Maps
Goring on the left bank and Streatley on the right bank.
The Goring and Streatley signs are on the Streatley, right bank side
so I assume I am correct in referring to the bridge as Goring Bridge.
The bridge is in two halves with a substantial weir island in the centre.
See Maidenhead Bridge for a bridge joining two communities
with historically contested ownership!
I have no wish to restart old quarrels - but I do notice that
several old references are made to Streatley Bridge.
Map: Goring Mill
1805: Goring Mill, (unfinished) Turner -
Goring Mill, Turner, unfinished, 1805
1885: Goring Mill, Henry Taunt -
Goring Mill, Henry Taunt, 1885
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT4034
1906: G.E.Mitton -
Close by Goring church is the mill, which eclipses that at Streatley in appearance, and shows adaptability in applying its power as an electric generating station, while Streatley remains conservative, and still grinds the sweet-scented white flour. But the electric charging has not spoilt the mossy roof, gleaming green and russet alternately, or the pretty pigeon-house from which flocks of white pigeons often sweep round over the glistening water and the low islands. A very large and neat boat-house lies below the bridge on the Goring side.
1873: The Bull at Streatley,
Map, advertisement -
1873, Advertisement
1881: Jerome K Jerome -
Goring on the left bank and Streatley on the
right are both or either charming places to stay at for a few days.
The reaches down to Pangbourne woo one for a
sunny sail or for a moonlight row, and the country
round about is full of beauty. We had
intended to push on to Wallingford that day, but the sweet smiling face of the
river here lured us to linger for a while; and so we left our boat at the bridge,
and went up into Streatley, and lunched at the “Bull”,
much to Montmorency's satisfaction.
They say that the hills on each side of the
stream here once joined and formed a barrier across what is now the Thames,
and that then the river ended there above Goring
in one vast lake. I am not in a position
either to contradict or affirm this statement.
I simply offer it.
It is an ancient place, Streatley, dating back,
like most river-side towns and villages, to British and Saxon times. Goring is not nearly so pretty a little spot
to stop at as Streatley, if you have your choice; but it is passing fair enough
in its way, and is nearer the railway in case you want to slip off without
paying your hotel bill.
WE stayed two days at Streatley, and got our clothes washed.
1885:
Streatley Mill, Henry Taunt -
Map
Streatley Mill, Henry Taunt, 1885
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT02954
1890: Streatley Mill, Francis Frith -
1890: Streatley Mill, Francis Frith
1881: Streatley Mill, George Leslie -
Streatley Mill, George Leslie, 1881
1904: Streatley Mill, Benjamin Williams Leader -
Streatley Mill, Benjamin Williams Leader, 1904
1906: Streatley Mill, Mortimer Menpes -
Streatley Mill, Mortimer Menpes, 1906
1881: George Leslie -
On the whole Streatley certainly must be allowed to be a sweet place. The last time I was there was on a glorious autumn day in September, succeeded by a moonlight night equally perfect, and I must say I felt quite ashamed of myself for grudging my artistic brothers the pretty spot. In the summer of 1874 my wife and I visited Streatley, the beauties of which are so attractive to the artist fraternity.
Goring Bridge
1810: The Commissioners
invited local subscriptions towards a carriage bridge.
Failing this they decided upon a horse bridge.
1837: A timber bridge was
constructed. The tolls were as follows:
| For every horse mule or other beast drawing any coach stage-coach chariot landau barouche sociable hearse litter break curricle … with four wheels … drawn by more than one horse - | 3 pence |
| For every dog drawing any cart truck or other such carriage - | 2 pence |
| For every carriage moved or propelled by steam or by any other power other than animal power for each wheel - | 1 shilling |
1880: Goring Bridge, Henry Taunt -
Goring Bridge, Henry Taunt, 1880
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT02990
1881: George Leslie –
Whilst here I was one day summoned by the toll-keeper on the bridge, for evading the toll. I went daily across the river in my punt, to sketch on the opposite bank; and as this was done within a mile of the bridge, the man charged me with evading the toll, according to the reading of an old Act of Parliament. I was advised that it was a claim that could not be maintained, and I determined to fight it out; accordingly I appeared before the magistrates at Reading to answer the summons in person; when, after reading the Act, and considering the case, the bench gave it against my summoner, and he had to pay thirteen shillings costs. It was a most absurdly arranged Act, for it appeared … by the strict letter of the Act, that if any one who was towing a boat up the river, should get into the boat to cross over, or walk across the gates of the lock where the tow-path changed sides, he would be liable for evading the toll of the bridge; this case, they told me, had been tried several times, and had always failed.
1905: Postcard, Streatley Bridge –
Streatley Bridge, 1905
1906: Mortimer Menpes, detail of timber bridge, watercolour –
Streatley Bridge
1912: Photo of timber bridge –
Streatley Bridge in 1912
1912: Plans for a new bridge approved.
1920: Fred Thacker -
It [the old Goring Bridge] is an excellent example of the old time timber bridge; and is, I think, the only important structure of the sort now surviving upon the river.
[ Again Fred Thacker only has to say how appreciated some structure is
for its immediate replacement! ]
1923: New Goring Bridge built. The supports are an interesting mixture of timber,
and concrete imitating timber.
1929: A Thames Survey -
Streatley Bridge stands near the site of an ancient ford, for the Icknield Way crossed the Thames
a little lower downstream at the foot of Ferry Lane, Goring.
The modern bridge, replacing the old timber bridge built on 1837, is constructed
of reinforced concrete piles and beams with oak struts and trellis balustrade.
Each channel of the river is bridged by a single span
[ Each channel by a single span? Not as I understand it! ]
2004: Photo -
Goring Bridge, 2004
2005: Goring Bridge, Doug Myers -
Goring Bridge, Doug Myers © 2005
1896: Below Goring Lock, Francis Frith -
1896: Below Goring Lock, Francis Frith
(GORING 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