River Heathwall Explained

River Heathwall
Map:	File:Mouth of the River Heathwall.png
River System:	Thames Basin

The River Heathwall, more often known as the Heathwall Sewer,^{[1] [2]} Heathwall Ditch or Heathwall Mill Pond^[3] was a set of field drainage ditches and a large mill pond in Battersea, London. It had two outlets into the tidal Thames and its inland section roughly followed Wandsworth Road. Its eastern outlet was at Nine Elms.^[4]

The Greenwoods' map of 1827 confirms the mill pond served a tide mill, harnessing of the locally great tidal energy.^[5] The generic prototype may have such a mill in the nascent City of London, in Roman Britain.^[6]

The river was covered in 1866, as was the nearby Falconbrook. Pumping stations were added for the drainage of northern Battersea and to allow for widespread development.^{[1] [7]} Heathwall Pumping Station is now part of the Thames Tideway Scheme.^[8]

Further reading

• Jon Newman, The Heathwall: Battersea's Buried River (2019, Backwater Books)

Notes and References

1. Book: Minutes of proceedings. Institution of Civil Engineers. 1875. 162.
2. Book: Minutes of proceedings. Metropolitan Board of Works. 1882. 746.
3. Book: Metcalf, Priscilla. Victorian London. 1972. 82. New York, Praeger .
4. Web site: The Lost River Of London You've Never Heard Of: The Heathwall. Londonist. 25 November 2019 .
5. Christopher and John Greenwood's's 8 inches to the mile 6 sheet map, 1827
6. http://www.kentarchaeology.ac/authors/005.pdf Spain, Rob: "A possible Roman Tide Mill", Paper submitted to the Kent Archaeological Society
7. Web site: The Junction History. VisitClaphamJunction.com.
8. Web site: Heathwall Pumping Station. Bazalgette Tunnel Limited.