Platts Eyot

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Platts Eyot is an island on the River Thames at Hampton, England on the reach between Molesey Lock and Sunbury Lock.

The island was formed from osier beds in the Thames, when excavation of the Middlesex filter beds was dumped on the island, creating the large hill on the island's Western end.

Boatbuilding began on the island in 1866, when Thomas Tagg built a boatyard and house on the Eastern end of the island, earning it the nickname "Tagg's Island".

In 1908 Thornycroft set up the Hampton Launch Works on the island. This boatbuilding works concentrated on cabin cruisers and speedboats, but also produced small naval craft - Coastal Motor Boats in the First World War and Motor Torpedo Boats, Motor Launches and landing craft in the Second World War. Thornycrofts closed their boatbuilding operation on Platt's Eyot when they were taken over by Vospers in the mid-1960s.

In 1960 the island was bought by Port Hampton Ltd. who diversified the use of industrial space.

Today the entire island is listed within the River Thames site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, with the Western end of the island being listed as Green Belt.

[edit] See also

• Islands in the River Thames

Next island upstream	River Thames	Next island downstream
Grand Junction Isle	Platts Eyot	Garrick's Ait