Historical Fishing Locations

[theartist]

Following Flight's fascinating post about fishing on the Dam Busters reservoir what historical places have you fished that have got a unique back story?

I've fished the Thames opposite Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace, not to mention Walton bridge, the original construction of which was painted by both Turner and Canaletto, I'm sure I can think of more if I tried, how about you?

 

[Kevin Perkins]

As a youngster I fished a lot at Black Park Lake at Fulmer, home to any amount of films made by nearby Pinewood Studios, particularly Hammer Horror movies. And it was scary at night.....!!!?

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Canbury Gardens on the Thames, as well as the Royalty fishery on the Hampshire Avon including both pools. Many of the Royal Parks ponds and Christchurch harbour.

 

[David Rogers 3]

I've fished the Thames opposite Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace

I used to fish the Thames near Hampton Court as a kid in the mid-1960s. Much more recently, in the course of researching my wife's family tree, I discovered that one of her ancestors, a Richard Hammerton, came to a grisly end not far away on May 3rd, 1865. He was a well-known local waterman, who on that day was officiating at a race for pair-oared gigs at Messangers Ait (now called Ravens Ait), near Hampton Court. He had borrowed three small cannon, one of which was to be fired to mark the start of each round. The first two fired correctly, but the third exploded and a large piece of the barrel struck him on the head, causing him to expire about 30 minutes later. The race organisers started a fund for his widow and 8 children, and the first names on the list of donors were King Leopold of the Belgians and Queen Amelie (the last queen of France) who were at the time guests of Queen Victoria at Claremont House.

 

[peter crabtree]

I often fish the Thames at Runneymede ( old English runieg mede = council island meadow) where the Magna Carta was sealed in 1215 by King John of England..

 

[no-one in particular]

Runnymede as well, I was always fascinated by the magna carter dedication there when I was very young, fired my imagination.
The Royal Military canal in Kent, built to repel Napoleon if he invaded, zig zag designed to place cannon so they could shoot along the canal and exactly 9ft deep, just enough to drown a man, they weren't exactly woke or into health and safety in those days. Now it has silted up to about 2 or 3ft but still holds good tench and rudd.
Fished the Royalty a few times on the Avon, was a special place but not so much now as I understand it.
Osterly Park a few times, had a huge house in it that was the official residence of the American Ambassador. Syon House was one I wanted to fish and Richmond Park, Penn ponds, home to some royals, there was a big house there and one of the royals lived there then, I wanted to go and have tea with them, I would have left my maggots on the door.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

As a schoolboy my school held semi-annual sailing, rowing and canoeing activities over weekends at Raven Ait.
The accommodations left a lot to be desired even when measured from a boarding school perspective . .
. . . but the food was good.

As an adult I also fished on the Middlesex bank opposite the Ait for Bream.

 

[Kevin Perkins]

Thames at Runneymede too, it's a wonder there were any spare swims with so many of us there! Also Thames at Windsor and Cliveden...

 

[The Sogster]

It may not be a historic place in the same sense as the waters mentioned but I once fished under the bridge on the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

 

[barbelboi]

Black park lake, Savay (first when it was two lakes in the mid 50's before making it one with islands) The Ember/Mole entrance to the Thames opposite Hampton Court Palace, Thames at Runnymead and Windsor, Walton etc., The Obelisk lake (private at the time - on royal parks at Windsor) plus others....

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I used to fish the Mole on that same stretch Jerry. From the railway bridge to the confluence was free fishing in those days.

 

[S-Kippy]

I dont know if this quite the same thing but there's a swim on the Godalming AS members lake at Marsh Farm called the "typhoon" swim. It has a proper memorial in it to the pilot whose typhoon fighter developed engine trouble over Godalming during WWII.He steered the plane past Godalming and it went down in the lake. He was killed but if he'd baled out and it had come down in Godalming goodness knows how many people would have lost their lives. They recovered his body but the aircraft is still in the lake. IIRC he was Canadian.

I've fished Windsor many,many times....Runnymede not so much and The Royalty ( inc The Parlour and Bridge Pool) many times too. Broadwater, also on the Godalming ticket, has a history going back hundreds of years and once held the crucian record. I've also fished Eyebrook reservoir for trite which 617 Squadron practised low flying on before the dam raids.

Funnily....though Black Park Lake is literally just down the road from me I've never fished it.

 

[no-one in particular]

It may not be a historic place in the same sense as the waters mentioned but I once fished under the bridge on the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

That must have been fascinating, if not historical certainly famous, hope you didn't snag any wires.

 

[theartist]

I forgot about Runnymede, add me to the list of old Runnyonians

 

[S-Kippy]

Runny Onions, Rob ? Not sure I’d want to be called an Old Runny Onion.

 

[theartist]

I've been called worse

 

[S-Kippy]

Me too

 

[peterjg]

Me as well for Black Park Lake (and nearby Rowley Lake and Langley Lake), Runnymede, Windsor, etc. Fished Savay, The Cons, The Fisheries, NH Waltonians, etc. The Royalty, Winkton, Severals, etc. The Thames is so steeped in history really we could include any of it?

 

[S-Kippy]

What's in Black Park Lake then ?

 

[Mark Wintle]

It makes me laugh to see 'Severals' fishery - no such place, just The Several Fishery, of which there are two, We've got three Royalty Fisheries in Dorset as well.....