|
The River Westbourne, of similar size to the Fleet, is a river in England that flows from Hampstead down through Hyde Park to Sloane Square and into the Thames at Chelsea. According to Victorian pedants, the river was originally called the Kilburn (Cye Bourne - royal stream) but has been known, at different times and in different places, as Kelebourne, Kilburn, Bayswater, Bayswater River, Bayswater Rivulet, Serpentine River, The Bourne, Westburn Brook, the Ranelagh River and, the Ranelagh Sewer.
However, its route is contested by some. According to an article by Christopher Long in London Portrait Magazine [1] (http://www.christopherlong.co.uk/pri.kengar.html), the Westbourne "rises near Kensington Palace on the high ground of Notting Hill... It fills the Round Pond and then goes underground to feed the Serpentine. Again it has been buried underground and only surfaces to feed the lake at Buckingham Palace. The overflow from Buckingham Palace fills the lake in St James's Park while the river is ignominiously piped underground and across the platforms of Sloane Square tube station (where it leaks in protest) before emptying itself into the Thames."
Others claim that it is the River Tyburn that fills Buckingham Palace's lake, and that the Westbourne crosses to the west at Knightsbridge (originally being the place the river was bridged). In addition, it is claimed that the river passes along Westbourne Terrace to the north of Hyde Park rather than going west to Kensington Palace, as demonstrated by the distinct valley in that direction.
This latter is the more likely story. The river leaves the Serpentine by the cascade at the Eastern end of that lake. From there it flows roughly due South. It gives its name to Bourne Street, SW1 and follows very closely the boundary between the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. This can be seen very clearly in the meandering purple line down the middle of this map (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=528251&y=178629&z=2&sv=528251,178629&st=4&ar=Y).
The conduit through which the Westbourne crosses the platforms of Sloane Square station is a large cast iron pipe, located just below the ceiling towards the end of the platforms closest to the exits.
See also
Subterranean rivers of London
|
