Trowlock Island is a residential island in the River Thames upstream of Teddington Lock on the non-tidal Kingston reach less than 10 metres from the northern bank, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England.
Geography
Teddington Lock's Weir is a large structure on the same side of the river by Teddington Studios and the Lensbury Club, which is downstream.Grid reference Finder measurement tools From the Thames Path crossing across the Lock in the north Ham is accessible.[http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/mapsearch.aspx Ordnance Survey map, English Heritage From the Teddington riverside by the island, stations of Hampton Wick and Teddington are and respectively by foot or road and therefore the centre of Hampton Wick is closer to the island than any other settlement.
Trowlock Island contains 29 bungalows in plots as well as the Royal Canoe Club's clubhouse and gym. Trowlock Island is about long with a path down the middle and houses on either side. Beyond the last house is a lightly wooded area with moorings on both the main river and the backwater.
History Like many islands in the Thames, the form of the island has changed over time, being shown as three separate islets on John Rocque's map of 1746. The name derives from Trow, a type of barge averaging 50–60 tons. Harry Gibbs' boat building firm was located on the island in 1910.
Transport
Access is by way of a hand-wound chain ferry.
Maintenance and facilities Trowlock Island Limited manages the shared infrastructure of the island and its board of directors is elected by the shareholders — each bungalow or plot of land carries with it a number of shares so that all houseowners plus the Royal Canoe Club collectively own the company. The Canoe Club has made a recent significant investment in providing new facilities for young people, including a new gym, boatsheds and training facility. Included in this re-development is a plan for encouraging bio-diversity, such as bats (pipistrelle and Daubenton's bat being the species most likely to be found in the area), water fowl and rare species of cultivated plants.Trowlock Island from a British Isles Topographical Blog
Wildlife The island, with surrounding water and banks of reach of the Thames are home to numerous species of wildlife; the following can be seen as nesting nearby: Mallards Herons Great crested grebes Coots Moorhens Wood pigeons Crows Magpies Jays JackdawsRose-ringed parakeets Greenfinches Common chaffinches Sparrows Blue tits Great tits European robins Wrens Long-tailed tits BlackbirdsThrushes Great spotted woodpeckers Bats House martins Black-headed gulls Herring gulls Cormorants Swans Canada geeseLess frequently spotted are: Kingfishers"Rebuilding of Teddington School has damaged wildlife and infuriated residents" This is Local London. Retrieved 15 June 2013. Mandarin ducks Wood ducks Sparrowhawks Egyptian geese Black swans Bar-headed geese
Heard: Tawny owl
Notes and references Notes
References
See also Islands in the River Thames Islands in the River Thames listed in order upstream from the sea.
External links Environment Agency station at Trowlock Island Trowlock Island Community Site