▁by ▁J . ▁Douglas ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁found ▁in ▁them . ▁ ▁From ▁El m bridge ▁fer ries ▁run ▁by ▁operators ▁under ▁a ▁Crown - gr anted ▁mon opol y , ▁subject ▁to ▁conditions , ▁existed ▁since ▁the ▁Stuart ▁period : ▁as ▁follows : ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁remaining ▁join ▁those ▁in ▁London ▁( the ▁T wick en ham ▁Fer ry ▁and ▁W ool wich ▁Fer ry ) ▁and ▁season al ▁visitor ▁services ▁in ▁Oxford . ▁ ▁Land ▁near ▁the ▁relevant ▁site ▁was ▁said ▁in ▁ 1 6 3 3 ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁was hed ▁away , ▁reflect ing ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁the ▁additional ▁river ▁channels ▁at ▁W inds or , ▁L ale ham ▁and ▁W ey bridge , ▁lack ▁of ▁we irs ▁and ▁former ▁mar sh iness ▁of ▁the ▁double ▁b end ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁known ▁as ▁Cow ey ▁S ale ▁and ▁oppos ing ▁small ▁me ander ▁of ▁land , ▁Th ames ▁M ead ow ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁bank . ▁ ▁A ▁She pp erton ▁fer ry ▁is ▁recorded ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁century ▁– ▁at ▁which ▁position ▁however ▁is ▁uncertain . ▁ ▁First ▁bridge ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 4 7 ▁Samuel ▁D icker , ▁local ▁land owner ▁and ▁later ▁MP ▁for ▁P ly mouth , ▁obtained ▁permission ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁bridge ▁at ▁Wal ton . ▁It ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁William ▁E ther idge ▁and ▁built ▁by ▁White ▁of ▁W ey bridge ▁to ▁consist ▁of ▁" tim bers ▁tang ent ▁to ▁a ▁circle ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 ▁feet ▁diameter