Set amidst the rolling tree-covered slopes of the south-west
Chilterns at a picturesque bend in the river, Henley-on-
Thames is best known for its attractive timber and brick
buildings, its graceful 18th-century bridge, and its annual
Regatta, established in 1839.
The Regatta reflected Henley's 19th-century emergence
as an inland resort and fashionable social centre. But the
town's relationship with the river and the surrounding
Chilterns landscape is much older and much more varied.
This book traces the history of the town and river over
time, from Henley's origins as a planned medieval market
town and inland port shipping grain to London, through to
its 18th-century development as a coaching centre and its
present-day role as a small service, tourist and commuting
town. Ordinary townspeople and river-workers feature
prominently, alongside merchants, landowners, and
prosperous incomers. Separate chapters summarise the
development of the Thames river trade, and the town's
striking buildings are fully discussed and set in context.
The book draws on extensive research over several years,
some of it carried out with the help of volunteers and local
groups. Its broad perspective casts new light on the town
and its relationship with the river, allowing visitors, residents
and specialists to view it with new eyes.
'Don't visit Henley without this book - it will allow you to
discover and then rediscover all the beauty and variety of
the town, its history and its hidden treasures.'
Simon Williams
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