thames, with 33 bridges and 4 tunnels (excluding London Underground Tunnels).

· If you have seen swans and their young on the River Thames it is because the Thames has been home to swan life since the 12th century when Richard the Lionheart imported the beautiful creatures from Cyprus.

· The River Thames is home to wonderful wildlife – and over 100 different types of fish inhabit the waters.

· They say the river water in the Thames is drinkable – apparently if you leave a glass of its water overnight to allow the settling of the silt the water is drinkable – However we do not advise that you try this!

· London is home to an astounding four World Heritage Sites (Tower of London, Westminster Palace, Greenwich Maritime Area, and Kew Gardens) and they are all located alongside the River Thames!

· During the Roman occupation of England, the river was known as Tamesis meaning "wide water" or "dark water".

· Before the sewer system was built for London, the Thames was known as a terribly dirty river. During the 19th century, the sewage and waste from the city was all pumped in there. At one stage in the mid 19th century the era was called "The Great Stench" as the stink was so bad. Things have dramatically improved since those days!

· The Tower Bridge, which opens on average 1,000 times a year is a must see event if you are along the River Thames. The opening takes just 61 seconds! There are wonderful walkways to be enjoyed along the Tower Bridge and you can see all the sights along the Thames. Check out the Tower Bridge Website for scheduled bridge lifts!

Learn more about Things to Do on the River Thames.

Find out more about Boat Trips on the River Thames.

Visiting London in the coming months? To get to explore the area fully, and to grab a quality car rental at cheap rates check out our Car Hire London page.

Have you been to London and been around the River Thames Area? Did you go on a boat trip there? Did you get to see some of the local attractions? What did you think of them? Please let us know your thoughts – we appreciate your comments!