Swan Hotel
Audio guide to this location
Audio Transcript
The Swan Hotel is one of Walton’s oldest riverside inns.
Although the present hotel dates largely from the late 19th century, there has been an inn here since at least the 1760s, serving travellers, boaters and visitors arriving along the Thames.
The Swan has a particularly romantic story. In 1909, the American composer Jerome Kern was travelling along the river when he stopped here for a drink. During his visit, he met Eva Leale, the daughter of the hotel’s landlord, and the two soon fell in love.
The couple married at St Mary’s Church in Walton in 1910 and spent time living at the Swan whenever they returned to England.
Jerome Kern would go on to become one of the most successful songwriters of the 20th century, composing more than 700 songs, including Ol’ Man River, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and The Way You Look Tonight.
The hotel also has connections to Walton’s film industry, appearing in some of the early films produced at the nearby Hepworth Studios.
The name “The Swan” comes from the ancient tradition of Swan Upping, the annual ceremony held on the River Thames to count and identify the swans belonging to the Crown and the historic companies of the Dyers and Vintners. This tradition has taken place on the Thames for centuries and still continues today.
As you stand beside the river, it is easy to imagine the boaters, musicians, actors and travellers who have passed through these doors over the years.
Your next stop is the Manor House, one of Walton’s oldest and most intriguing buildings.
Did you know?
- There has been an inn on this site since at least the 1760s.
- Jerome Kern met his future wife Eva Leale here in 1909 after arriving by boat on the Thames.
- Kern and Eva married at St Mary’s Church in Walton in 1910.
- Jerome Kern wrote more than 700 songs, including Ol’ Man River, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and The Way You Look Tonight.
- The Swan appeared in several early films produced by Hepworth Studios.
- The annual Swan Upping ceremony has taken place on the Thames since the 12th century.
- Traditionally, swans on the river belong either to the Crown, the Vintners’ Company or the Dyers’ Company.
- During Swan Upping, birds are identified by their markings and family groups are recorded.
