Date Published 03 March 2020
We would say it's an absolute necessity to look over an area that you are considering living in. Why not visit and explore because you have to love the town you live in.
Thamesmead is a diverse area. There are ancient monuments and many open spaces and woodland that has not been altered
Open spaces.
If you find peace being close to nature, enjoy the outdoors and like to get away from the hustle and bustle of the working week, there is over 350 acres of open space which includes 3 nature reserves and woodland that is teeming with wildlife. There is 5km of riverbank, 7km of canals and 6 major lakes within the area. Popular walks are:
Green Chain Walk - Thamesmead to Lesnes Abbey
This walk spans the fields and parks and woodland over a 50 mile area
The first of the 11 sections begins in Thamesmead, taking you between Crossness Pumping Station and Lesnes Abbey Woods and shows off Thamesmead's diverse neighbourhoods and beautiful waterways along the way
Thames Path - Thames Barrier to River Darent (south)
Section four of the Thames Path incorporates the 5km of river frontage as part of an 11 mile route from the Thames Barrier to the River Darent.
The Thamesmead stretch goes over Broadwater Dock, Crossness Pumping station and Thamesmead's brand new park on the river.
Places to visit
Crossness Pumping Station / The Cathedral on the Marsh
This is not what you'd expect from a sewage facility but its a building of beauty and is London's newest tourist attraction. It was built by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in response to of 19th Century Cholera epidemic and was the first of its kind. Following a £2.7million Heritage Lottery Fund grant, Crossness Pumping Station is in better shape than ever and offers open days to see the Grade I listed Beam Engine House and of the some of the most ornamental Victorian cast ironwork that can be found today.
Lesnes Abbey Woods
On the doorstep of South Thamesmead and overlooking the town are the Lesnes Abbey ruins – an ancient monument and the site of the 12th Century Abbey of St Mary and St Thomas the Martyr at Lesnes. The pattern of the original church remains today and is free to view as part of Lesnes Abbey Woods which is an 88-acre public park, a wildlife haven and, thanks to its ancient woodland and prominence of fossils, a designated site of special scientific interest. A £3.5 million enhancement project has seen improvements such as the addition of the education & community centre and the new park zone.
Greenwich Park (5.1 miles from Thamesmead)
Greenwich Park, Ranger's House is home to the Wernher Collection - a fine arrangement of glittering silver and jewels, paintings and porcelain (over 700 pieces on display). It's a wonderful day out for any art enthusiast.
Eltham Palace (4.5 miles from Thamesmead)
A masterpiece of 20th-century design Eltham Palace is 1930s Art Deco at its best - a perfect day out in London for anyone interested in art, design, stylish interiors and grand gardens. Children and families will love the gardens with space to play and picnic.
The Cutty Sark (6.4 miles from Thamesmead)
The Cutty Sark is the world's only surviving extreme clipper ship. Most of the hull fabric you see today dates back to its original construction 150 years ago. It was one of the fastest ships of its day. Over its life the ship recorded remarkably fast passage times, under her Master Richard Woodget, and became the dominant ship in bringing wool from Australia to England.
