West London fights back: Brentford walk along Thames Path

Following yesterday's happy saunter along the Thames Path between London Bridge and Deptford, I thought I'd tread the home turf today, following the Thames Path from Kew Bridge into Brentford. The path follows the Thames before ducking inland along the very beginning of the Grand Union Canal.


Kew Bridge Eco Village (that's the Kew Bridge Steam Museum standpipe tower in the background)

The excitement begins right at the start, with the "eco village" occupying a development site behind the hoardings right next to Kew Bridge. The "bender tents" are home to some 30-odd residents. It's much more interesting and vibrant  than the tedious mixed-use scheme planned by developer St George, and which has received almost universal condemnation by community groups. As far as I'm aware, the carbuncle hasn't yet received planning consent.


Graffiti under Kew Bridge



One of many derelict boats

While not high on picturesque value on this walk, there is much of interest. The levels of dereliction are genuinely surprising, although it was also great to see so many houseboats and operating boatyards.



Brentford town centre itself is rather uninspiring - mainly because all the old buildings were swept away as part of "improvements" in the 1960s. For centuries, Brentford High Street had been notorious for its traffic problems, due to its narrowness and high traffic levels as the main route west out of London.


Poster showing Brentford Hight Street of old

Serious attempts to widen the street began in the early 20th century, and gradually gained momentum. The local council purchased many of the properties, which then lay empty and derelict for several decades - known as "planning blight" - and shown in this poster which I found in a Brentford side street.

Widening and rebuilding took place in a piecemeal fashion, but the inevitable result was the loss of many handsome Georgian and Victorian Buildings. In particular, check out architectural photographer Herbert Felton's images, which now form part of the collection of the National Monuments Record. However, just off the High Street remains an area known as The Butts, which is still lined with elegant houses that look like they have been airlifted from Hampstead.


St Lawrence Church tower, the oldest structure in Brentford

There is lots of information on the old buildings at the website of the Brentford High Street Project. Even the old buildings that remain are still under threat - for example the 15th century tower of St Lawrence Church, which remains resolutely boarded up.