As part of our #Teddington take-over day today, celebrating all that is great and good about Teddington, we have compiled our top eight great facts about our vibrant town!
1. The first permanent settlement in Teddington was seen to be in Saxon times.
2. In Bushy Park there have been isolated findings of flint and bone tools from the mesolithic and neolithic periods. There has also been unauthenticated evidence of Roman occupation in this area.
3. Hampton Court Gardens were erected in 1500; this was in preparation of the planned rebuilding of the 14th century manor which formed Hampton Court Palace. The gardens were built as a hunting ground for Cardinal Wolsey and later Henry VIII.
4. Notable residents of Bushy House included British Prime Minister Lord North; he lived there for over 20 years. The house was built in 1663.
5. A train was almost destroyed in Teddington on 26 April 1913; this was due to an arson attack by the suffragettes.
6. The greatest source of employment by the Second World War was by the NPL, the main purpose of the NPL was military research. The ‘Bouncy bomb’ was also developed here.
7. Alfred Whiteway was arrested and hanged at Wandsworth prison for the murder and sexual assault of Barbara Songhurst and Christine Reed along with three other women. The murders of the girls were known as the ‘Towpath murders’ which took place along the river in 1953. The case has been described as “one Scotland Yard’s most notable triumphs in a century”. Whiteway and the girls were all from the Teddington are.
8. Eddington Station will be preserved after it was granted Grade II listed status by English heritage, the main station building is the earliest surviving example of Italian villa-style stations.
If you live or work in Teddingon and would like to join in with our celebration today, please tweet your message to @morrlaw.com using #Teddington.