Wildlife reserves · London
Crane Park Island
In or near Thames Ditton.
Crane Park Island — island in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
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Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 2 h–4 h
- Best time of year
- Autumn & winter (migration & wildfowl)
- Nearest railway station
- Whitton · 1.6 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
Crane Park Island is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. Wikidata describes it as: "island in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.4436°, -0.3789°.
Photo gallery
Official information
Crane Park Island is a nature reserve located in Whitton, featuring diverse habitats such as woodland, ponds, and reedbeds. It is home to various wildlife species and includes the historic Shot Tower, which serves as a visitor center with educational facilities.
From the Wikipedia article
Crane Park Island is a Local Nature Reserve in Twickenham in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is also part of The Crane Corridor Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. The site is an island in the River Crane, which is owned by Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council and managed by the London Wildlife Trust. The entrance is next to the Shot Tower in Crane Park.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The area was formerly the site of Hounslow Gunpowder Works, and the island was created to contain a mill pool to drive mill machinery. Some remains of it can still be seen, but the only major surviving structure is the Shot Tower, built in 1828. There were frequent explosions, and the Shot Tower was probably built as a watch tower to warn workers of fire hazards. The Ogden Standard on 9 July 1915 reported that there was a huge explosion heard for 10 mi. An initial small explosion warned factory workers and they were able to flee before the larger explosion. Only 1 person was killed but flying debris wounded many. In 1927 the licence to manufacture gunpowder was withdrawn, and part of the…
Description
The island is heavily wooded, and also has a pond and areas of scrub and reedbeds. Mammals include the rare water vole, and other animals such as kingfishers, woodpeckers, frogs, damselflies and dragonflies are also found there.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4436, -0.3789
- District
- Hounslow
- Parish
- Hounslow, unparished area
- Postcode
- TW13 5QR
- Parliamentary constituency
- Feltham and Heston
- Nearest railway station
- Whitton — 1.6 km
- Opening
- Shot Tower open Tuesday - Sunday, 9am-5pm; nature reserve free to visit at all times.
Sources
- wikidata: Q15211942 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Crane Park Island (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Crane Park Island Nature Reserve, Twickenham, London. (3350016620).jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
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Crane Park Island Nature Reserve
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Twickenham Cemetery
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Hanworth
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Crane Park Island?
- Crane Park Island is in London, United Kingdom (postcode TW13 5QR), in the parish of Hounslow, unparished area.
- What is Crane Park Island?
- Crane Park Island — island in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England, UK.
- How do I get to Crane Park Island?
- The nearest railway station is Whitton, about 1.6 km away. Drivers can use postcode TW13 5QR.
- Is Crane Park Island free to visit?
- Yes, Crane Park Island is free to enter.
- How do I get to Crane Park Island?
- The nearest railway station is Whitton, about 1.6 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode TW13 5QR.
- Are dogs allowed at Crane Park Island?
- Most wildlife reserves allow dogs on lead only, with restrictions during ground-nesting bird season (March-July). Check signage at the reserve.