Medley Footbridge | |
---|---|
Medley Footbridge looking north from the Thames towpath | |
Coordinates | 51°45′50″N1°16′49″W / 51.763888°N 1.280303°W Coordinates: 51°45′50″N1°16′49″W / 51.763888°N 1.280303°W |
Crosses | River Thames |
Locale | Oxford |
Official name | Rainbow Bridge |
Characteristics | |
Design | Arch |
Material | Iron |
Height | 10 feet 0 inches (3.05 m) [1] |
No. of spans | 1 |
History | |
Opened | 1865 |
Medley Footbridge is a pedestrian bridge across the River Thames near the village of Binsey in Oxford, England. It is also known as Rainbow Bridge, although there is another bridge of that name in the University Parks in Oxford.
The bridge bears a plaque with a misspelling which apparently gave rise to a third name, the 'Subscription Bridge': [2]
This bridge was erected by public subs[c]ription through the exertion and during the shrievalty of Henry Grant Esquire. A.D. 1865. [3]
A second plaque, using the name Rainbow Bridge, records its restoration in 1997.
The bridge joins the west bank of the river to Fiddler's Island in the stream. There is another bridge linking the island to the east bank, just above the point at which the Castle Mill Stream diverges to the east of the navigable channel. The name Medley for the west bank of the Thames at this point designates the 'middle island' between Osney and Binsey. [4]
The River Thames, known alternatively in parts as the Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.
The River Cherwell is a major tributary of the River Thames in central England. It rises near Hellidon in Northamptonshire and flows south through Oxfordshire for 40 miles (64 km) to meet the Thames at Oxford. It adds a significant discharge to the Thames—when entering Oxford, the Thames's discharge is 17.6 m3/s (620 cu ft/s), but after leaving and consuming the Cherwell it has increased to 24.8 m3/s (880 cu ft/s). The river gives its name to the Cherwell local government district and Cherwell, an Oxford student newspaper.
Teddington Lock is a complex of three locks and a weir on the River Thames in England between Ham and Teddington in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It was first built in 1810.
Port Meadow is a large meadow of open common land beside the River Thames to the north and west of Oxford, England.
Cookham Lock is a lock with weirs situated on the River Thames near Cookham, Berkshire, about a half-mile downstream of Cookham Bridge. The lock is set in a lock cut which is one of four streams here and it is surrounded by woods. On one side is Sashes Island and on the other is Mill Island connected to Formosa Island, the largest on the non-tidal Thames.
The Thames Path is a National Trail following the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton, south east London. It is about 184 miles (296 km) long. A path was first proposed in 1948 but it only opened in 1996.
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.
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.
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.
Molesey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England at East Molesey, Surrey on the right bank.
Sandford Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, situated at Sandford-on-Thames which is just south of Oxford. The first pound lock was built in 1631 by the Oxford-Burcot Commission although this has since been rebuilt. The lock has the deepest fall of all locks on the Thames at 8ft 9in (2.69m) and is connected to a large island which is one of three at this point. The lock lies at the end of Church Lane in Sandford on Thames.
Osney Lock is a lock on the River Thames in Oxford, England, where the village or island of Osney is next to the river.
Godstow Lock is a lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is between the villages of Wolvercote and Wytham on the outskirts of Oxford. The first lock was built of stone by Daniel Harris for the Thames Navigation Commission in 1790. It is the lock furthest upstream on the river which has mechanical (electro-hydraulic) operation - every lock upstream of Godstow utilises manual beam operation instead.
The Lea Valley Walk is a 50-mile (80 km) long-distance path located between Leagrave, the source of the River Lea near Luton, and the Thames, at Limehouse Basin, Limehouse, east London. From its source much of the walk is rural. At Hertford the path follows the towpath of the River Lee Navigation, and it becomes increasingly urbanised as it approaches London. The walk was opened in 1993 and is waymarked throughout using a swan logo.
Temple Footbridge is a pedestrian only bridge near Hurley, Berkshire across the River Thames in England. It connects the Buckinghamshire and Berkshire banks. It crosses the Thames just above Temple Lock.
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.
Iffley Halt railway station was built by the Great Western Railway to serve Iffley, a suburb of Oxford; it was actually in Kennington, and not in Iffley.
Bulstake Stream, also spelt Bullstake Stream, is a backwater of the River Thames at 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.
Isis Lock is a lock connecting the Oxford Canal and the Castle Mill Stream, a backwater of the River Thames in Oxford, England.
Next crossing upstream | River Thames | Next crossing downstream |
Godstow Bridge (road) | Medley Footbridge | Osney Bridge (road) |
Next crossing upstream | Thames Path | Next crossing downstream |
southern bank Pinkhill Lock | Medley Footbridge | northern bank Osney Bridge |