"Adrian Stott" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:54:47 +0100, "michael adams"
wrote:


Obviously the residents will have
used horses and horsedrawn transport in addition, using an unnamed
roadway or pathway around the actual Green. When the houses were built,
the whole thing, towpath, houses, and any road or pathway between the green
and houses were all known as Strand on the Green.

Was there ever a towpath there? Isn't approaching that bank by boat
impossible at low tide?


It was the OP who first referred to a "towpath" -

quote

"Richard J." wrote in message
om...

Since
the houses we are talking about mostly pre-date River Road, I'm not sure how
you define "facing" and "backing on to" the river and its towpath when those
were the only thoroughfares.

/quote

I simply went along with his usage so as not to confuse the issue any
further.


I think that the towpath now is on the other
side of the river in this length, next to the navigation channel which
has sufficient depth for navigation at low tide.

If you insist -

picky

What's on the opposite bank is a "footpath" - with numerous
trees etc between the path and the river which would have ruled out any
use of rope,

"Towpaths" are most commonly found on canals where horses were used to tow
the barges. And where the more normal means of propulsion i.e sail or oar
weren't available.

/picky


For anyone who's interested the railway bridge in the vicinity may
have suffered bomb damage during the War as some of the piers are different
- plainer and without the original embellishments. This is from the Kew
footpath side. There's also one odd pier on the Strand-on-The Green end
as well

http://i34.tinypic.com/2qicj5t.jpg

picture of bridge

800x600


michael adams









Adrian

.

Adrian Stott