Desborough Island facts for kids
Desborough Island is a special island in the River Thames in Surrey, England. It's not a natural island; people made it! It's about 112 acres (0.45 square kilometers) big. The island was created in the 1930s when a new waterway, called the Desborough Cut, was dug. This new channel helped to straighten out a bend in the river. The island and the new cut are named after Lord Desborough, who was in charge of the Thames Conservancy at the time. The Thames Conservancy was a group that looked after the River Thames.
How Desborough Island Was Made
The Desborough Cut is a channel about three-quarters of a mile (1 kilometer) long. It was dug to make the River Thames flow more directly. This new channel created Desborough Island between itself and the older, winding parts of the river. These older, bendy parts of the river are still there and boats can still use them.
The main reason for digging the Desborough Cut was to help stop floods in areas like Hamm Court and Shepperton. It also made boat travel shorter, cutting the distance almost in half from where it starts to where it finishes.
What Desborough Island Is Used For
Desborough Island is mostly open space, with some playing fields. Not many people live there. It also has important water treatment facilities. You can get to the island by crossing two bridges from Walton Lane. These bridges connect to green areas near Weybridge and Walton-on-Thames.
The island is about 112 hectares (277 acres) in size, and 14 hectares (35 acres) of that is open space. It's an important place for nature and is looked after by the Elmbridge council's team. The island is home to the Walton Water Treatment Works, which is owned by Affinity Water. There are also some sports facilities on the island. Other parts of the land are owned by the EA, Surrey County, and Elmbridge Borough councils. Many people enjoy boat trips from Walton that go all the way around the island.
Around the late 2000s, paths on the island were improved, new seating was added, and hedges were replanted. These changes helped to make the island better for plants and animals.
Desborough Island in Pop Culture
Desborough Island and the river around it were used as a filming location in the 1980s. They stood in for the banks of the Mississippi River in the music video for the song "Karma Chameleon" by the band Culture Club.
