Lower Sunbury

Lower Sunbury is a part of the town of Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, which lies between the River Thames and the M3 Motorway. This part of the town has more of a village atmosphere and also property is generally more expensive than the rest of Sunbury-on-Thames. The main streets in this area are Thames Street and Manor Lane, which run parallel with the River Thames, and Green Street, French Street and The Avenue which run perpendicular. French Street was named after a Huguenot community that lived in Sunbury in the eighteenth century.

History

The earliest written evidence of Sunbury's history was the Sunbury charter of AD962, when the Anglo-Saxon King Eadgar granted a stretch of land to his kinsman Aelfheh. Part of Lower Sunbury next to the river and around French Street is a conservation area including notable Georgian listed properties. Lower Sunbury has a large parkland area of some 22 acres, Sunbury Park, which belonged to the now demolished Manor House. Other notable Houses in the area include Darby House and Hawke House, the residence of Admiral Hawke.

The village has also been home to London Irish Rugby since 1931 when the club bought 11 acres of land off the then Avenue Road. Today the Avenue provides not only the administration and training headquarters for the professional squad, it is also the base for the London Irish England Rugby Academy and the Amateur Club. There are also tow Cricket clubs, Kempton and Sunbury located in Lower Sunbury.

Geography

There are a number of small shops mainly concentrated near the river and a number of pubs including the Magpie (named after the trotting pony of Richard Thornton, music hall owner) at which the Grand Order of Water Rats was founded, and The Flower Pot, which, according to the Sunbury Millennium embroidery, was changed during the Commonwealth from the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary because of its Roman Catholic connotations.Also along the riverside are Sunbury Church and The Riverside Arts Centre. There is also a village meadow at which Carols are held, and a regular celebratory street market at the Avenue Parade.

The village is also home to the Walled Garden, with its cafe and Millennium embroidery depicting the ancient houses, river views and local activities of Sunbury. The Salvation Army Headquarters is also located here on the Lower Sunbury Road. There are a number of islands in the Thames including the largest Rivermead Island, just down from Sunbury lock and weir, which used to have an open air pool. The Sunbury regatta is held here every August.

External links

• Lower Sunbury conservation area
• The Lower Sunbury Residents Association (LOSRA)
• http://www.gowr.net/
• http://www.bladens.co.uk/id31.html