Hogsmill River

The Hogsmill River is a small chalk stream in Surrey and Greater London. It begins as a spring in Bourne Hall Park in Ewell and flows north for 10 km to join the River Thames at Kingston upon Thames. Along its course it passes through green spaces, sports grounds and former flood-meadows now managed for recreation. Five tributaries feed the Hogsmill: Green Lanes Stream, Ewell Court Stream, Horton Stream, Bonesgate Stream and Tolworth Brook. The river is notable for historic sites and wildlife. Near Kingston town centre the 12th-century Clattern Bridge spans the water, one of England’s oldest road bridges. Close by stands the Coronation Stone, believed to have been used for Saxon coronations in the 10th century and later mounted on a plinth. The riverbanks support a variety of animals, fish and insects, reflecting the health of this chalk stream habitat. Visitors can follow the Hogsmill through parks and alongside sports grounds in Epsom and Ewell. In Kingston it runs past Kingston School of Art, Kingston Cemetery and the sewage works before reaching the Thames beside the promenade and Thames Path footbridge. The river’s gentle bends and green corridors offer quiet walks between urban areas and open land.