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Royal Richmond
Richmond can thank Henry VII for its name and its palace. Sheen as the village was known in Medieval times, was part of the manor of Kingston at the time of the Domesday book. Edward III died in the mansion of Shene. Henry V built a palace with "curious and costly workmanship" but it was destroyed by fire in 1498.
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Remains of Richmond Palace |
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Exotic Elegance
Richmond attracted the rich and famous due to its royal connections and the elegance of its buildings. In the 1800's, the campanile overlooking the bridge gave the town the exotic charm of Europe.
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Richmond Bridge |
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Richmond Bridge Act 1772 - page 1 |
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Act to build a bridge
In 1772, during the reign of George III, "an Act for building a bridge across the river of Thames, from Richmond, in the County of Surrey, to the opposite shore, in the County of Middlesex," was passed, "and to enable His Majesty to grant the Inheritance of the Ferry at Richmond, to certain Persons mentioned therein."
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Survival of .. the richest
A tontine was drawn up to pay for the bridge. Interest was split between surviving share holders. Eventually the surviving share holder would receive all the interest. The document shown is a front page of "A list of the subscribers and their nominees in Richmond Bridge Tontine, for raising the sum of twenty thousand pounds, in shares of one hundred pounds each, at interest after the rate of four pounds per cent, per annum, commencing with benefit of survivorship, the 29th of September, 1776, so that the longest survivor will receive eight hundred pounds per annum." |
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List of subscribers and nominees in Richmond Bridge Tontine - page 1 |
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Newspaper cutting relating to Richmond - Richmond Bridge tolls |
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Paying the toll
Income was raised on the bridge, by charging a toll. This was then used to pay back the investors in the construction. This newspaper clipping from 1826, shows the toll charges at the time. "For every carriage drawn by one horse or other beast 2d., Ditto drawn by two or three horses or other beasts, 4d., Horse, mule, ass, or neat cattle, 1d., Calves, hogs, sheep or lambs, at the rate of per score, 3d., Foot passengers, 1/2d."
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Richmond Lock and Weir
The complex but beautiful structure of the Richmond Lock and Weir is the result of Victorian engineering. It is also the last of the 44 locks which we have passed since Thames Head. Five wide arches span the river, with the middle three controlling massive sluice gates, which maintain the stretch of river upstream to Teddington at the half tide level. A massive lock, which at its opening in 1894, was said to take six barges and a tug, lies under the last arch on the surrey bank, and rollers for dragging boats up the slope, exist at the other end of the footbridge.
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Lock and weir at Richmond |
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Introduction
Richmond
