This is the River Cray, which runs through south-east London to join the River Thames near Dartford. It's an old river, which has managed to survive the modern development that has grown up around it over the last century. It gives its name to the town of Crayford (yes, where there was a ford over the river). My thanks to the University of Greenwich for the following:
"Crayford has a long and interesting history. The area was first mentioned in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle (c.891 - 924), which states that the Britons fought the Jutes at the Battle of Creganford in 457. The Domesday Book (1086) records that in Crayford "there is a church", implying that there was a well established settlement in the area by that time. The Norman Church of St Paulinus, which still stands on top of Crayford Hill overlooking the town, was built in 1100.
The original stimulus for settlement in the area was the fact that the River Cray could be forded at this point - and "Cray-ford" became the settlement's name."
@365anne@amyk@momamo Thanks for the comments and favs. Ironically, for such a peaceful scene, the main A2 trunk road into London runs just beyond the edge of our vision here... It remains a peaceful haven, though.
