Map: Oxford Canal Round Trip
Round Trip from Folly Bridge, Osney Lock, Four Rivers, Isis Lock, up the Oxford Canal,
to Duke's Cut, King's Lock, Godstow Lock, The Trout,Port Meadow, Medley,
and back to Four Rivers and to Folly Bridge.
Only don't choose a windy day for the section above Kings Lock!
Folly Bridge
These sections are all covered elsewhere: Bacon's Folly; Oxford Footbridge; Osney Footbridge; Osney Railway Bridges
Four Rivers1893: Ravenstein, The Oarsman’s and Angler’s map -
A branch stream leads to the Oxford canal, by which, for a small sum, steam launches and other craft up to 7ft beam may reach the Thames again above King’s Weir, avoiding the intervening difficulties of the river.
The canal was supported by Oxford clergy and academics, who could see the benefit of cheap coal from the midlands.
But what is hard to understand today is that what the canal brought was cheap coal from London! The river was so much harder to navigate and more expensive that this canal from the north was actually a cheaper route!
Castlemill Boatyard and St Barnabas Church
1842: Plan of Castle Mill Boatyard and St Barnabas Church -
Map of Castlemill Boatyard, 1842?
A Towpath Walk In Oxford by Mark Davies and Catherine Robinson, 2003 -
Castlemill Boatyard comprises the very first wharf to be established in Jericho,
set up by Henry Ward, a member of a successful and philanthropic Oxford family of
coalmerchants, boatowners, and boatbuilders in the early 19th century.
Ward is described as a 'Jericho Boatbuilder' in Pigot's Directory for 1842 -
but may well have operated for some years prior to this.
The Ward family still owned
most of the land here when St Barnabas' Church was built (1869), and as well as providing
the land for the church's construction, the Wards also provided the site for Jericho's
first school in 1856.
Later on, in 1927, it was this site which enabled the Oxford Canal Company
(the pre-World War Two forerunner to BW) to begin its strategic withdrawal from the
centre of Oxford, on the basis that the Jericho wharves were by then considered ample
alternative accommodation ... for delivery and stacking of all goods carried on the Canal'.
Post-World War Two, the Jericho wharves contributed to the salvation of a canal threatened
by closure, through providing a base for the embryonic leisure trade - including the
hire fleet of British Waterways itself - which has grown to become one of the mainstays
of the inland waterways in general.
1875: Castlemill Boatyard and St Barnabas, Jericho, Henry Taunt -
Castlemill Boatyard and St Barnabas, Jericho, Taunt, 1875
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT1657
1972: Castlemill Boatyard and St Barnabas, Jericho, Malcolm Graham -
Castlemill Boatyard and St Barnabas, Jericho, Malcolm Graham 1972
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; D205209a
Closed boatyard and St Barnabas, 2007
St Barnabas' Church
The Castlemill Boatyard site is now being
developed.
An initial sketch -
Development in place of Castlemill Boatyard?
College Cruisers
East bank
College Cruisers 2007
Mount Place Footbridge 2007
Bridge 242
Walton Well Road Bridge 2007
Walton or Bruman's Well -
.Still remembered in the name of Walton Well Road, and having on its site a fountain, erected in 1885 by the liberality of Alderman Ward. The inscription is as follows: 1885. Drink and think of Him who is the fountain of life. With the consent of the lords of the manor, this drinking-fountain is erected by Mr. William Ward, to mark the site of a celebrated spring, known as Walton Well, adjacent to the ancient fordway into Colt Meadow, now called Walton Ford.
Building works
Map: Aristotle Bridge
Aristotle Lane Bridge, 2007
ARISTOTLE'S Well is not far from Elmer's (and Wolward's) Well in the north suburbs,
neare or in the fields of Walnercote or Ulgars--or Algar's Cote.
It was anciently
(as by some now) called Brumman's Well, together with that at Walton, because Brumman le Rich
or de Walton lived and owned lands about the said wells, most, if not all, of which he
gave by the favour of Robert D'oilly, his lord and master, who came into England with
the Conqueror, to St. George's College in the Castell at his first foundation, A.D. 1074.
After his time, if not, be likely, before, it was christened by the name of Aristotle's Well,
because that it was then - as now 'tis - frequented in the summer season by our Peripateticks.
In the present summer (1888) it was built over by the garden wall of a house erected on the
south of the road leading to the canal bridge.
Survey of the Antiquities of the City of Oxford, composed in 1661-66 by Anthony Wood,
edited by Andrew Clark, M.A., vol. i., 1889; Oxford Historical Soc., pp. 353, 354.
Map: Frenchay Road Bridge
Bridge 239.
Frenchay Road, constructed in 1895-8
Bridge
Bridge, 2007
Bridge
Bridge, 2007
Map: St Edward's Lift Bridge
Bridge 238
Bridge 238. A pedestrian lifting bridge
St Edward's Lift Bridge 2007
Map: Narrows but no bridge
Map: Railway Bridge
Bridge 237
Railway Bridge 2007
Left bank allotments
Map: Balls Bridge
Bridge 236
Bridge 237
Balls Bridge 2007
Godstow Road Footbridge?
Map: Godstow Road Bridge
Bridge 235
Godstow Road Bridge 2007
Map: Wolvercote Lock
Immediately above Godstow Road Bridge
Wolvercote Lock 2007
Wolvercote Lock 2007
Map: Perry's Lift Bridge
Bridge 234
Bridge 234. A pedestrian lifting bridge
Lift Bridge 2007
Map: Wolvercote A34 Western Bypass Bridge
A34 Western Bypass Bridge 2007
2008: The Bridge is being replaced. Highways Agency newsletter, May 2008 -
The construction process will take approximately two years and we aim to complete the project in the
Summer of 2010.
Why are we replacing the Viaduct?
The viaduct was built in the early 1960s and mainly due to salt laden water leaking through the deck
joints, the viaduct has deteriorated. We have carried out work to repair the viaduct in recent
years, but in the long term it is better value for money to replace the viaduct rather than having to
keep carrying out repairs.
Project Timetable:
Stage 1 – Construct the temporary Southbound bridge deck to the east of the existing structure.
Stage 2 – Demolish the existing Northbound bridge deck and rebuild.
Stage 3 – Demolish the existing Southbound bridge deck and rebuild.
Stage 4 – Slide the temporary Southbound bridge deck into its permanent location.
Stage 5 – Demolish the temporary Southbound piers and North abutment.
Map: Lift Bridge
Bridge 233, immediately above A34 bridge
Lifting Bridge 233, 2007
Map: A40 Northern Bypass Bridge
A40 Northern Bypass Bridge 2007
Map: Junction with Duke's Cut
Junction with Duke's Cut, 2007
Lock Keeper's House, Dukes Lock, Oxford Canal, by Michele Field -
Lock Keeper's House, Dukes Lock, Oxford Canal, by Michele Field
Map: Dukes Bridge
Towpath Bridge over Duke's Cut, bridge 232. Exactly three miles from Isis Lock
Towpath Bridge over Duke's Cut, bridge 232, 2007
Map: Railway Bridge over Lock
Duke's Cut Lock
Lock 44A
Duke's Cut Lock and Railway bridge, 2007
Note that no provision has been made for crossing the upper gate.
It can of course be done with care!
So, single handed, going towards the Thames, stop on the left below the lock.
Map: A40 Bridge
On Duke's Cut
A40 Bridge over Duke's Cut, 2007
The towpath under the bridge was flooded and between it and the lock the right bank (left facing the Thames) was leaking badly into a ditch. Maybe the Thames was a little high - but it looked normal to me.
In 1789 George Spencer, Duke of Marlborough, built a short length of canal north of
Wolvercote, later known as Duke's Cut, to connect the river Thames with the Oxford Canal.
He tried to sell the cut to the canal company, and in 1792 conveyed it in trust to
the Vice-Chancellor and the Mayor of Oxford.
Map: Junction with a Weir Stream
Going from Oxford Canal to Thames: turn right.
Going from Thames to Oxford Canal: turn left.
Sign Post Duke's Cut, 2007
This next section through open water meadows is very exposed to the wind (he says ruefully. No photo - I was too busy!)
Map: Junction with King's Weir Stream
Going from Oxford Canal to Thames: turn right.
Going from Thames to Oxford Canal: turn left.
The right bank (left going towards the Thames) is the King's Lock Island (No camping now).
Map: Junction with Thames
Upstream on the Thames is straight on (next sections
River Evenlode,
Eynsham Lock)
Downstream is the cut to King's Lock
King's Lock
Western Bypass Road Bridge
Godstow Bridge
Godstow Lock
The Trout
Port Meadow
The Perch
Medley Footbridge
Four Rivers ...
(Medley Weir site)
Introduction
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