London's River Thames

The Thames is England’s longest river. It starts at Thames Head in Kemble, a village in Gloucestershire, and passes through London to the Thames Estuary between Essex and Kent.

The river is tidal all the way to Teddington in south west London, meaning the North Sea flows right into the centre of the city. This creates a diverse ecosystem home to fish, birds and even mammals like seals. But it also brings with it dangerous currents and the ever-present threat of flooding.

Humans have settled along the Thames since prehistoric times. We’ve built many landmarks on and around the water, including palaces, docks, power plants and a total of 35 bridges, the first of which was constructed by the Romans. And we’ve harnessed the river to trade with, and travel to, the rest of the world.

This makes the Thames an enormous archaeological site, scoured by mudlarks hunting for objects lost to London’s long history.

What is mudlarking?

Searching for history on the shores of the Thames
The Stone Age skull rescued from the River Thames

Found after 5,000 years in the mud
The Victoria Cross found in the Thames

When a mudlark recovered Britain’s prestigious medal for valour
How a Neolithic jade axe came to Mortlake

Polished, Italian and left in the Thames
Vikings in London

Two centuries of Viking raids and conquest left London a radically changed place

London Dock

The Wapping drop-off point for wine, tobacco, spices and ivory between 1805 and 1968
What is the Port of London Authority?

Steering the River Thames through changing tides and turbulent times
West India Docks

These were once the world’s largest docks, built to handle goods from Caribbean slave plantations
Post-war photographs of the working River Thames

Sandra Flett’s snapshot of trade and industry on London’s liquid highway
London’s whaling trade: Blubber & baleen

Whether sporting a corset or reading by lamplight, Londoners once relied on the products of whaling

London’s famous bridges

Bridges have helped Londoners cross the Thames for 2,000 years – here's the best of them
Twickenham’s Eel Pie Island

This little island had a thriving rhythm and blues scene – where the Rolling Stones were residents
How Cleopatra’s Needle came to London

An ancient Egyptian obelisk – on the banks of the River Thames