Maps
Left bank below bridge, mooring
Shillingford Bridge
Shillingford Bridge Hotel
Right bank
957: Fred Thacker in 1920 says that the Revd J.E.Field of Benson informs him that a charter of
Sotwell in the year 957 refers to a track from the present site to
Wittenham Wood as “Brycwege” [ i.e. Bridge Way ].
He comments that this may have referred to a long forgotten Roman Bridge at Days Lock
or even to Wallingford Bridge. But clearly one of these three must be
able to claim the title of oldest known documented bridge (site) on the Thames
[ The nearest part of Dorchester to Days Lock is called 'Bridge End'. ]
1301: The Patent Rolls
– the lease of a fishery downwards a ponte de Shillingford –
[ from Shillingford Bridge ]
1378: Shillingford Ferry granted to Robert Hurst.
1545:-
A little House called le Ferry House beside le ferry at Shellingforde in tenure of Roger Hacheman.
1692: Baskervile –
Shillingfford ferry a great boat to waft over Carts Coaches horse & man.
1764: A timber bridge built on stone pillars. Camden in noting that a ford preceeded
this bridge, records the dredging up of piles and beams.
These might have been the remains of a
previous bridge.
1776: Reference to Shillingford “bridge Lock”.
1791: Samuel Ireland wrote -
THE light and elegant bridge of Shillingford, with the variety of carriages that are continually passing and repassing, aided by the gliding objects on the water beneath, greatly add to the natural beauty of the landscape. In this delightful retreat the skilful angler finds high gratification in his pursuit, and ample sources of contemplation.
Here blissful thoughts his mind engage,
To crowded, noisy scenes unknown
Waked by some bard's instructive page,
Or calm reflections all his own.
Shillingford Bridge, 1791, Samuel Ireland
This sketch for a book illustration, done in 1897 by James Dredge, is based on the Samuel Ireland picture -
Shillingford Bridge, James Dredge, 1897
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; D230580a
1805: Shillingford Bridge sketch by J M W Turner -
Shillingford Bridge, J M W Turner, 1805
1826: The trustees
advertised that on 10th May they would “commence taking down
the present wooden bridge in order to build one of stone, instead
thereof. A new and most
commodious” ferry boat was to be provided.
1827: Shillingford Bridge begun.
However I have found this somewhat imaginative painting
by James Pollard entitled 'A mail coach in a flood near Shillingford Bridge, Berkshire'
and ascribed to 1825.
I am unable to identify (or even account for) the long bridge in the background.
An imaginative picture entitled "A mail coach in a flood near Shillingford Bridge, Berkshire", James Pollard, 1825?
1882: Shillingford Bridge, Henry Taunt -
Shillingford Bridge, Henry Taunt, 1882
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT3918
1893: Shillingford Bridge, Francis Frith -
1893: Shillingford Bridge, Francis Frith
1909: J E Vincent, The Story of the Thames -
... three graceful arches of stone, balustraded at the top too,
looking almost startingly white against the dark background of the wooded hill
beyond, that carries the road from Dorchester to Wallingford.
The bridge itself is not of great antiquity, for there are eighteenth century prints
of one before it, but it is a distinct credit to its builder.
1911: Shillingford Bridge by Alfred William Rich -
Shillingford Bridge 1911, Alfred William Rich
1916:-
Shillingford Bridge in 1916
1929: A Thames Survey -
Shillingford Bridge on the site of an ancient bridge was begun in 1827,
entirely of stone and of excellent design with stone balustrade.
It consists of one large centre arch with two side-arches spanning the river, and it continues
on the ramp across the flood-lands on the Oxfordshire side, pierced by three small arches
to take flood-water.
At the present time the balustrades are being renewed and will be completed by 1929.
The Shillingford Hotel axial with the bridge on the Berkshire side enhances the beauty
of the bridge and its northern approach. The southern approach down Shillingford Hill
is sufficiently indirect to enforce a check on the speed of motor-vehicles passing the hotel.
1955: Shillingford Bridge, Francis Frith -
1955: Shillingford Bridge, Francis Frith
1999: –
Shillingford Bridge, 1999
Shillingford Bridge, Doug Myers © 2005
1873: Advertisement for the Swan Hotel -
1873, Advertisement for Swan Hotel
1893: Shillingford Bridge, Francis Frith
1890-1900: Shillingford Bridge Hotel, Frederick John Hall -
Shillingford Bridge Hotel, Frederick John Hall
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; D211703a
1881: George Leslie -
Shillingford and Warborough are situated with
regard to themselves and the river in precisely the same manner as Benson and
Ewelme, with the exception that there is no brook at Shillingford.
The situation of Shillingford Bridge, a fine stone one, is striking,
with high rising banks on the left-hand side,
and the Sinodun range of chalk hills just behind it.
A little inn, the “Swan” is perched up on the Berkshire side of the bridge;
the inn-keeper, Mr. Reynolds, does a
very good business in the summer-time, and has lived here for more than forty
years, the large walnut-tree on the side of the road by the inn having been
planted by him. I had a good long talk
with him the last time I was up the river about old friends in the
neighbourhood, and of the various changes and improvements;
amongst others, the toll on the bridge
had been done away with, and the little toll-house shut up.
In former days parties of tramps used
sometimes to come to the gate, and one of them offering a halfpenny, would
demand the gate to be opened for this legal tender;
but the moment it was undone the lot would
make a rush and disappear across the bridge.
At night a great number of tricks were played on the poor old
toll-keeper. He had a small hole in the
window-shutter through which he put his hand to receive the toll;
the roughs thrust
mud and stones into it, and one night passed a slip-knot round his wrist, drew
his arm out, tied it fast to the post opposite, and so left him.
Above the bridge the river takes a number of
irregular bends. On the right there is a
broad piece of swampy ground, covered with reeds and reed mace.
Reeds are very tropical-looking grass; the colour of the
feathery tufts of bloom is exceedingly harmonious with the leaves, the bloom a
purplish brown, and the leaves a cool green.
… A growth of reeds shaken by the wind gives forth a most refreshing
rustling sound, which can be heard across the river.
Map: Shillingford Village, Left bank, sharp turn with large house facing upstream.
Site of Keen Edge Ferry.
1881: George Leslie -
One end of the village of Shillingstone abuts on the river a short distance after the bridge is passed; a brewery, a few cottages, and a coal wharf, form themselves, with the aid of a barge or two, into a picturesque group, at the place where the village street runs down to the water; this street or lane connects Shillingford with Warborough.
There have been discussions about a
possible footbridge on the site of the old ferry - otherwise Thames
footpath followers have to take to roads (or hitch a lift across from a passing punt!)
1823: Shillingford, John Thomas Serres -
Shillingford, 1823, J T Serres
1881: George Leslie -
Beyond Shillingford, the river itself becomes,
for about half a mile, almost insignificant, and there is not anything, beyond
its general wildness, to delight in until Day’s Lock is neared;
I may note, by the way, that I have picked the
flowering rush amongst the weeds along the banks here.
As the huge Sinodun Hill, with its clumps of
trees, is approached, the Berkshire shore
becomes more romantic;
a pretty belt of trees runs along by the water’s edge, tall black
poplars being most conspicuous. Sinodun
Hill has been, in the Roman times, strongly fortified.
The great wide trenches, with their
entrances, are still plainly visible, and fill the mind with wonder and
curiosity; on the other side of the
river, the ancient town or camp is marked out, many acres being enclosed by
dykes. When here, I am always trying to
picture to myself what the place must have looked like when the Romans occupied
the land. The river, no doubt, was
shallower, and the stream swifter, with natural weirs here and there, probably
full of big salmon and trout. Had the
Romans galleys or boats? and what were they like?
The country round was probably mere forest wastes, abounding with wolves
and wild cats. The Romans must have been
here some time, judging from the extent of their works and the quantities of
relics that have been dug up. I saw a
number of pieces of Roman pottery, glass bottles, and other things which the
Vicar of Dorchester had collected.
(Upstream to River Thame)
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