Pharaoh's Island, River island in Thames, Surrey, England
Pharaoh's Island is a private residential river island in the Thames, located near Shepperton in Surrey, England. It holds a small cluster of houses arranged closely along the banks, with gardens running down to the water's edge.
The island was originally called Dog Ait before the British Treasury bought it as a gift for Admiral Nelson following his naval victory at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. Nelson accepted the gift but never actually lived there.
The residents named their homes after Egyptian places, a tradition tied to Admiral Nelson's victory at the Nile, and these names are still visible on signs and gates today. The whole island feels like a small, self-contained world where that shared identity shapes how people live.
The island can only be reached by boat, as there are no bridges connecting it to the mainland. It is a private residential island, so visitors should respect the privacy of those who live there.
The island was used as a filming location for John Boorman's Hope and Glory in 1987 and again for his Queen and Country in 2014. Most people who pass by on the river have no idea that the same small island appeared in both films.
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