Transcriber’s Notes. [Illustration: Map of the River Thames from its Source to Windsor] [Illustration: Map of the River Thames to Windsor] FATHER THAMES [Illustration: Offices of The Port of London Authority _Frontispiece_] FATHER THAMES [Illustration] BY WALTER HIGGINS WELLS GARDNER, DARTON & CO., LTD. 3 & 4 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS, LONDON, E.C. [Illustration] PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN FATHER THAMES BOOK I.—LONDON RIVER. BOOK II.—THE GREAT CITY WHICH THE RIVER MADE. BOOK III.—THE UPPER RIVER. _This book is also issued in separate parts, as above._ CONTENTS BOOK I LONDON RIVER CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION: THE RIVER AND ITS VALLEY 1 I. LONDON RIVER 15 II. THE ESTUARY AND ITS TOWNS 31 III. THE MEDWAY AND ITS TOWNS 40 IV. GRAVESEND AND TILBURY 52 V. THE MARSHES 64 VI. WOOLWICH 77 VII. GREENWICH 87 VIII. THE PORT AND THE DOCKS 101 BOOK II THE GREAT CITY WHICH THE RIVER MADE I. HOW THE RIVER FOUNDED THE CITY 123 II. HOW THE CITY GREW (ROMAN DAYS) 130 III. HOW THE CITY GREW (SAXON DAYS) 137 IV. HOW THE CITY GREW (NORMAN DAYS) 143 V. THE RIVER’S FIRST BRIDGE 147 VI. HOW THE CITY GREW (IN THE MIDDLE AGES) 157 VII. THE TOWER OF LONDON 166 VIII. HOW FIRE DESTROYED WHAT THE RIVER HAD MADE 181 IX. THE RIVERSIDE AND ITS PALACES 193 X. ROYAL WESTMINSTER—THE ABBEY 209 XI. ROYAL WESTMINSTER—THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT 220 XII. THE RIVERSIDE OF TO-DAY 227 BOOK III THE UPPER RIVER I. STRIPLING THAMES 237 II. OXFORD 246 III. ABINGDON, WALLINGFORD, AND THE GORING GAP 263 IV. READING 271 V. HOLIDAY THAMES—HENLEY TO MAIDENHEAD 279 VI. WINDSOR 285 VII. ETON COLLEGE 298 VIII. HAMPTON COURT 305 IX. KINGSTON 317 X. RICHMOND 326 XI. RICHMOND TO WESTMINSTER 332 INDEX 349 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS BOOK I LONDON RIVER CHART OF THE THAMES FROM THE SOURCE TO WINDSOR _Front end papers_ PORT OF LONDON OFFICES _Frontispiece_ PAGE HOW THE THAMES WAS MADE 4 THE BIRTH OF THE RIVER 8 MOUTH OF THE THAMES 16 THE NORE LIGHTSHIP 17 SHEERNESS 20 TRAINING SHIPS OFF GREENHITHE 22 LONDON’S GIANT GATEWAY 25 THE POOL 27 A THAMES-SIDE WHARF 29 ROCHESTER CASTLE 48 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL 50 GRAVESEND 54 A RIVER-SIDE CEMENT WORKS 56 TILBURY FORT 58 BUGSBY’S REACH 69 WOOLWICH 79 GREENWICH PARK 88 GREENWICH HOSPITAL 94 THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY 98 DOCKLAND 103 DOCKHEAD, BERMONDSEY 107 WAPPING AND LIMEHOUSE 109 A GIANT LINER 117 BOOK II THE GREAT CITY WHICH THE RIVER MADE THE THAMES AT LAMBETH, FROM THE AIR 120, 121 THE LONDON COUNTY HALL 122 ROMAN LONDON (PLAN) 133 BASTION OF ROMAN WALL, CRIPPLEGATE CHURCHYARD 135 THE CONQUEROR’S MARCH ON LONDON (PLAN) 143 OLD LONDON BRIDGE 148 AN ARCH OF OLD LONDON BRIDGE 150 CHAPEL OF ST. THOMAS BECKET ON THE BRIDGE 152 LONDON BRIDGE IN MODERN TIMES 155 BAYNARD’S CASTLE BEFORE THE GREAT FIRE 160 GROUND PLAN OF THE TOWER 168 TRAITOR’S GATE 178 THE MONUMENT 182 OLD ST. PAUL’S (A.D. 1500) 189 THE FLEET RIVER AT BLACKFRIARS (A.D. 1760) 194