Osney Lock

Last updated

Osney Lock
OsneyLock.jpg
Osney Lock, looking upstream from the north
Waterway River Thames
County Oxfordshire
Maintained by Environment Agency
OperationHydraulic
First built1790
Latest built1905
Length34.64 m (113 ft 8 in) [1]
Width5.25 m (17 ft 3 in) [1]
Fall1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) [1]
Above sea level185'
Distance to
Teddington Lock
93 miles
Osney Lock
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River Thames
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weir
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weir
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Godstow Lock
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Seacourt Stream
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Oxford Canal
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Castle Mill Stream
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Sheepwash Channel
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Oxford station
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A420 Botley Road
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Osney Lock and mill
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moorings
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Osney Rail Bridge
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A4144 Folly Bridge
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River Cherwell
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Railway bridge
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weir
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B4495 Donnington Bridge
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Iffley Lock and rollers
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Hinksey Stream
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A423 Isis Bridge
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River 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.

Contents

The first lock was built of stone by Daniel Harris for the Thames Navigation Commission in 1790. [2]

Across the weir pool is a large Environment Agency complex which monitors the River Thames, while a small office building exists on the front lawn opposite from the lock house. The weir is upstream of the lock alongside the navigation channel in two parts and feeds the Osney pool. The Osney Lock Hydro hydro-electric plant occupies a building beside the weir.

To the south and southwest are Osney Mill Marina and Osney Cemetery. Oxford railway station on the Botley Road is close by to the northwest.

History

Osney Lock, circa 2003 Osney Lock, River Thames, Oxford - geograph.org.uk - 3257.jpg
Osney Lock, circa 2003

The main navigation channel was formerly on the branch of the river known as Bulstake Stream further west. [3] The present stream was developed in mediaeval times by the monks of Osney Abbey on the west side of the island then known as Osney, to serve as a millstream for Osney Mill, in a manner similar to that at Abingdon. There was an ancient weir, the property of the Abbey on the site, and a pound lock was first considered in 1787. The stream became the main navigation channel when the lock was built in 1790. Daniel Harris used prisoner labour from Oxford jail to give the cheapest quote for the work. [4] The last rebuilding of the lock was in 1905.

Access to the lock

The lock can be reached a short way down the towpath from Osney Bridge on the A420 Botley Road on the way west out of the centre of Oxford.

Reach above the lock

The river passes a former electricity generating station and is crossed by Osney Bridge near Oxford railway station. On the eastern bank are built up parts of Oxford. After a stretch of allotments on the western bank and the backs of houses on the eastern bank there is the curious water crossroads - "Four Rivers". This provides a link to the Oxford Canal via the Sheepwash Channel [5] in one direction and there is Bulstake Stream in the other direction. The river runs through willow banks until it reaches Fiddler's Island. There used to be a weir and flash lock here; now there is the rainbow shaped Medley Footbridge crossing the main channel. On the other side of the island is Castle Mill Stream, an old navigation channel that runs to the east closer to the centre of Oxford rejoining the Thames below the lock. On the eastern bank is the open ground of Port Meadow as far as Wolvercote.

There are navigation transit markers alongside Port Meadow upstream of Medley Boat station, to allow river users to check their speed. A powered boat should not pass between the markers in under one minute.

The Thames Path crosses to the Oxford side at Osney Bridge and then crosses Fiddler's Island and Medley Footbridge returning to the western bank to continue to Godstow Lock.

Oxford shows its back to the river below Four Rivers OsneyLockreach01.JPG
Oxford shows its back to the river below Four Rivers
Port Meadow looking upstream from Medley Footbridge PortMeadow01.JPG
Port Meadow looking upstream from Medley Footbridge

See also

Sources


Next lock upstream River Thames Next lock downstream
Godstow Lock
3.87 km (2.40 mi) [6]
Osney Lock
Grid reference: SP504058
Iffley Lock
3.73 km (2.32 mi) [6]

Coordinates: 51°44′55″N1°16′17″W / 51.74864°N 1.27135°W / 51.74864; -1.27135

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Osney Bridge

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.

Temple Lock Lock and weir on the River Thames in Buckinghamshire, England

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Sunbury Lock Lock on the River Thames in Surrey, England

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Boveney Lock Lock on the River Thames in Buckinghamshire, England

Boveney Lock is a lock on the River Thames situated on the Buckinghamshire bank opposite the Windsor Racecourse and close to Eton Wick. Boveney is a village a little way upstream on the same side. The lock was first built in 1838 by the Thames Navigation Commission. The lock was rebuilt in 1898 closer to the Buckinghamshire bank, and a set of boat rollers were installed on the old site.

Abingdon Lock

Abingdon Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, less than 1 mile east and upstream of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, on the opposite bank of the river. It was originally built in 1790 by the Thames Navigation Commission.

Sandford Lock

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.

Godstow Lock Lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England

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.

Shifford Lock Lock on the River Thames, England

Shifford Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England. It is in the centre of a triangle formed by the small villages of Shifford, Duxford and Chimney in Oxfordshire. It is at the start of a navigation cut built with the lock by the Thames Conservancy in 1898. This was the only new lock built on the non-tidal Thames in the era of falling revenue after the Thames Conservancy took over responsibilities of the Thames Navigation Commission. It replaced a flash lock in a weir about 34 mile (1.2 km) downstream.

Fiddlers Island

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.

Medley Footbridge

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.

Bulstake Stream Stream in Oxfordshire, England

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

Sheepwash Channel

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Environment Agency Dimensions of locks on the River Thames". web page. Environmental Agency. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2012. Dimensions given in metres
  2. Davies & Robinson, 2003, pages 76-77
  3. Crossley, Alan; Elrington, C.R. (eds.); Chance, Eleanor; Colvin, Christina; Cooper, Janet; Day, C.J.; Hassall, T.G.; Selwyn, Nesta (1979). A History of the County of Oxford, Volume 4: Communications. Victoria County History.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  4. Thacker, 1920/1968, page 114-116
  5. "River Thames (Sheepwash Channel)". UK: CanalPlanAC . Retrieved 15 September 2012.{{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  6. 1 2 "Environment Agency Distances between locks on the River Thames". web page. Environmental Agency. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012. Distances given in km