Barnes
Encyclopedia
Barnes is a riverside London
suburb in southwest London and in terms of local governance falls under the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
. It is located around 5.8 miles (9.3 km) west south-west of Charing Cross
in a loop of the River Thames
, with Hammersmith Bridge
at the north end. Barnes has a number of 18th and 19th century buildings of exceptional quality, and is often noted for its historic village area centred on the pond, forming the Barnes Village conservation area.
part of Surrey
, Barnes appears in the Domesday Book
of 1086 as "Berne". It was held by the Canons of St Paul of London. Its Domesday assets were: 8 hide
s, paying tax with Mortlake
; 5 plough
s, 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of meadow
. It rendered (in total): £7.
The original Norman
chapel of St Mary's, Barnes' village church, was built at some point between 1100 and 1150. It was subsequently extended in the early thirteenth century, and again in c1485 and 1786. After a major fire in 1978 destroyed the Victorian and Edwardian additions to the building, restoration work was completed in 1984.
Some of the oldest riverside housing in London is to be found on The Terrace, a road lined with Georgian
mansions which runs along the west bend of the river. Construction of these mansions began as early as 1720. Gustav Holst
and Ninette de Valois
lived in houses on this stretch, both of which have corresponding blue plaque
s. The Terrace also has an original red brick police station, built in 1891. It was recently remodelled as apartments but still preserves the original features.
The pink-fronted Rose House facing the area's pond dates to the 17th century, while the area's oldest is one once belonging to Henry Fielding
which also faces the pond, parts of which date to the 16th century.
The listed Barnes Railway Bridge was originally constructed in 1849 by Joseph Locke
, and dominates the view of the river from The Terrace on the western side of Barnes. In 2009 a project began to re-paint the bridge.
Castelnau, in north Barnes and on the banks of the river, has a small church, Holy Trinity. The area between Castelnau and Lonsdale Road contains a 1930s council estate (including roads such as Nowell Road, Stillingfleet Road and Washington Road), mostly consisting of "Boot Houses
", constructed by the Henry Boot company. These houses no longer meet building regulations and need to have their external walls reconstructed. This means that new buyers cannot get a mortgage on un-reconstructed houses and so residents of this area have usually lived in their houses for a long time (in some cases it being passed down).
In recent years, Barnes has been cited as the leading area in the United Kingdom for internet shopping, with £150 pa per head being spent.
Barnes Common is an important open space and a local nature reserve. Its 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) dominate the south of Barnes, providing a rural setting to the village and a wealth of habitats including acid grassland, scrub, woodland and wetland. Beverley Brook
passes through part of the common before meeting the Thames at Putney
.
In April 2001 Barnes Pond dramatically emptied overnight. Although a broken drain was suspected no cause could be conclusively found. The pond was redeveloped and landscaped with funding from Richmond Council and the local community.
Barn Elms reservoirs were turned into a wetland habitat and bird sanctuary in 1995. The majority of the WWT London Wetland Centre comprises areas of standing open water, grazing marsh and reedbed. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
as it supports nationally important wintering populations of Shoveler
(Anas clypeata) and Teal
(Anas crecca).
on Church Road. Relocated from central London in 1966, the studios played host to many of rock and pop's greatest stars down the decades, from The Beatles
, who recorded the original tracks of "All You Need Is Love
" in Barnes, to The Rolling Stones
, Jimi Hendrix
, Pink Floyd
, Led Zeppelin
, David Bowie
, Queen
, Eric Clapton
, Ella Fitzgerald
, Harry Nilsson
, The Verve
, Massive Attack
, Duran Duran
, Coldplay
, Madonna
and Björk
.
Facing the Thames, at the end of Lonsdale Road, The Bull's Head
pub is known as the suburban Ronnie Scott's and was one of the first and most important jazz
venues in Britain from the postwar years onward.
The Old Sorting Office arts centre adjacent to Barnes Pond has become known as a venue for art
and fringe theatre
, hosting numerous exhibitions and theatre productions, as well as a regular auction. Well-known names to have performed at the venue include Patricia Hodge
, Stephanie Cole
, Timothy West
, Julian Glover
, and Robert Pattinson
.
The area in and around Barnes Pond is host to several open-air and covered markets each month. Barnes Common is the site of the Barnes Fair
, held each year in the first week of July and organised by the Barnes Community Association (BCA), with their headquarters in Rose House, a distinctive 17th Century pink-painted building on Barnes High Street.
's fatal car crash on Queen's Ride in 1977 is now Bolan's Rock Shrine. The memorial receives frequent visits from his fans, and in 2002 a bronze bust of Bolan was installed to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death. In 2007, the site was recognised by the English Tourist Board as a 'Site of Rock 'n' Roll Importance' in their Guide 'England Rocks'.
. Firstly, a former High Master of St Paul's School, Richard Mulcaster
is credited with taking mob football
and turning it into an organised, refereed team sport that was considered beneficial for schoolboys. St Paul's School is currently sited on Lonsdale Road, although in Mulcaster's time it was located at St Paul's Cathedral
in the City of London
.
Barnes was also home to Ebenezer Cobb Morley
, who in 1862 was a founding member of the Football Association
. In 1863, he wrote to Bell's Life newspaper proposing a governing body for football, and this led to the first meeting at the Freemasons' Tavern where the FA was created. He was the FA's first secretary (1863–1866) and at his home in Barnes he set out the first set of rules for modern football, and these were adopted by the FA and subsequently spread throughout the world. As a player he took part in the first match played according to today's rules. Morley may be considered the father of football for his key role in establishing modern Association Football.
Finally, Barnes Rugby Football Club has evidence to show that it is the oldest club in the world in any football code. Its ground is next to the WWT London Wetlands Centre
at Barn Elms
.
The loop of the Thames surrounding Barnes forms part of the Championship Course
used for the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and several other major Tideway head race
s. This stretch of the river is popular with rowers throughout the year.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
suburb in southwest London and in terms of local governance falls under the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
. It is located around 5.8 miles (9.3 km) west south-west of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
in a loop of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, with Hammersmith Bridge
Hammersmith Bridge
Hammersmith Bridge is a crossing of the River Thames in west London, just south of the Hammersmith town centre area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham on the north side of the river. It allows road traffic and pedestrians to cross to Barnes on the south side of the river...
at the north end. Barnes has a number of 18th and 19th century buildings of exceptional quality, and is often noted for its historic village area centred on the pond, forming the Barnes Village conservation area.
History
HistoricallyHistoric counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
part of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Barnes appears in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as "Berne". It was held by the Canons of St Paul of London. Its Domesday assets were: 8 hide
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
s, paying tax with Mortlake
Mortlake
Mortlake is a district of London, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes with East Sheen inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey until 1965.-History:...
; 5 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s, 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
. It rendered (in total): £7.
The original Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
chapel of St Mary's, Barnes' village church, was built at some point between 1100 and 1150. It was subsequently extended in the early thirteenth century, and again in c1485 and 1786. After a major fire in 1978 destroyed the Victorian and Edwardian additions to the building, restoration work was completed in 1984.
Some of the oldest riverside housing in London is to be found on The Terrace, a road lined with Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
mansions which runs along the west bend of the river. Construction of these mansions began as early as 1720. Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst
Gustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets....
and Ninette de Valois
Ninette de Valois
Dame Ninette de Valois, OM, CH, DBE, FRAD, FISTD was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of classical ballet...
lived in houses on this stretch, both of which have corresponding blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
s. The Terrace also has an original red brick police station, built in 1891. It was recently remodelled as apartments but still preserves the original features.
The pink-fronted Rose House facing the area's pond dates to the 17th century, while the area's oldest is one once belonging to Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones....
which also faces the pond, parts of which date to the 16th century.
The listed Barnes Railway Bridge was originally constructed in 1849 by Joseph Locke
Joseph Locke
Joseph Locke was a notable English civil engineer of the 19th century, particularly associated with railway projects...
, and dominates the view of the river from The Terrace on the western side of Barnes. In 2009 a project began to re-paint the bridge.
Castelnau, in north Barnes and on the banks of the river, has a small church, Holy Trinity. The area between Castelnau and Lonsdale Road contains a 1930s council estate (including roads such as Nowell Road, Stillingfleet Road and Washington Road), mostly consisting of "Boot Houses
Boot house
Boot houses were houses built in the United Kingdom after World War I to accommodate the housing boom following the war. They were named after Henry Boot, whose construction company produced an estimated 50,000 houses between the end of World War I and the start of World War II. Due to a shortage...
", constructed by the Henry Boot company. These houses no longer meet building regulations and need to have their external walls reconstructed. This means that new buyers cannot get a mortgage on un-reconstructed houses and so residents of this area have usually lived in their houses for a long time (in some cases it being passed down).
In recent years, Barnes has been cited as the leading area in the United Kingdom for internet shopping, with £150 pa per head being spent.
Barnes Common and the London Wetland Centre
Beverley Brook
Beverley Brook is a minor English urban river about 14.3 km long located in south-west London. It rises at Cuddington Recreation Park in Worcester Park, flows through Motspur Park, New Malden, Wimbledon Common, Richmond Park and Barnes...
passes through part of the common before meeting the Thames at Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
.
In April 2001 Barnes Pond dramatically emptied overnight. Although a broken drain was suspected no cause could be conclusively found. The pond was redeveloped and landscaped with funding from Richmond Council and the local community.
Barn Elms reservoirs were turned into a wetland habitat and bird sanctuary in 1995. The majority of the WWT London Wetland Centre comprises areas of standing open water, grazing marsh and reedbed. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
as it supports nationally important wintering populations of Shoveler
Northern Shoveler
The Northern Shoveler , Northern Shoveller in British English, sometimes known simply as the Shoveler, is a common and widespread duck. It breeds in northern areas of Europe and Asia and across most of North America, and is a rare vagrant to Australia...
(Anas clypeata) and Teal
Common Teal
The Eurasian Teal or Common Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian Teal is often called simply the Teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range...
(Anas crecca).
Tourist attractions
A popular cultural attraction is the former Olympic StudiosOlympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
on Church Road. Relocated from central London in 1966, the studios played host to many of rock and pop's greatest stars down the decades, from The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, who recorded the original tracks of "All You Need Is Love
All You Need Is Love
"All You Need Is Love" is a song written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first performed by The Beatles on Our World, the first live global television link. Watched by 400 million in 26 countries, the programme was broadcast via satellite on 25 June 1967...
" in Barnes, to The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
, The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
, Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
, Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
.
Facing the Thames, at the end of Lonsdale Road, The Bull's Head
The Bull's Head
The Bull's Head, Barnes, often referred to as "The Bull", is a London jazz club that was one of the first and most important jazz venues in Britain...
pub is known as the suburban Ronnie Scott's and was one of the first and most important jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
venues in Britain from the postwar years onward.
The Old Sorting Office arts centre adjacent to Barnes Pond has become known as a venue for art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and fringe theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, hosting numerous exhibitions and theatre productions, as well as a regular auction. Well-known names to have performed at the venue include Patricia Hodge
Patricia Hodge
Patricia Ann Hodge is an English actor.-Early life:The daughter of the Royal Hotel owner/manager Eric and his wife Marion , Hodge attended Wintringham Girls' Grammar School on Weelsby Avenue in Grimsby and then St...
, Stephanie Cole
Stephanie Cole
Stephanie Cole, OBE is an English stage, television, and film actress, best known for playing characters a great deal older than her actual age.-Early life:...
, Timothy West
Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
, Julian Glover
Julian Glover
Julian Wyatt Glover is a British actor best known for such roles as General Maximilian Veers in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the Bond villain Aristotle Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only, and Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-Personal life:Glover was born in...
, and Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson
Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson is an English actor, model, musician, and producer. Born and raised in London, Pattinson started out his career by playing the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...
.
The area in and around Barnes Pond is host to several open-air and covered markets each month. Barnes Common is the site of the Barnes Fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
, held each year in the first week of July and organised by the Barnes Community Association (BCA), with their headquarters in Rose House, a distinctive 17th Century pink-painted building on Barnes High Street.
Landmarks
The site of rock musician Marc BolanMarc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
's fatal car crash on Queen's Ride in 1977 is now Bolan's Rock Shrine. The memorial receives frequent visits from his fans, and in 2002 a bronze bust of Bolan was installed to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death. In 2007, the site was recognised by the English Tourist Board as a 'Site of Rock 'n' Roll Importance' in their Guide 'England Rocks'.
Sport
Barnes has a place in the history of footballFootball
Football may refer to one of a number of team sports which all involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...
. Firstly, a former High Master of St Paul's School, Richard Mulcaster
Richard Mulcaster
Richard Mulcaster , is known best for his headmasterships and pedagogic writings. He is often regarded as the founder of English language lexicography.-Educational achievements:...
is credited with taking mob football
Mob football
Mob football is the name given to some varieties of Medieval football, which emerged in Europe during the Middle Ages.Mob football distinguished itself from other codes by typically having an unlimited number of players and very few rules. By some accounts, any means could be used to move the ball...
and turning it into an organised, refereed team sport that was considered beneficial for schoolboys. St Paul's School is currently sited on Lonsdale Road, although in Mulcaster's time it was located at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
.
Barnes was also home to Ebenezer Cobb Morley
Ebenezer Cobb Morley
Ebenezer Cobb Morley was an English sportsman and is regarded as the father of The Football Association and modern Football.Morley was born at 10 Garden Square, Princess Street in Hull and lived in the city until he was 22. He moved to Barnes in 1858 forming the Barnes Club, a founding member of...
, who in 1862 was a founding member of the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
. In 1863, he wrote to Bell's Life newspaper proposing a governing body for football, and this led to the first meeting at the Freemasons' Tavern where the FA was created. He was the FA's first secretary (1863–1866) and at his home in Barnes he set out the first set of rules for modern football, and these were adopted by the FA and subsequently spread throughout the world. As a player he took part in the first match played according to today's rules. Morley may be considered the father of football for his key role in establishing modern Association Football.
Finally, Barnes Rugby Football Club has evidence to show that it is the oldest club in the world in any football code. Its ground is next to the WWT London Wetlands Centre
WWT London Wetlands Centre
WWT London Wetland Centre is a wetland reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in the Barnes area of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, by Barn Elms....
at Barn Elms
Barn Elms
Barn Elms is an open space in Barnes in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.It is located on the northerly loop of the River Thames between Barnes and Fulham....
.
The loop of the Thames surrounding Barnes forms part of the Championship Course
The Championship Course
The stretch of the River Thames between Mortlake and Putney in London, England is a well-established course for rowing races, most famously the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. It is often referred to as The Championship Course...
used for the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and several other major Tideway head race
Head race
A head race is a time-trial competition in the sport of rowing, also known as crew to a few USA organizations. Head races are typically held in the fall and spring seasons. These events draw many athletes as well as observers...
s. This stretch of the river is popular with rowers throughout the year.
Notable people
- Gustav HolstGustav HolstGustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets....
, composer - Freddie MercuryFreddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
, musician (1969–70) - Henry FieldingHenry FieldingHenry Fielding was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones....
, author - Roger McGoughRoger McGoughRoger Joseph McGough CBE is a well-known English performance poet. He presents the BBC Radio 4 programme Poetry Please and records voice-overs for commercials, as well as performing his own poetry regularly...
, poet - Brian MayBrian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
, musician and astrophysicist - David HarsentDavid HarsentDavid Harsent is an English poet & TV scriptwriter. As Jack Curtis and David Lawrence he has published a number of crime fiction novels....
. poet - Ninette De ValoisNinette de ValoisDame Ninette de Valois, OM, CH, DBE, FRAD, FISTD was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of classical ballet...
, founder of the Royal Ballet - Kurt SchwittersKurt SchwittersKurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters was a German painter who was born in Hanover, Germany. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including Dada, Constructivism, Surrealism, poetry, sound, painting, sculpture, graphic design, typography and what came to be known as...
, artist - Alistair McGowanAlistair McGowanAlistair McGowan is a British impressionist, stand-up comic, actor, singer and writer best known to British audiences for The Big Impression , which was, for four years, one of BBC1's top-rating comedy programmes - winning numerous awards, including a BAFTA in 2003...
, comedian - Simon Le BonSimon Le BonSimon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
, musician - Robert PattinsonRobert PattinsonRobert Douglas Thomas Pattinson is an English actor, model, musician, and producer. Born and raised in London, Pattinson started out his career by playing the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...
, actor - Honor BlackmanHonor BlackmanHonor Blackman is an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in The Avengers and Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger .-Early life:...
, actress - Eric NewbyEric NewbyGeorge Eric Newby CBE MC was an English travel author. Newby's best known works include A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, The Last Grain Race, and Round Ireland in Low Gear.-Life:...
, author - Pete TongPete TongPeter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
, disc jockey - Jan PienkowskiJan PienkowskiJan Michel Pieńkowski is a Polish-born British illustrator and author of children's books.Pieńkowski illustrated his first book at the age of eight, as a present for his father. During World War II, Pieńkowski's family moved about Europe, finally settling in Herefordshire, England in 1946...
, author - Chris PattenChris PattenChristopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC , is the last Governor of British Hong Kong, a former British Conservative politician, and the current chairman of the BBC Trust....
, politician - Colin PattersonColin Patterson (biologist)Colin Patterson FRS , was a paleontologist at the British Museum who specialised in fossil fish and systematics, advocating the transformed cladistics school....
, palaentologist - Peter MayhewPeter MayhewPeter Mayhew is an English actor known for playing the Wookiee Chewbacca in the Star Wars movies. His peak height was tall.-Career:...
, Actor who plays Chewbacca in the Star Wars films