September 2024 - 3 nights in Shepperton, my old stomping ground!

Shepperton - Thames Court (River Thames) – Thursday 5th September

We woke up to heavy rain.  We didn’t have far to go today so we didn’t set off until late.

Down through Chertsey lock and then the decision as where to moor or should I say where we could moor.  Thames Court was free so we moored up there with a space each.

Tomorrow, Richard’s brother is coming up with new batteries which he and Richard will fit.  I can’t wait as the current ones are practically dead and we seem to spend most of the time with the engine running to keep the charge up.

You may or may not know that I lived in Shepperton for 22 years before moving to Hayling Island in 2000.  I have friends who live here and I try to see as many as I can while we are here.  Today it was Barbara and Phil - the frightening part of that is that I have known Barbara for 51 years!  They suggested the cafe at Nauticalia, called The Ferry Point .  This was news to me as last time we came here in 2019 it was a shop and boat sales.  In fact I worked for Nauticalia for a few years in the mid 90’s, firstly in the shop then as secretary to the MD.  I was really surprised at the new cafe which takes up the whole area of the shop and boat sales.  There are also some shops in a courtyard at the back.  I didn’t have time to see them so will go back tomorrow.  We had a toastie for lunch which was delicious and filling.  

Barbara and Phil had to get home as they had their grandsons coming after school but as we went to leave the heavens opened and it just poured down.  Phil went and got their car and then very kindly took us to see the new Shepperton Studios.  There have been studios in Shepperton since 1931 and the original ones are still there behind the HUGE new buildings.  It is now the second Biggest Film and HETV Studio in the World!  It is only just open so it will be interesting to see what a difference it makes to Shepperton. 

Back at the boat we had a quiet afternoon while it poured with rain.  Rio took the opportunity to catch up on some sleep with his favourite toy!

3 miles
1 lock


Lady Lindsay’s Lawn - Shepperton (River Thames) – Friday 6th September

Michael arrived with the batteries about 9am and then he and Richard started the job of taking the old ones out and putting the new ones in.  Many years ago Richard made a small wooden crane to take the weight of the batteries as they weigh about 44 kgs each and there were 4 to take out and 3 to put in.  Don’t ask why there is a different number but Richard and Steve had worked it all out!  Once the old ones were out Michael put them in his car and back down to Hayling for us.  It had been such a help to have them brought up to us and it saved us a couple of days of travel backwards and forward to Hayling.

I took Tracey back to the cafe at Ferry Point for a coffee and to look round the little shops.  They were interesting but nothing there that we wanted.

Tracey and I found this goose by the lock, it is an Egyptian Goose.  I knew there were Egyptian ducks but not geese.  I think it is very attractive. 

Back at the boats Richard had finished the batteries so we decided to move to below the lock.  We wanted to moor on the Weybridge side of the River but it was full - well not full just boats badly moored.  Richard and I went down the lock and on to Lady Lindsay’s Lawn, the Shepperton riverside, and found a place so we called OtM and they came down and joined us.  We were just making sure we had at least one mooring!

It wasn’t a very nice afternoon so we just hunkered down in our respective boats with the heating on!  Steve and Richard walked into Shepperton to get pizzas for dinner, which were really lovely.

There is one black swan by the moorings.  She seems to have fallen in love with a white swan!  I wondered if they can mate and apparently they can and guess what, the cygnets will be grey!!.

1 mile
1 lock


Lady Lindsay’s Lawn - Shepperton (River Thames) – Saturday 7th September

Both boats were having visitors today.  We had Richard’s brother, Michael, and his lady friend, Sue, with Sue’s dog, Roo.  OtM had their eldest son, his friend and two dogs.

Michael and Sue arrived about 10am and we set off back up river to Chertsey lock where we filled up with water, turned round and cruised back to Lady Lindsay’s Lawn.  We took over the mooring spot while OtM did the same journey as we had done in the morning! 

After saying goodbye to all our visitors we sat out on the bank until it got to chilly so we retreated to our back decks.

As you come from Shepperton lock along the old route of the river, you come across the Manor House.  It is a very imposing house and I have managed to dig out some history of it. I can’t find anything about when it was built but in 1856, the house was purchased by William Schaw Lindsay, who owned it until his death there in 1877.  Then in the early 1960s Mr. J. Lindsay bought the Manor House at Shepperton and by 1965 had demolished all but the oldest, early 19th-century portions of it. Seemingly, this was in preparation to putting it up for sale.  I guess Lady Lindsay’s Lawn, which is next to the Manor House, must have been named after the wife of William Lindsay, however I can’t find anything about William Lindsay being knighted.

 

5 miles
2 locks (same one twice!)