Bulstake Stream

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Bulstake Stream at New Botley. Oxford, Bulstake Stream, New Botley - geograph.org.uk - 67674.jpg
Bulstake Stream at New Botley.
Another view of Bulstake Stream. Bulstake Stream - geograph.org.uk - 872513.jpg
Another view of Bulstake Stream.

Bulstake Stream, also spelt Bullstake Stream, is a backwater of the River Thames at Oxford, England.

The stream leaves the main stream of the Thames at a river junction known as Four Rivers, at the south west corner of Fiddler's Island opposite Sheepwash Channel. It immediately flows past Tumbling Bay, which had a bathing place in use from 1853 to 1990, when the toilets and huts were removed. [1] The pool is still in occasional use, though in disrepair. [2] A fish race was added in to bypass the bathing place and was completed by 2020. [2] The Osney Ditch flows out of the stream southeast towards Osney. The stream follows a semi-circular course, west and then south, passing under bridges on Binsey Lane and Botley Road (Bulstake Bridge) to a confluence with Seacourt/Hinksey Stream near North Hinksey. It resumes, east, past Osney Mead Industrial Estate, and rejoins the Thames at the Osney Rail Bridge. The Thames Path crosses the stream on a bridge known as Boney's Bridge. [3] Botley Stream flows into it from Seacourt Stream just north of Botley Road.

The lower part (resumption) is also known as Potts Stream or Pot Stream. [4] [5]

Until 1790, the stream was the main navigation channel of the Thames. [5] It became a backwater when Osney Lock was opened.

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Botley, Oxfordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Botley is a village in the civil parish of Botley and North Hinksey, in the Vale of White Horse district, in the county of Oxfordshire, England, just west of the Oxford city boundary. Historically part of Berkshire, it stands on the Seacourt Stream, a stream running off the River Thames. The intersection of the A34 and A420 is to the village's north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thames Path</span> National Trail following the River Thames in England

The Thames Path is a National Trail following the River Thames from one of its sources near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Woolwich foot tunnel, south east London. It is about 185 miles (298 km) long. A path was first proposed in 1948 but it only opened in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osney</span> Human settlement in England

Osney or Osney Island is a riverside community in the west of the city of Oxford, England. In modern times the name is applied to a community also known as Osney Town astride Botley Road, just west of the city's main railway station, on an island surrounded by the River Thames, Osney Ditch and another backwater connecting the Thames to Osney Ditch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinksey Stream</span> Stream in Oxfordshire, England

Hinksey Stream is a branch of the River Thames to the west of the city of Oxford, England. It starts as Seacourt Stream, which leaves the Thames at a bifurcation north of the village of Wytham, and rejoins the river south of the city near Kennington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Botley Road</span> Road in Oxford, England

Botley Road is the main road into the centre of Oxford, England from the west. It stretches between Botley, on the Oxford Ring Road (A34) to the west of the city, and Frideswide Square at the junction with Oxford railway station, close to central Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osney Bridge</span> Bridge in Oxford

Osney Bridge is a road bridge across the River Thames in Oxford, England, built in 1888 to replace a stone bridge which collapsed in 1885. It carries the Botley Road (A420) from Botley into Oxford. The Thames Path crosses the river on this bridge, just above Osney Lock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osney Lock</span> Lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England

Osney Lock is a lock on the River Thames in Oxford, England, where the village or island of Osney is next to the river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiddler's Island</span>

Fiddler's Island is an island in the River Thames at Oxford in England. It is situated south of Port Meadow on the reach above Osney Lock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seacourt</span> Deserted medieval village in Oxfordshire, UK

Seacourt is a deserted medieval village (DMV) in the civil parish of Wytham, in the Vale of White Horse district, in Oxfordshire, England, near the city of Oxford. The site is now mostly beneath the Oxford Western By-pass (A34), about 0.3 miles (0.48 km) south of the Seacourt/Hinksey Stream crossing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osney Rail Bridge</span> Bridge in Oxford

Osney Rail Bridge is a railway bridge over the River Thames at Oxford in England. It carries the Cherwell Valley Line between Didcot and Oxford across the river on the reach between Iffley Lock and Osney Lock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hythe Bridge</span>

Hythe Bridge is a Victorian flat cast iron beamed bridge on Hythe Bridge Street in the west of central Oxford, England. It spans the Castle Mill Stream, a backwater of the River Thames. Hythe Bridge forms part of the main arterial route west of Oxford. It lies on the A4144, which continues west as the Botley Road (A420).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Mill Stream</span> Stream in Oxfordshire, England

Castle Mill Stream is a backwater of the River Thames in the west of Oxford, England. It is 5.5 km long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swift Ditch</span> Artificial channel near Oxford, England

The Swift Ditch is a 2 km (1.2 mi) long artificial channel that formed a short-cut for river traffic to and from Oxford, across a meander of the River Thames in England. It was formerly the primary navigation channel. With the main river, it creates Andersey Island on the left bank of the Thames opposite Abingdon-on-Thames. Within a poem published in 1632, the Water Poet John Taylor wrote:

At Abingdon the shoals are worse and worse
That Swift Ditch seems to be the better course

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferry Hinksey Road</span> Road in west Oxford, England

Ferry Hinksey Road is a road in west Oxford, England, leading south from the Botley Road. The road leads to the Osney Mead Industrial Estate to the east, started in 1961. To the east is Osney Ditch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheepwash Channel</span> Backwater in Oxford, England

Sheepwash Channel connects the River Thames to the west and the Castle Mill Stream next to the Oxford Canal to the east, in west Oxford, England. To the north are Cripley Meadow and Fiddler's Island. To the south are Osney Island and the Botley Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Botley Bridge</span> Bridge in Oxford

Botley Bridge is a road bridge across Seacourt Stream, a branch of the River Thames in Oxford, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulstake Bridge</span> Bridge in United Kingdom

Bulstake Bridge is a road bridge across the Bulstake Stream, a branch of the River Thames in Oxford, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osney Ditch</span>

The Osney Ditch is a side channel of the River Thames at Oxford, England. It is one of the principal watercourses in west Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tumbling Bay</span> Outdoors bathing area in Oxford

Tumbling Bay, also known as Tum, is an outdoors bathing area in Oxford, England. Fed by the River Thames, the bathing spot opened in 1853 and closed formally in 1990. Subsequently, it has been known as a wild swimming location.

References

  1. Graham, Malcolm. "TUM 150: Recreation at Tumbling Bay 1853-2010". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2011..
  2. 1 2 Vanessa Fell (August 2021). "Botley Park, Oxford : Urban/Recreational Park Project Oxfordshire Gardens Trust Research & Recording Group" (PDF). Ogt.org.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  3. "Osney Railway Bridges - WHERE THAMES SMOOTH WATERS GLIDE". Thames.me.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  4. "Bullstake Stream, Oxford - WHERE THAMES SMOOTH WATERS GLIDE". Thames.me.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  5. 1 2 Crossley, Alan; Elrington, C.R.; Chance, Eleanor; Colvin, Christina; Cooper, Janet; Day, C.J.; Hassall, T.G.; Selwyn, Nesta (1979). A History of the County of Oxford. Victoria County History. Vol. 4: Communications: Rivers and River Navigation.
Next confluence upstream River Thames Next confluence downstream
Dukes Cut (north)Bulstake Stream Castle Mill Stream (north)

51°44′46″N1°16′03″W / 51.7462°N 1.2675°W / 51.7462; -1.2675