Walton-on-Thames Walk: Town Centre【4K】

Located in the county of Surrey, and around 15 miles southwest of central London, is the town of Walton-on-Thames.

The town's name derives from Old English 'walh' and 'tūn', meaning 'Welsh/Brittonic farmstead'. This is despite it being over 100 miles away from Wales, although how it got this name is believed to originate from a Celtic settlement here that predated the Romans. It is claimed that Julius Caesar used Walton as a fording point over the Thames during his second invasion of Britain in 54 BC.

At the heart of the town is the medieval St Mary's Church. Completed in the 13th century, with a 14th century chancel and some later restoration work, the edifice is Grade I listed.

To date, there have been six bridges across the Thames at Walton. The first was a wooden lattice structure completed in 1750. This was featured in an oil painting by Canaletto from 1754. In 1783 it was dismantled, and a replacement was completed in 1788, made of brick and stone. This was featured in multiple paintings, perhaps most notably by Joseph Turner. In 1859 it collapsed, and was replaced, initially by a ferry service, then in 1864 by the Third Walton Bridge - and iron lattice girder on brick and stone piers. In 1870 it was freed from tolls. In 1940 it was damaged in an air raid, leading to a permanent weight restriction. To help overcome this limitation, a fourth bridge was built adjacent to it in 1953. The third remained in place until 1985 when it was demolished. A fifth bridge was completed in 1999, followed by a sixth in 2013. The fourth and fifth were subsequently removed.

In 1838 the railway arrived in Walton-on-Thames. The station is situated on the South West Main Line which runs between London Waterloo and Weymouth. Trains to central London take around 25 to 40 minutes depending on stops.

Famous people from Walton-on-Thames include actresses Julie Andrews and Natascha McElhone and musician Nick Lowe.

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Filmed: 17th January 2023

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/eqaexemrwfU2kVNV8

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Walton-on-Thames War Memorial
0:11 High Street
0:37 Ashley Road
1:33 New Zealand Avenue
5:24 High Street
8:06 Church Street
9:49 St Mary's Church
10:10 Church Street
12:12 Bridge Street