Lost Rivers of London (Part 2) - The Effra

The Lost Rivers of London Part 2 of 8 – The Effra.

In the mid nineteenth century the railway companies created the new suburbs of South London, and the new houses swallowed up The Effra whole. Today we can trace the river as its’ identity remained entwined with the neighbourhoods under which it flows.

The Effra is  known by various names along its’ lengths, The Shore, The Washway or the Sewer, it enters The Thames as Lambeth Creek, Vauxhall Creek or Effra Creek, dependant on your map.

Legends claim that Elizabeth 1 sailed up the Effra in her barge to visit, variously, the Dutch Ambassador at Caron House in Vauxhall, Edward Alleyn at Dulwich, The Earl of Essex in Streatham or Walter Raleigh while he lived on Brixton Hill.

Today the Effra can be heard, two of its’ tributaries can be seen, all you need is to know where to look…………..

Meet Bermondsey Square 10 am.

Bill

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RIDE SERIES BACKGROUND INFO

The Thames has more than 50 tributaries between source and sea, some twenty one are on the tidal Thames. Of these two thirds are partially or wholly lost, buried beneath houses and streets, channelled away in underground tunnels, their flow diverted away by the sewer system. London lost most of it’s’ rivers in less than 100 years, testament to the wave of change that transformed it a city of 650 000 in 1750 to 8.6 million, a peak in 1939.

The lost Thames tributaries are London’s veins and arteries. They gave the first settlements purchase in locations where water and power could more easily be accessed than from the surging, tidal Thames. These rivers played crucial roles in the establishment and growth of the city, and they took much with them when they disappeared.

The Thames tributaries provided fresh water for Londoners and their animals, transported goods, powered mills and factories that ground, pummelled, chopped mashed, ground and stretched the supplies for London. London, in return, dumped everything it did not need in its’ rivers, from sewage to carcasses, household goods and the relics of old gods, the rivers turned and spread disease until London could stand no more, and the population buried those rivers.

Those lost river Landscapes hold multiple keys to the past present and future, and this winter, constrained by daylight and weather, and the dullness of a winter Sunday, we set out to explore them.

Inspired by a ride by Barry Mason to the sources of The Quaggy and The Thames, together with the works of Tom Bolton, a series of 8 rides between November 2011 and March 2012 that set out to explore those rivers, no more than 20 miles, a slow explore with copious useless anecdotes, do bring a notebook…

• Westbourne
• Tyburn
• Fleet
• Walbrook
• Earl’s Sluice & The River peck
• Neckinger
• Effra
• Wandle