Maps
1881: George Leslie -
Above [Caversham] bridge the water is broad and deep. A quaint old garden runs along the Oxfordshire shore for some length; the meadows on the other side, which are flat right away to the railway, are much flooded in winter. The ground on the Oxfordshire side is steep, small white cliffs showing themselves here and there. The road to Whitchurch runs on this side near the river; there is a quaintly built modern boat-house on this shore, the room over the water being very prettily conceived. A boat-house is such a pleasant thing for an architect to design, that I wonder at seeing so few that appeal to our better tastes. The high ground on the Oxfordshire side is here covered for a good distance with fine Scotch firs.
Map: St Mary's Island
Bucks Eyot
1889: George Leslie -
A little way beyond the pretty boat-house a cluster of eyots is reached, termed by its former proprietor (Professor Pepper, of the Polytechnic), “The Fishery”. The professor was very anxious, judging by the number of notice-boards, to keep the waters about these eyots very much to himself; but they can be explored if you wish. They do not posses very much interest, however, and as we are fast coming to some of the loveliest spots on the whole river, it is best, perhaps, to hasten on and leave “The Fishery” alone.
Norcot Scours
Site of Chawsey Weir. Fred Thacker – “It probably stood at the
little islands just above Norcot Scours
1580 & 1585: Bishop mentions Chawsey Weir.
1881: George Leslie -
The stream soon begins to run with a will above this spot, and the great Western, which has been threatening for some time, here closes up to the river; this is not of much consequence, however, as far as the scenery is concerned, for the railway very soon dives into a deep cutting, becoming the very opposite of what a good little boy should be, namely, “heard but not seen”.
1889: Jerome K Jerome -
The railway rather spoils it near Tilehurst
Map: Reading Marine Services
Map: Appletree Eyot
Map: Poplar Island
Map: The Roebuck
aka "Beethoven’s Bistro", Right Bank, steps up over railway
1881: George Leslie -
The river narrows up into a gorge as the “Roebuck” is reached. This quaint little inn has not much to recommend it, beyond its convenient station as a resting-place. Its situation is peculiar, the house being on the further side of the railway, with steps up and down to reach it from the river.
The towpath changed sides twice inside a quarter of a mile due to an awkward landowner. There were two ferries:
Site of Roebuck Ferry
1794: Ferry established “to avoid towing past Purley Farm”
1881: George Leslie -
I have a great affection for horse-boats, those
clumsy things that are found all the way up the river wherever the tow-path
changes sides. I suppose I like them
because they are akin to the punt. They
are very picturesque, and with the little house that is sometimes seen near
them, for the ferryman to live in, form good objects for the foreground of a
sketch; groups of children are often
seen hanging about, adding very much to the beauty of the composition.
There are two of these ferry boats just above
the “Roebuck” Inn, and the second one affords a capital platform for bathing purposes,
as the water is
deep and very clear and free from weeds, better as a bathing-place than the
weirs and lashers so often used, which are at all times exceedingly dangerous,
on account of the back sucks, old sunken piles, &c.
Here the river takes a bend away from
the railway.
Map: Purley Gardens Marina (private)
Right Bank Private slip. Cruiser Club: Club for owners of boats moored at Purley Marina.
Contact Paul or Terry Pilford on 01252-511679
1793: Pangborn and Whitchurch from Purley, Boydell -
Pangborn and Whitchurch, from Purley
. June 1, 1793. J. Farington R.A. delt. J.C. Stadler sculpt.
(Published) by J. & J. Boydell, Shakespeare Gally. Pall Mall & (No. 90) Cheapside (London).
Site of former Ferry “by the church”
1794: Ferry established
1795: Cottrell –
the danger and delay of setting the horses over at the two new ferries established at or near Purley. The danger being occasioned by the rapidity of the stream, and the time taken in passing is half an hour more than by the former towing path and passage round Purley House and church, by which the flashes in short water are frequently lost.
1891: The Stream of Pleasure, Joseph and Elizabeth Robins Pennell -
It was about here, in the cool of the evening, that the anglers awoke.
From a punt, where a young lady in big hat and green ribbons,
and a man in a blue flannel jacket, say side by side under the shade of the
Mapledurham Ferry, we heard a jubilant cry, "O Paul, already!"
And Paul drew up his line and a man in a near boat paddled up to see,
and on the hook hung a fish no longer than a minnow.
And next, an old man, in a long alpaca coat and tall hat, waved his hands towards us
and begged our help. He had a bite, and for half an hour had been trying
to get his fish out of the water.
"A whale!" asked Joseph.
"No, a young shark", answered another elderly man dancing around the alpaca
coat in excitement.
Joseph with a scull pushed gently under the line, and the old man pulled and pulled,
and at last, up came a bunch of weeds.
[ When I was punting along here I had a similar request from a young angler. His father
would kill him if he didn't bring back the special hook he had borrowed, and it was caught
under water. I tried to free it with my pole with no luck. So in the end I caught the line
and hauled up for all I was worth. A large canvas bag reluctantly came up. I could
not free the hook and so I had to cut the canvas. The canvas bag submerged again - and
has only since surfaced in my dreams. What could have been in it? I decided then -
and still think I was right - that I did not wish to know. ]
Map
1881: George Leslie -
The river from the “Roebuck” to Maple Durham is
of perfect beauty;
overhung with wide spreading trees, its banks decorated with
flowers of every sort, the water as clear as could be wished, with dark
streaming weeds curling and swirling beneath, the poetry of the whole
heightened by occasional glimpses of the romantic house of Maple Durham;
these beauties, together with the sound of
rooks and cooing of wood-pigeons, renders this spot dear to all river-lovers’
memories.
There is only one thing to wish for when
passing this lovely spot; that in it you
may not meet a hateful steam launch, fouling the water with its screw, scaring
the rooks with its discordant whistle, blackening the air with its dirty smoke,
and robbing the view of all its calm sentiment and beauty.
[ See Monkey Island and "Captain Jinks of the Selfish" ]
1889: Jerome K Jerome -
At Reading lock we came up with a steam launch, belonging to some friends of mine, and they towed us up to within about a mile of Streatley.
[ So much for Three Men in a Boat and their manly endeavours!
I cannot help thinking all the time that Jerome has read Leslie and reacts. When
Leslie deplores the steam launches then Jerome takes a tow from one! ]
1811: The Thames -
Purley, 1811
[Purley] is situate on the Berkshire side of the Thames, about four miles from Reading,
in the road to Wallingford.
The particular part of it which is the subject of the engraving is the seat of the late Anthony Storer, Esq.
a gentleman well known in the literary and fashionable world.
This spot was formerly in possession of the Bolingbroke family, and, we believe,
formed a temporary residence of the nobleman, who, by his superior talents
has given so much celebrity to that title. By his immediate successor, it was separated from the family property,
and, after several changes in its owners, became finally vested, by purchase, in Mr. Storer,
who erected the present house, and was indulging his fine taste in decorating its environs,
when he was called to his long home.
The mansion is on a plan in which elegance and accommodation have been united:
it was suggested by the owner, with such improvements as the best professional assistance could give.
The situation is inexpressibly pleasing. The shape of the grounds is of the happiest cast;
and it need not be added, that nature would receive every help that art could offer,
when it is considered, that the work of improvement was entrusted to the direction of Mr. Repton,
the first landscape gardener of his own, and perhaps any other day.
When, therefore, we add to intrinsic beauties the charm of the river which flows before it,
and the range of rich, woody, upland country, on the opposite side of the stream,
more need not be said to enhance the character of the place, which was, in every respect,
suited to that of the late amiable owner of it.
Mapledurham Lock
Estuary
PLA
QEII Br
Barrier
Tower Br
Custom Ho
London Br
; Frost Fairs
Cannon St Rb
The Great Stink
Southwark Br
Millenium Br
Blackfriars Rb
Blackfriars Br
Waterloo Br
Charing Cross Rb
Westminster Br
Lambeth Br
Vauxhall Br
Victoria Rb
Chelsea Br
Albert Br
Battersea Br
Battersea Rb
Wandsworth Br
Fulham Rb
Putney Br
Hammersmith Br
Barnes Rb
Chiswick Br
Kew Rb
Kew Br
RICHMOND
Twickenham Br
Richmond Rb
Richmond Br
TEDDINGTON
Kingston Rb
Kingston Br
Ditton Slip
Hampton Br
MOLESEY
SUNBURY
Walton Br
Desborough Cut
SHEPPERTON
Chertsey Br
CHERTSEY
M3 Br
Laleham Slip
PENTON HOOK
Staines Rb
Staines Br
Runnymede Br
BELL WEIR
Magna Carta Is
OLD WINDSOR
Albert Br
Datchet
Victoria Br
Black Potts Rb
ROMNEY
Eton
Windsor Br
Windsor Rb
Windsor Slip
Elizabeth Br
BOVENEY
Dorney Lake
York Cut
Summerleaze Fb
MonkeyIsland
New Thames Br
BRAY
Bray Slip
Maidenhead Rb
Maidenhead Br
Below Boulters
BOULTERS
Cliveden
Hedsor
COOKHAM
Cookham Slip
Cookham Br
BourneEnd RFb
Quarry Woods
A404 Br
MARLOW
Marlow Br
Bisham
TEMPLE
HURLEY
Medmenham
Culham Ct
Aston Slip
HAMBLEDEN
Temple Is
Fawley Ct
Remenham
Regatta
Phyllis Ct
Henley Slip
Leander
Red Lion
Henley Br
Angel on Br
Landing
Hobbs Boatyard
Hobbs Slipway
MARSH
Hennerton
Bolney
Wargrave
Shiplake Rb
R.Loddon
SHIPLAKE
Sonning Br
SONNING
Dreadnought
K&A Canal
CAVERSHAM
Reading Br
Caversham Br
Reading Slip
Purley
MAPLEDURHAM
Hardwick Ho
Whitchurch Br
WHITCHURCH
Hartswood Reach
Gatehampton Rb
Goring Gap
Goring Br
GORING
Swan
CLEEVE
Moulsford
Moulsford Rb
Papist Way Slip
Winterbrook Br
Wallingford Br
BENSON
Shillingford Br
R.Thame
DAYS
Burcot
Clifton Hampden
Clifton Church
Clifton H Br
Barley Mow
Long Wittenham
CLIFTON
Appleford Rb
Sutton Courtenay
Sutton Br
CULHAM
Culham Cut Fb
Abingdon Slip
Abingdon
Abingdon Br
ABINGDON
Nuneham Rb
Nuneham
Nuneham Park
Radley Boats
SANDFORD
Rose Island
Kennington Rb
Isis Br
Iffley Mill
IFFLEY
Oxford Rowing
Isis
Donnington Br
Riverside Slip
Boathouses
Punting
Lower Cherwell
Upper Cherwell
Islip
Head of River
Salters Steamers
Folly Br
Bacons Folly
Oxford Fb
Osney Fb
Weir stream
Osney Rb
Bullstake Stream
Osney Marina
OSNEY
Osney Br
Four Rivers
OLD RIVER
CANAL
Medley Weir Site
Medley Fb
Bossoms
Perch
Trout
GODSTOW
Godstow Nunnery
Godstow Br
Thames Br
KINGS
River Evenlode
EYNSHAM
Swinford Br
Oxford Cruisers
PINKHILL
Farmoor
Stanton Harcourt
Bablock Slip
Arks Weir Site
NORTHMOOR
Harts Fb
//Rose Revived
Newbridge
//Maybush
River Windrush
below Shifford
SHIFFORD
Shifford Fb
Tenfoot Fb
Trout Inn
Tadpole Br
RUSHEY
Old Mans Fb
RADCOT
Radcot Cradle Fb
Swan Inn
Radcot New Br
Radcot Old Br
GRAFTON
Eaton Hastings
Kelmscott
Eaton Fb
BUSCOT
Bloomers Hole Fb
Trout Inn
St Johns Br
ST JOHNS
Halfpenny Br
Marina Slip
LIMIT
Inglesham
Hannington Br
Kempsford
Castle Eaton Br
Marston Meysey
A419 Br
Cricklade
SOURCE?
THAMES HEAD
SEVEN SPRINGS