27 Astonishing Things You Didn't Know About London
16. Eel Pie Island Was Once A Royal Seduction Spot
There's a pleasant little island on the Thames in Twickenham that's only accessible by boat and a single footbridge. That island is called Eel Pie. The island got its curious name from the eel pies that its inhabitants sold to passing river traders. This island has two major claims to fame. The first is that, during the 1500s, King Henry VIII used the island as a secluded spot to, ahem, "court" his many mistresses. At least when he was playing about on Eel Pie Island, he wasn't ordering executions...
Mike has lived in the UK, Japan and the USA. Currently, he is based in Iowa with his wife and 2 young children. After working for many years as a writer and editor for a large corporation, he is now a freelancer. He has been fortunate enough to contribute to many books on Doctor Who over the last 20 years and is now concentrating on original sci-fi & fantasy short stories, with recent sales including Flame Tree, Uffda, and The Martian Wave. Also, look for his contribution on Blake's 7 to "You and Who Else", a charity anthology to be released later this year.
You can find him on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/culttvmike
