Thames Landscape Strategy - Hampton to Kew -

Arcadian Diary April 2005

Everything always looks so wonderful at this time of year as the new shoots start to grow from the trees and the early summer grasses and flowers line the footpaths. This is my favourite time of year and as such I try to spend every spare moment I can out and about enjoying the show. If you haven’t been out for a walk this spring along the towpaths, avenues or in the parks then I would urge you to do so. It is the best day out. And why not combine your trip with a visit to one of the great gardens or houses along the river or even a boat trip.

Anyone who has wandered up Richmond Hill this week will have noticed that work has restarted on Terrace Field and Terrace Walk as part of the Heritage Lottery Funded ‘London’s Arcadia’ scheme. It has surprised some people that so soon after we removed the chain link fence which was such a blot on the Richmond Hill landscape for years we have erected another in its place. Rest assured that this is a temporary measure. Health and safety legislation is so strict these days that this is a necessary part of any construction work. Our contractors cannot blow their noses thesedays without having to erect a safety barrier first and that is all this is – a safety barrier. We will keep the disruption to a minimum and try and keep as much of the Terrace open as we can during the works but there will inevitably be some disturbance.

Over the next couple of months the long awaited restoration of the Richmond Hill railings will take place. These railings have quite literally been falling apart in front of us for many years now and it has only been through the Heritage Lottery Fund grant that we have finally been able to restore them. In planning the restoration we have had to make some difficult decisions and compromises.. The ‘gold plated’ option would have been to completely rebuild the retaining wall under the railings but because Richmond Hill is constantly slipping towards the river it would have been necessary to carry out regular repair work. Any short-term gain in rebuilding the wall would therefore be quickly lost – at considerable expense. As such, a decision has been taken to simply patch up the wall and restore the railings.

London’s Arcadia will also be resurfacing the Terrace Walk. This has slipped considerably over the past decade and in places has miniature ‘cliffs’ of up to one foot in height. This constant slumping makes for a difficult repair job but once completed should last for another generation before more work is needed. To resurface the path we need to remove all of the benches. These will be taken away in two stages, repaired and replaced in the same position once the work to the gravel is complete. We will also need to close off certain sections of the Terrace Walk but again we will endeavour to keep the disruption to a minimum.

Work is also starting up again this month down on the riverside to complete the work started last month along Choldmondeley Walk. The newly laid grass in this area has been left to establish itself before we come back to finish the job. New benches are to be installed and the footpath edge will be finished. We are also going to restore the bollards and railings along St Helena Terrace and extra litterbins and seats will be positioned along Richmond Riverside. So don’t panic if you see benches and bins being removed along this stretch of river they are just off to be repaired and will be back shortly.

The work being carried out by London’s Arcadia is being funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund but this money only covers 60% of the total costs. We still need to raise a lot more money if we are to carry out all the works that are necessary. There are many ways that you can help us in achieving this goal – the most important being to sponsor certain elements of the work.

We want to give local peoplea chance to be involved and help towards funding London’s Arcadia in a special and tangible way. With this in mind, we are providing the chance for local people to undertake dedications and memorials in certain areas of London’s Arcadia. a These naming opportunities are in pre-determined positions so as to fit in with current conservation and bio-diversity management plans and are all in keeping with the ethos of the project and the natural setting.

If you would like to take part and in so assist us in conserving this important landscape all you need do is contact us. Naming opportunities are available for trees, bird or bat boxes, seats, sections of towpath, railings and fences, bollards and gates. Alternately, you can simply make a donation, without naming anything. By taking part you will have your name recorded in a special donations book (subject to your approval) that will be available for inspection and on the Arcadia web site. For many items you will also receive a map showing the location of your tree, section of towpath or length of railing and if you name a bench you will be able to have your name or inscription carved on it.

As part of the works on Richmond Hill, York stone paving slabs will be placed under the row of seats next to the Terrace wall. On a few of these we would like to inscribe words, phrases or (parts of) poems that describe or are associated with the View. We are inviting members of the public to let us know what inscriptions you would like to be included – so put on your thinking caps and come up with some suggestions. This may include popular songs, prose or single words and we would particularly like to hear from younger people. There must be many budding poets out there and here is your chance to have your words immortalised in stone on the brow of Richmond Hill.

Richmond’s connections with the 60’s music scene could be celebrated, for example, through The Who’s classic song ‘I can see for miles’ or maybe a tune such as ‘The Sweet Lass Of Richmond Hill’ or Handel’s ‘Where’er You Walk’. It could be a word or phrase that sums up the watery landscape that is very personal to you or alternatively it could be part of one of the great poems inspired by the view such as Thompson’s ‘The Seasons’. Any suggestions please to me at the Holly Lodge address below.

The Thames Landscape Strategy, Holly Lodge, Richmond Park, Richmond TW10 5HS.

Jason Debney is Co-ordinator of the Thames Landscape Strategy, a not-for-profit organisation established in 1994 to conserve, enhance and promote the remarkable Arcadian Thames between Hampton and Kew.

If you would like to sponsor a project or make a donation please contact Tasha Hunter at the same address.

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