Strand-on-the-Green is one of Chiswick's four medieval villages, and a "particularly picturesque" riverside area in West London. It is a conservation area, with many "imposing" listed buildings beside the River Thames; a local landmark, the Kew Railway Bridge that crosses the River Thames and the Strand, is itself Grade II listed. Oliver's Island is just offshore. The area was a fishing village named "Stronde" in 1353. By the 18th century, it had become a place of river-trade with many different businesses. It became fashionable with the opening of Kew Bridge and the presence of the royal family at Kew Palace. Freight traffic declined with the opening of the Grand Junction Canal. Strand-on-the-Green became a residential area in the 20th century. Location Strand-on-the-Green is the most westerly part of Chiswick. It is on the north bank of the River Thames, just downriver from Kew Bridge. The name is shared by the first part of the road east of Kew Bridge, its continuation on the riverside path, and the area itself. The riverside path is fronted by a row of "imposing" 18th-century houses, interspersed with three riverside public houses. The low-lying path borders a part of the tidal river whose capacity has been restricted by the building of embankments on both banks, and it is flooded at high water during spring tides. Houses on the street were occasionally flooded, for example in 1967, before the Thames Barrier was built to restrict the highest tides on the river. History Early origins Over 100 human skulls, now lost, were found in the river at Strand-on-the-Green during the 19th century. Similar river skulls have been dated to around 600 BC, while ancient Roman pottery has been found in the area. The area is first named "Stronde" in 1353 (probably meaning "shore"), at which time it was a fishing village. In 1593 it was named "Strand Green"; the name had become "Strand under Green" on John Rocque's 1746 map. Gradually, other river businesses set up alongside the fishermen. According to the Chiswick and Brentford Local History Society: Modern era Strand-on-the-Green is one of modern Chiswick's four medieval villages. The other three are Old Chiswick, the area around St Nicholas Church; Little Sutton; and Turnham Green. The area grew in popularity when in 1759 Kew Bridge opened, displacing the ferry that had run there for centuries. The presence of the royal family at Kew Palace further helped