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At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn. The river rises at Thames Head in Gloucestershire and flows into the North Sea near Tilbury, Essex and Gravesend, Kent, via the Thames Estuary.
- Overview
- Physical features
River Thames, chief river of southern England. Rising in the Cotswold Hills, its basin covers an area of approximately 5,500 square miles (14,250 square km). The traditional source at Thames Head, which is dry for much of the year, is marked by a stone in a field 356 feet (108.5 metres) above sea level and 3 miles (5 km) southwest of the town of Ci...
The Thames is some 205 miles (330 km) long, running 140 miles (226 km) from the source to the tidal waters limit—i.e., from Thames Head to Teddington Lock—and, as an estuary, a further 65 miles (104 km) from there to The Nore sandbank, which marks the transition from estuary to open sea. Its basin, which receives an annual average precipitation of 27 inches (688 mm), has a complex structure. In its upper course the river drains a broadly triangular area defined by the chalk escarpment of the Chiltern Hills and the Berkshire Downs to the east and south, the Cotswolds to the west, and the Northamptonshire uplands to the north. At Goring Gap it cuts through the chalk escarpment and then drains the land lying north of the dip slope of the North Downs. Its last great tributary, the River Medway, drains much of the low-lying Weald area of Kent and Sussex to the south of London.
Flowing through gently rolling lowlands, the distinctive character of the Thames is pastoral and undramatic. Its average fall between Lechlade and London is less than 20 inches per mile (32 cm per km). The tides and surges of the sea, moreover, have a profound effect on the water level of the river’s lower course. This tidal influence begins to be felt intermittently, for some three hours during a high tide, at Teddington in the west suburbs of London. The transition from freshwater to estuarine reaches occurs closer to central London, around Battersea. At London Bridge, in the heart of the metropolis, the river rises 22 feet (7 metres) on the spring tides and 18 feet (5.5 metres) on the neap tides.
Britannica Quiz
Water and its Varying Forms
London is a coastal city – its tidal river hosts seals, seahorses and porpoises. Twice a day the Thames undergoes an incredible transformation – from a slow-moving river to a brimming marine environment as the North Sea floods inland.
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The tidal levels are defined below. For the table of chart datums and standard levels in the Port of London, please click here. For an introduction to chart datums and charting on the Thames please click here. HAT (Highest Astronomical Tide) & LAT (Lowest Astronomical Tide)
The Tideway is the part of the River Thames in England which is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock. The Tideway comprises the upper Thames Estuary including the Pool of London. Tidal activity. Depending on the time of year, the river tide rises and falls twice a day by up to 7 m (24 ft).
River Thames from source to estuary. The Thames is one of the World's most fascinating and beautiful rivers. From source to sea, its 215 miles flow from springs in Gloucestershire through rural and developed areas to London and on to the imposing tidal estuary into the North Sea.
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Sep 20, 2021 · This section of the River Thames is subject to tides from the North Sea and includes the upper Thames Estuary in addition to the Pool of London. Moreover, the tidal section includes the driest parts of mainland Britain and includes most of London.
