Secret London

By Author: Carolyn Clayton
Total Articles: 129
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If I were to ask you to name 3 rivers in London could you do it? What about if I said name 10? I can only think of one off hand and that is the famous river Thames. What about if I were to tell you there are 15 rivers flowing through London, would you be shocked? I certainly was when I learnt about this so I decided to research and learn some more.

The 15 rivers are tributaries which are small rivers leading off from the Thames. Some are visual and others are hidden. Apparently all these rivers all played an important role in the early development of the city with regards to the location of mills and sources for drinking water and open sewers.

The names of the rivers are Stamford Brook, Tyburn, Westbourne, Parrs's Ditch, Counter's Creek, Fleet, Wandle, Beverly Brook, Black Ditch, Peck, Walbrook, Ravensbourne, Effra, Neckinger and finally Falcon. You can see a map which shows exactly where each river is and where it leads off from on this page: london.openguides.org/pictures/lost_rivers.jpg.

Whether this is true or not I can't say but apparently people who live near the rivers are more likely to ...
... suffer from respiratory diseases and allergies compared to the rest of the population of London.

London is truly a fascinating place which is worth a visit time and time again. Most Londoners are not aware of some of the places and sights which are tucked away. If you look in the right place you will always find something new. If you're planning on visiting London soon and fancy investigating these rivers and other interesting geography facts, there is a great book written by Andrew Duncan called "Secret London". It's the perfect walking guide to London which details all the hidden landscapes, interesting facts about the City. London may be a very public place but there is a secret side to London that is captured in this great book. Other books which might be of interest are "London Under London" by Richard Trench and Ellis Hillman and "The Lost Rivers of London" by NJ Barton.
If your going to London and are looking for a cheap place to stay, why not try one of the Hotels Near Hammersmith Apollo, which is a Kensington Hotel in a great location.