River Thames summary

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Below is the article summary. For the full article, see River Thames.

Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames, South Oxfordshire district, Oxfordshire, England.

River Thames, ancient Tamesis, Principal river of England. It rises in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire and winds 205 mi (330 km) eastward across south-central England into a great estuary, through which it empties into the North Sea. It is tidal for about 65 mi (104 km). Known by the Romans and by early English chroniclers, it has been celebrated by bards throughout history. One of the world’s most important commercial waterways, it is navigable by large vessels to London.

Oxford Summary

Oxford, city (district), administrative and historic county of Oxfordshire, England. It is best known as the home of the University of Oxford. Situated between the upper River Thames (known in Oxford as the Isis) and the Cherwell, just north of their confluence, the town was first occupied in Saxon

London Bridge Summary

London Bridge, any of several successive structures spanning the River Thames between Borough High Street in Southwark and King William Street in the City of London. The Old London Bridge of nursery rhyme fame dates from 1176, when Peter of Colechurch, a priest and chaplain of St. Mary’s of

England Summary

England, predominant constituent unit of the United Kingdom, occupying more than half of the island of Great Britain. Outside the British Isles, England is often erroneously considered synonymous with the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and even with the entire United

London Summary

London, city, capital of the United Kingdom. It is among the oldest of the world’s great cities—its history spanning nearly two millennia—and one of the most cosmopolitan. By far Britain’s largest metropolis, it is also the country’s economic, transportation, and cultural center. London is situated