Henley-on-Thames
Henley is a good base to commute to London from for those with families who don't want to live in the city. The town has its own railway station, with direct service into London Paddington during peak hours. Out of peak service requires a change of train at Twyford. In addition, there are also express mainline rail services from nearby Reading to Paddington and High Wycombe which accesses London Marylebone. A short drive along the M4 motorway leads directly into London or to Hillingdon for the London Underground.
The River and Rowing Museum, located in Mill Meadows, is the town's one museum. It was established in 1998, and officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The museum, designed by the architect David Chipperfield, features information on the River Thames, the sport of rowing, and the town of Henley itself.
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Rowing regatta
Henley is a world renowned centre for rowing, each summer holding the Henley Royal Regatta, one of the highlights of the social calendar of the English middle and upper classes. The regatta is held on a stretch of the river that is naturally straight. The event became Royal in 1851. In that year Prince Albert became the patron of the regatta.
Other regattas and rowing races are held on the same reach, including: Henley Women's Regatta and the Henley Boat Races for women's and lightweight teams between Oxford and Cambridge University, Henley Veteran Regatta, Upper Thames Small Boats Head, Henley Sculling Head, and Henley Small Boats Head. These heads often attract strong crews that have won medals at National Championships.
Local rowing clubs include:
- Upper Thames Rowing Club (located halfway down the Henley Royal Regatta course)
- Henley Rowing Club (located upstream of Henley Bridge)
- Leander Club (world famous, home to Olympic and World Champions, near Henley Bridge)
- Phyllis Court Rowing Club (part of the Phyllis Court Club and set up for recreational rowing)
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Notable people
- Boris Johnson Mayor of London is the current Member of Parliament.
- Dusty Springfield has a gravesite and marker in the grounds of a church in Henley-on-Thames. Her ashes were scattered in Henley and in Ireland at the Cliffs of Moher. Every year, fans of Dusty Springfield gather in Henley to celebrate "Dusty Day" on the closest Sunday to her birthday (April 16th).
- The author George Orwell spent some of his formative years in Henley-on-Thames and the nearby village of Shiplake.
- William Lenthall was born in Henley-on-Thames. He was Speaker of the House of Commons between 1629 and 1640.
- Humphrey Gainsborough, brother of the artist Thomas Gainsborough, was a pastor and inventor who lived in Henley; a blue plaque marks his house, The Manse.
- George Harrison lived in Henley-on-Thames from the 1970s until his death in 2001. He resided in a mansion called Friar Park.
- Ross Brawn a British engineer, best known for his role as the technical director of the Scuderia Ferrari f1 team.
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Twinning
Henley-on-Thames is twinned with
Falaise, France, since 1973
Leichlingen, Germany, since 1979
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See also
- Henley Festival, held each July
- Michael Heseltine, previously Tory MP for the constituency;
- Boris Johnson, current Tory MP for the constituency;
- Brakspear Brewery, founded in 1779 but now closed;
- Dusty Springfield, buried at the St. Mary the Virgin Church in Hart Street, Henley;
- David Tomlinson, born and raised here. Played "Mr. Banks" in Mary Poppins;
- George Harrison, past resident of Henley at the Friar Park mansion;
- Leander Club, one of the world's oldest rowing clubs
- Henley shirt, a garment named after the town because it was the traditional uniform of the rowing clubs
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References
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External links
- Henley - aerial photo
- Henley-on-Thames Town Council - history
- Henley-on-Thames Organisation
- A monthly guide to what's on in Henley
- Official Tourism website
- Henley Standard local newspaper
- River and Rowing Museum
- Henley Royal Regatta
- Henley Youth Festival held each March
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