There’s an aquatic motorway stretching right through London and expanding from a couple of lanes to over ten. After years of neglect it’s being put back to increasing use for once it was the main means of getting across London. I am, of course, talking about the river Thames and there was a time when people vied with each other to obtain property by this great waterway. With rough roads infested by highwaymen what better way of moving around the city than by water? There are the most magnificent mansions and palaces by the river’s side, especially to the west. Hampton court palace, Marble Hill house, Syon house, Kew palace, Osterley Park and Ham house are all by or close to the side of the Thames.

With the coming of the railways London began to spread in a more north south direction than in an east-west one.

Furthermore, until Bazalgette’s great nineteenth century sewerage building network, living near the Thames had become a stinking and health-threatening hell.
Now attitudes have reverted to former times. The closing of the docks, the cleaning up of the river, the fact that there can be a wonderful open area in front of one’s residence which no one can build on has made a property by one of the world’s great waterways highly desirable. London’s riverbus service makes use of new and restored piers and is increasingly popular as an alternative means of travel to congested roads.

Another day of mild autumnal weather brought us to one of the metropolis’ most beautiful riverside palaces: Ham house near Richmond. Built in 1610 for King James I’s eldest and most promising son, Henry Frederick, the little palace is a noble brick building set in leafy surroundings. It reminded me a little of Charlton house near us in London, which I later realised had been built for Sir Adam Newton who was Prince Henry’s tutor.
Sadly the Prince died aged 18 of typhoid fever and the successor of James became Charles I. How differently might the course of English history have run had the more gifted Henry lived!

Ham’s most significant moment, however, came with the restoration of Charles II when Elizabeth, daughter of owner Lionel and Elizabeth Tollemache, married John Maitland, first duke of Lauderdale. She became part of a secret inner circle advising the king on policy and, by all accounts, became, unusually for the times, the first woman to wield major political influence. Even before her marriage Elizabeth had been part of the sealed knot, a resistance movement which fought against Cromwell. She even risked her own life by smuggling dispatches to the royalists.

The following centuries witnessed the house’s ups and downs but eventually it was saved for the nation, virtually unchanged for over three hundred years, in 1950.

Like several other stately houses in the UK Ham house has featured in period dramas and films including ‘the young Victoria’ and ‘never let me go’ with Keira Knightley. So the chances are you’ve seen it before although you might have never visited it!

The interior has both public and intimate rooms. There are fine tapestries, furniture, miniatures and paintings.

The series of portraits is impressive including one of the Duchess of Lauderdale painted by Peter Lely which shows that she had beauty as well as brains.

An unusual feature is the way the first floor above the entrance hall is cut through into an elongated octagon creating a charming interior balcony.

The main staircase is especially impressive.

There is so much to linger over in Ham House and the mainly volunteer staff are keen to point out details and help you to recreate the amazing past of this beautiful London riverside palace.

The walks around Ham house are equally delightful, especially at this time of year.

For more details do check out the National Trust website at
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ham-house-and-garden