Lot's Ait
Lot's Ait is an ait (island) in the River Thames, belonging to Middlesex. It is on the Tideway near Brentford and it is approximately 51,000 sq. ft in size.
History
Lot's Ait is often grouped with the adjacent Brentford Ait, which forms part of Surrey as the county border runs through the channel separating them. It was formerly used for the growing of grass and osiers: basket willows, used for basketry, furniture, and cart-making, as well as cattle fodder. It was once known as Barbel Island, as this was a particularly fruitful area for fishing. It contained a yard where barges were repaired until 1980, when it was sold. It acquired a wild character with naturalised willows, rotting boats and rusting dock roofs and became a haven for wildlife. In 2002, the island was offered for sale with outline planning permission for a restaurant, a leisure facility and boat storage. It is accessible by footbridge and at low tide when it is possible to walk across from the Brentford shore, and is accessible by water from the nearby slipway street of Goats Wharf off Brentford High Street.[1][2]
In 2011, a lease on the island was granted to a local company, John's Boat Works, who has commenced boat building works on the island for the first time in over 30 years and put it back into use.[3] In January 2012 a new footbridge was installed to link the island to the Brentford bank of the Thames at Smith Hill. The bridge was designed by Beckett Rankine and built and installed by MSO Marine.[4]
In Popular Culture
- The Island was used to film some scenes for the film, The African Queen.
- Scenes from the film Stratton: First into Action were also filmed on the island.
- The boatworks was featured on an episode of the TV show George Clarke's Amazing Spaces.
See also
Notes
- ↑ "News". Brentford Dock. Neil O'Dwyer. August 2002. http://www.brentford-dock.net/archive/2002-8.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
- ↑ Ordnance Survey map, courtesy of English Heritage
- ↑ "Blog". John's Boat Works. John. September 2011. http://www.johnsboatworks.co.uk/blog/?p=19. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ↑ "Planning". Agenda Item. London Borough of Hounslow. September 2011. http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/%28S%28czobl0450xbqi155ede3ifez%29%29/mgAi.aspx?ID=55275. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
References
- Hatts, Leigh (2005). The Thames Path: From the Sea to the Source (2nd ed.). Milnthorpe: Cicerone. ISBN 978-1-85284-436-3. OCLC 276222230.
- "Syon and Mortlake Reaches: PLA 307 & 308 Main Surveys (Extract)" (PDF). Port of London. http://www.pla.co.uk/pdfs/maritime/U10_2006_chartlet_Syon_and_Mortlakepdf.pdf. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
- Bolton, Diane K; Croot, Patricia E C; Hicks, M A (1982). "Chiswick: Introduction". in Baker, T F T. A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden. Oxford: Oxford University Press for the University of London, Institute of Historical Research. pp. 50–51. OCLC 59178433. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22557. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
Outside links
- Location map; 51°29’5"N, 0°17’54"W
- Lot's Ait.com official site