"Richard J." wrote in message
om...
michael adams wrote:
"Richard J." wrote in message
om...
michael adams wrote:

Just a thought.

What you see on Strand on The Green are the backs of the houses.
Same as the top end of Park Lane whose "actual address" is far less
prestigeous.
So possibly in both cases the owners have taken advantage of the
fact that their houses stand on two thoroughfares and have chosed
the better one - even fitting a letter box if necessary.

As you say, "just a thought". If you'd actually been there,

I've been there any number of times.

The houses with the oriel windows are similar in style
to those in Park Lane. The rear of the house was intended to
provide a view - Park Lane into Hyde Park[,] Strand on The Green
onto the River.

Weren't you aware of that?

Well, of course the river side of the house was intended to provide a view
of the river. That's why it was built in that location. Not sure why you
think that's the back of the house, though.

Zoffanys House faces the River IIRR. At the time
the various houses were built there was no thoroughfare
only the Green behind, and houses were built facing in
either direction. All were identified simply as Mr X's Hse
on the Strand on the Green.

If there was only the Green behind, the only thoroughfare was the towpath,

....

What I meant was a named thoroughfare. 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.

....

so why are you denying that the natural "front" was on the towpath?

....

Because as in the City and Westminster, the watergates amd water stairs were
at the backs of buildings not at the front. As in Somerset House and all
the other large houses which fronted onto the er Strand. Before the
Embankment was built.

....


[snip]

... you would realise that your thought doesn't match the
architecture and position of most of the buildings. Was your
previous post pure conjecture as well?

Are you denying that some houses on the river side of River Road were
originally built facing in opposite directions ? Some facing
the river and some backing onto it ?

Ah, so not all of them backing on to it, as you previously suggested.

....

I was in a rush. And anyway the subsequent influence of Estate agents and the
example of Park Lane certainly come into it somewhere.


....

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.

....

There was access around the Green. In fact most Greens are deliniated
by having a path or roadway running around them. Otherwise they wouldn't
be Greens.

There are no front doors on the river side of a number of the houses
which means that they're backing onto the river. Others have flood
barriers and smaller doors. In the houses such as Zoffany's which
definitely are facing the river, and even with the smaller artisans
cottages further along, the doors are at the top of a flight of steps.
It might be found thet a number of the houses still have impressive
front doors on their north side, which would formerly have faced
the Green.


michael adams



--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

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? 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.

Adrian

..

Adrian Stott

"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

michael adams wrote:
"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 was using "towpath" to mean the path that runs along the river bank. I
wasn't implying that it was used to tow barges or other boats. The word is
often used in this wider sense, including several examples on the PLA
website.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

In message , michael adams
writes

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,

The trees have all grown since the demise of barge towing. In fact, the
chestnuts on the Kew bank, opposite Strand on the Green, were
deliberately planted to enhance the view. They were not there in the age
of towing for the reason you state.

The actual towing path along the Thames was entirely on the south
(Surrey) side for many miles upstream of London. There are a few
riverside walks on the north bank, but they are not continuous and were
never part of an actual towpath.

"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.

There was certainly some towed transport on the Thames, but the river is
strongly tidal (originally as far as Kingston) and so most carriers made
use of the tides, aided by wind where possible, rather than towing.

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.

I think that's more than likely - and also, perhaps, an answer to the
OP's query. There was severe damage to the area around Old Post Office
Alley in 1940 as the result of a land mine (which destroyed most of the
adjacent City Barge pub). I'll try to remember to take a look next time
I got to the latter, but I suspect the metal knobs are the ends of tie
rods to stop any further bulging of a weakened wall.

Although that part of Chiswick now appears peaceful and affluent, it had
some nasty scrapes during WW2, including (not far from Strand on the
Green) the first V2 rocket to fall on London - hushed-up at the time as
a "gas explosion".
--
Paul Terry