The Westbourne or Kilburn is a mainly re-diverted small River Thames tributary in London, primarily sourced from Whitestone Pond, Hampstead Heath and which, notwithstanding one main meander, flows southward through Kilburn and the Bayswater (west end of Paddington) to skirt underneath the east of Hyde Park's Serpentine lake then through central Chelsea under Sloane Square and it passes centrally under the south side of Royal Hospital Chelsea's Ranelagh Gardens before historically discharging into the Inner London Tideway. Since the latter 19th century its narrow basin has been further narrowed by corollary surface water drains and its main flow has been replaced with a combined sewer beneath its route.
Whitestone Pond
and its surroundings
Situated at 135m above the London Basin, Whilestone Pond located at the summit of Hampstead Heath marks the highest point in London.
The pond takes its name from the old milestone located at the top of Hampstead Grove, it can be seen just to the south and bears the inscription "IV miles from St Giles, 41/2 miles 29 yards from Holborn Bars".
Originally known as Horse Pond, fed solely by rain and dew, ramps were later added to allow horses to access the pond to drink and wash their hooves. Later it became affectionately known as Hampstead-on-Sea when the pond was used for paddling, floating model boats and skating in winter.
A water fountain, once located at the top of West Heath Road, became a local speaker's corner and was the scene of angry fights between fascist groups and antagonists in the 1930s. Later it became a popular spot for donkey rides.
The adjacent flagstaff behind Whitestone Walk marks the historic location of the Hampstead Beacon, lit to warn of the impending invasion by the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Spaniards Road, once a notorious haunt of highwaymen in the eighteenth century, became a popular place to be seen promenading in the nineteenth century.
As the twentieth century drew to a close this area increasingly lost its appeal but thanks to restoration works, conceived and instigated by the Heath & Hampstead Society, extensive renovation was carried out over a two year period and completed in 2010 in collaboration with the City of London Corporation, Camden Council, English Heritage and Transport for London.
Hampstead Heath extends from Parliament Hill in the south to the Heath Extension in the north and comprises 320 hectares, including the Kenwood Estate, of encapsulated countryside. The Heath is protected, funded and managed by the City of London Corporation as part of over 4,400 hectares of open spaces.