This view shows the junction of the High Street with Thames Street in the Hampton Village conservation area of Richmond-upon-Thames. At one time known as Red Lion Square, this part of Hampton was once the centre of the village and had some of its earliest buildings, some of which have been lost to road widening, Thames Street now forming a short section of the A308 between Kingston-upon-Thames and Windsor. The Red Lion Hotel shown to the left of view replaced the earlier Red Lion Inn building, parts of which are thought to have dated back to Tudor times, which was demolished in 1908 to make way for road widening. The Hampton Volunteer Fire Brigade took the opportunity to use the old inn building to recreate a spectacular firefighting film, now available to view online via the BFI digital archive. The replacement Red Lion building shown at 1 High Street, since converted into flats and coated in white stucco, is listed locally as a Building of Townscape Merit. Beyond the junction facing across to the landing stages on the Thames is a an eighteenth-century shop building at 20 Thames Street, now called Ferry House, which was Grade II listed in 1983, listing number 1262011. The adjacent post-war Georgian-style apartment block incorporated a confectionary shop called Betty's, and beyond is The Bell at 8 Thames Street, which was rebuilt in 1893 after a fire destroyed the previous building and is now listed locally as a Building of Townscape Merit. Overlooking the scene is the tower of St Mary's Church, which was designed by Edward Lapidge, also responsible for Kingston Bridge, replacing the previous church building in 1831. Records for St Mary's Church date back to 1342. The current St Mary's Church was Grade II listed in 1952, listing number 1252976. To the right of view on the south side of the street, 3 Thames Street, also known as Lion House, is eighteenth-century and was Grade II listed in 1983, listing number 1261998, although it was also extended substantially to its west and rear elevations since this photograph was taken. Above, a sign for Peter Silver & Sons (Engineers) Ltd at 5-9 Thames Street is the only shown evidence of the riverside boat building and engineering works behind the shops and houses on Thames Street. Another sign shows that part of Lion House is up for sale through Hampton & Sons of 6 Arlington Street SW1 with the telephone number HYD:8222. Part visible beyond is Riverdale at 1 Thames Street. Dating from 1760, it is one of Hampton's most significant buildings and was Grade II listed in 1952, listing number 1261997. Some vehicles can be seen in the distance, including a Ford Zephyr 6 parked in the drive next to number 20. Holes in the road surface appear to expose historic setts.
