Situated on the River Thames in London, Thames Ditton is a suburban village in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey, England.
The first written record of Thames Ditton is in a charter dated 983.
Thames Ditton railway station is the only intermediate station on the Hampton Court branch line, 14 miles (22.6 km) down the line from London Waterloo.
The Swan Inn, next to the ferry, is well known to all lovers of the river and remains as it was in the days when the household of George II frequented it.
Beyond the ‘Swan’ is the bronze foundry of Messrs. Hollinshed & Bruton, where the statue of the late Queen Victoria, designed by the Princess Louise and destined for Calcutta, was cast, and where the process known as cir perdu was revived.
The village
Development in the village suffered greatly when Henry VIII acquired most of the lands and enclosed them within the deer Chase in the Honour of Hampton Court. Following his death, residents of the area successfully petitioned for it to be de-Chased, and normal activities resumed.
The church of ST. NICHOLAS consists of a chancel with north and south chapels and north vestry; a nave with north and south aisles, a western tower, and a south porch. The tower contains six bells, all cast by Thomas Swain in 1753, except the fifth, which was cast in 1754.
The village high street now houses a collection of shops and convenience stores as well as other amenities, including: a delicatessen, greengrocers, supermarket, florist, silversmith, post office, antique shop, art gallery, bakery, hairdressers, and cafés.
Highlights of Angela’s walk includes
- 00:15 Thames Ditton Island on the River Thames (south bank)
- 02:23 Summer Road – so named because it used to flood and only dried out in the summer
- 04:15 St Nicholas Church
- 11:28 George & Dragon public house