Stamford Brook

Stamford Brook is a stream in Middlesex which becomes a minor tributary of the River Thames. It is however now an underground river, culverted for most of its course. The Stamford Brook is the combination of two smaller streams, both rising in Middlesex, and it flowing into Hammersmith Creek on the Tideway.

One of the streams rises, or formerly did, on Old Oak Common north east of the Old Acton Wells and flowed south down Old Oak Common Road and Old Oak Road. The second, known locally as The Warple ran just west of Horn Lane and south down Warple Way, named after the stream. It turned into Ravenscourt Park and fed the former moat there.

By 1900, the brook had been covered over and is now a sewer. It runs down Old Oak Road and then Askew Road where it meets the Northern Interceptor at Goldhawk Road. It then continues down Paddenswick Road into Dalling Road (Lower) and meets the Western branch of Stamford Brook (fed by the Bollo Brook, which comes down Goldhawk Road before following King St.) The combined flow then goes past Hammersmith Town Hall before meeting the Western Interceptor just before the River Thames.

The name may be a development from 'stoney ford' or 'sandy ford' by which it was crossed by King Street. Stamford Brook has given its name to the surrounding area between Hammersmith and Chiswick and to local London Underground station, Stamford Brook Station. Stamford Brook has no connection with Stamford Bridge nearby, which is near the site of a bridge which carried the Kings Road over another tributary stream called Counter's Creek.