Spelthorne is the northernmost borough of Surrey stretching along the River Thames between Windsor and Hampton Court. Easily accessible from the M3 and M25, travel from London is only 35 minutes by train.
Spelthorne’s riverside attracts visitors from a wide area. Many parks and open spaces are situated by the river and from these vantage points it is possible to enjoy the ever-changing river scene and observe many species of wildlife.
Where to Visit
Staines upon Thames is a bustling market town with a wide range of shops available in the Elmsleigh and Two Rivers shopping centres. It is the perfect location for a relaxed lunch and a stroll along the river, all easily accessed from the town centre on foot. Spelthorne Museum provides a fascinating insight into the history of the area.
Beautiful walks along the Thames Path link up Memorial Gardens to the Lammas Recreation Ground and Laleham Park. Part of the Colne Valley Park route runs through the town and Staines Moor is a designated SSSI. French Brothers and Salters Steamers run boat trips through Staines upon Thames, which is a perfect way to see the local area.
Sunbury-on-Thames boasts several literary links and is noted in Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’, Dickens’ classic ’Oliver Twist’ and Jerome K. Jerome’s ‘Three Men in a Boat’.
Riverside Sunbury, known locally as Lower Sunbury, is also the home of the Sunbury Millennium Embroidery. Housed in the Sunbury Walled Garden, which is set out on classical formal lines with a special bed dedicated to the Princess of Wales.
Kempton Park Racecourse holds regular race meetings, concerts and markets throughout the year. Explore the riverside at Sunbury Lock and Ait (Island) and the Thames Path can be joined from Sunbury.
Modern day Shepperton maintains a village character including a High Street of independent shops and restaurants. Church Square, which leads down to the river, is a picturesque conservation area with charming pubs and restaurants.
Dumsey Meadow is a SSSI and the only piece of undeveloped water meadow remaining on the River Thames. Found above Shepperton Lock, it is home to a variety of rare plants and insects.
Laleham, Ashford and Stanwell are also worth a visit. For sports’ enthusiasts Ashford Manor Golf Club and Queen Mary’s Sailing Club offer outdoor pursuits in Ashford.
Stanwell’s St. Mary the Virgin Church dates from Norman times. The 55ft tower is of flint and Kentish rag chequer work and the 138ft spire is distinctive as it leans 6ft from the perpendicular. Sir Thomas Knyvett who helped arrest Guido Fawkes on 5 November 1605 in the cellars under the Houses of Parliament is laid to rest there in an ornate marble tomb.
Laleham village is a riverside community which contains many fine 18th and 19th century properties. All Saints Church stands on the site of a former small Roman temple and dates back to the 12th century, with a tower built in 1732.The former Laleham Abbey was built for the Earl of Lucan between 1803 and 1806 and now forms Laleham Park.
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