Old Man's Bridge

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Old Man's Bridge
Old Man's Bridge.jpg
Coordinates 51°42′00″N1°34′06″W / 51.699932°N 1.568325°W / 51.699932; -1.568325 Coordinates: 51°42′00″N1°34′06″W / 51.699932°N 1.568325°W / 51.699932; -1.568325
Carries Footpath
Crosses River Thames
Locale Oxfordshire
Characteristics
Material Wood
Height 14 feet 0 inches (4.27 m)
History
Opened 1894

Old Man's Bridge is a wooden footbridge across the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is situated on the reach above Rushey Lock, a short way downstream of Radcot Lock.

River Thames river in southern England

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.

Oxfordshire County of England

Oxfordshire is a county in South East England. The ceremonial county borders Warwickshire to the north-west, Northamptonshire to the north-east, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, Wiltshire to the south-west and Gloucestershire to the west.

Rushey Lock

Rushey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England. It is on the northern bank of the river in Oxfordshire, at a considerable distance from any village, the nearest being Buckland Marsh, a hamlet on the road to Buckland to the south of the river.

There was formerly a weir known as Old Man's Weir, or alternatively Harper's Weir, which had a footpath across it. This was an important crossing because it linked several towns. The weir had disappeared by 1868 but the bridge was still standing then as there were complaints about its poor state of repair. The weir piles were then removed and a new footbridge built. This bridge was also called the "High" bridge. By 1894 this "steep trestle with five openings had become unsafe and the present bridge was built." [1]

Weir barrier across a river designed to alter its flow characteristics

A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. There are many designs of weir, but commonly water flows freely over the top of the weir crest before cascading down to a lower level.

The original weir is not to be confused with "Old Nan's Weir" which was another weir downstream about a mile from Rushey Lock. Although the lock was built in 1790, the weir was not removed until 1868.

See also

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References

  1. Fred. S. Thacker The Thames Highway: Volume II Locks and Weirs 1920 - republished 1968 David & Charles
Next crossing upstream River Thames Next crossing downstream
Radcot Bridge (road)Old Man's Bridge Rushey Lock (pedestrian)