To spot Eel Pie Island, look out across the river to see a lush, tree-covered island dotted with quirky houses and boathouses, surrounded by small boats swaying gently in the water.
Welcome to one of London’s most mysterious and legendary islands-Eel Pie Island! Imagine the soft lap of the Thames just beneath your feet, birdsong floating in the trees, and the faint hum of boats as you gaze across to an isle that’s always felt a little cut off from ordinary life. Eel Pie Island is only about nine acres, but boy, does it pack a punch when it comes to stories.
Now, the name itself has a rather delicious origin. Back in the 19th century, when river inns flourished, the local inn here was famous for serving-you guessed it-eel pie to hungry travelers and rowdy boat parties. Before it was ever called Eel Pie Island, people knew it as Parish Ait and Twickenham Ait, and before the 19th century, it was actually split into three distinct parts, separated by the tide. There’s even a map from 1607 that shows those tiny islets.
But let’s travel even further back in time for a moment-archaeologists have found ancient red deer antler tools on the shoreline, used by Mesolithic folk, which proves this land has seen human hands and wild stories for thousands of years.
Fast-forward to the Georgian era, and you’d see a lively scene. There was an inn by 1743, a favorite pit stop for steamer excursions. By 1830, a newer, more stylish inn took its place. Author Samuel Lewis, writing in 1848, even used up half his space on Twickenham just talking about this place, and he described Eel Pie House as a spot for “refreshment and recreation to water parties, and persons repairing hither for the amusement of fishing.” No wonder-imagine coming here for a pie and ending up at a wild party.
And what a party it became! The island’s most famous building, the Eel Pie Island Hotel, started off a genteel three-storey home for ballroom dances in the roaring 1920s and 1930s…but then the 50s and 60s rocked up, trumpeter Brian Rutland got the jazz going, and the place exploded into a legendary music venue. Big names came and went-The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry’s Hoochie Coochie Men, and so many more. Imagine the sound echoing across the river, drums and guitar riffs, and perhaps someone’s shoes sticking to the floor after a slightly too-enthusiastic dance move.
Here’s a twist worthy of a rock anthem: in the late 1960s, the hotel couldn’t keep up with expensive repair demands and closed its doors. But the wild spirit lived on! The hotel reopened as Colonel Barefoot’s Rock Garden. Some nights, you might have found yourself dancing to Genesis or Deep Purple, sipping a strange cocktail called “Colonel Barefoot’s Killer Punch,” and trying not to get lost in a light show or a tangle with the fire chief. And then-mystery time-a fire swept through, and by 1971 the hotel was destroyed. Only ashes were left where rock legends and hippies had once danced.
But Eel Pie Island didn’t disappear into dust. Far from it! The 1970s saw hippies set up the biggest commune in the UK right where you’re standing. If you listen closely, maybe you can almost hear the echo of a guitar, a burst of laughter, or the philosophical ramblings of someone with very long hair.
Today’s island is a quirky, creative haven-about 50 homes, around 120 people, still dotted with boatyards, hidden artists’ studios, and private paths twisting through houses and nature reserves. There’s even a nature reserve at either end, where the wild things keep their privacy just as much as the human residents do. For a few days in June and December, the island’s art studios open up to the public-who knows what you’ll discover: paintings, sculptures, or a very friendly dog with paint on its nose.
This isn’t just a home for artists-Twickenham Rowing Club calls this place its home, and the Richmond Yacht Club too. Parkrun’s headquarters is tucked away here, quietly plotting their next 5k.
Eel Pie Island has slipped into all sorts of stories-Sherlock Holmes solved a “complicated poisoning” here, George Harrison mentioned it in a song, and Danny Wallace once “invaded” the island to declare himself king. It’s not often you find rock stars, indie bands, actors, and inventors all living next door to each other, but that’s Eel Pie for you: curious, stubborn, musical, and just a bit wild. So as you look across the river, let your mind wander back to those late nights, wild jazz, clinking mugs of cider-and the scent of fresh eel pie drifting in the air.
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