Culham Lock
Encyclopedia
Culham Lock is a lock
on the River Thames
in England close to Culham
, Oxfordshire
. It is on a lock cut to the north of the main stream, which approaches the large village of Sutton Courtenay
. The lock was built of stone by the Thames Navigation Commission
in 1809.
The associated weirs are on the old course of the river under the massive causeway which separates the millstream from picturesque Sutton Pools. The causeway is very old and was thought to have been built by Saxon
labour
in 1772 that the floor of the mill was a great obstruction to navigation. Although it was privately owned, the Commission undertook some improvements in 1789, but complaints persisted on the grounds of inconvenience and high tolls. Finally the Commission's surveyor recommended the new lock with its long cut, and this was completed in 1809. A lock cut bridge was built at the same time.
or on foot across the fields from Sutton Courtenay.
About halfway along the river on the eastern bank the Swift Ditch
rejoins the main stream. This backwater was formerly the main course of the river and is crossed by a footbridge and the ancient Culham Bridge. The Swift Ditch creates Andersey Island
, one of the largest islands on the Thames. On the Thames side there is an attractive piece of parkland before Abingdon Bridge
. On the opposite side here is the town of Abingdon
. After the bricked-up former entrance to the Wilts & Berks Canal there is an iron bridge over the mouth of the River Ock
and then the town quayside. The river is crossed by Abingdon Bridge
which is divided into two (the part across the main navigation being Burford Bridge) by Nag's Head Island
. Beyond this on the Abingdon side is parkland associated with Abingdon Abbey
.
There is a rowing club on the reach which is the site of the Abingdon Head race.
The Thames Path
follows the eastern bank over Culham Bridge and Andersey Island to Abingdon Lock, where it crosses over to the other side.
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in England close to Culham
Culham
Culham is a village and civil parish on the north bank of the River Thames, just over south of Abingdon in Oxfordshire.-Manor:The toponym comes from the Old English Cula's hamm, referring to the village's position in a bend of the Thames...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. It is on a lock cut to the north of the main stream, which approaches the large village of Sutton Courtenay
Sutton Courtenay
Sutton Courtenay is a village and civil parish on the River Thames south of Abingdon and northwest of Didcot. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Today:...
. The lock was built of stone by the Thames Navigation Commission
Thames Navigation Commission
The Thames Navigation Commission used to manage the River Thames in southern England. In particular, they were responsible for installing or renovating many of the locks on the river in the 18th and early 19th centuries.- History :...
in 1809.
The associated weirs are on the old course of the river under the massive causeway which separates the millstream from picturesque Sutton Pools. The causeway is very old and was thought to have been built by Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
labour
History
The river originally passed close to Sutton Courtenay and under a large mill there. In 1667 occurs the first reference to a pound lock underneath this mill. This had a set of gates beneath the mill floor and included a wide pool at the back of the mill. Consequently it required a very large volume of water to fill it and so incurred a heavy toll. There were complaints to the Thames Navigation CommissionThames Navigation Commission
The Thames Navigation Commission used to manage the River Thames in southern England. In particular, they were responsible for installing or renovating many of the locks on the river in the 18th and early 19th centuries.- History :...
in 1772 that the floor of the mill was a great obstruction to navigation. Although it was privately owned, the Commission undertook some improvements in 1789, but complaints persisted on the grounds of inconvenience and high tolls. Finally the Commission's surveyor recommended the new lock with its long cut, and this was completed in 1809. A lock cut bridge was built at the same time.
Access to the lock
The lock can be reached from the road at Sutton Bridge, OxfordshireSutton Bridge, Oxfordshire
Sutton Bridge, Oxfordshire is a road bridge across the River Thames near the village of Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, England. It is a stone structure built in 1807 with three arches over the main river and two smaller ones across the flood plain. An extension was built in 1809 across the Culham...
or on foot across the fields from Sutton Courtenay.
Reach above the lock
The river follows the cut and turns sharply to the right when it rejoins the main course. A new junction for the Wilts & Berks Canal has been constructed almost opposite the top end of Culham Cut as part of a restoration project. The junction was opened on 30 August 2006, and initially runs for about 150 yd (137m) to a winding hole, but will eventually link to the historic route of the canal to the west of Abingdon.About halfway along the river on the eastern bank the Swift Ditch
Swift Ditch
The Swift Ditch is a backwater of the River Thames in England, which was formerly the primary navigation channel. With the main river, it creates the large island of Andersey Island near Abingdon, Oxfordshire....
rejoins the main stream. This backwater was formerly the main course of the river and is crossed by a footbridge and the ancient Culham Bridge. The Swift Ditch creates Andersey Island
Andersey Island
Andersey Island is a large island in the River Thames in England near Abingdon, Oxfordshire on the reach above Culham Lock.The island is created by a division in the stream of the river between the main navigation channel and the Swift Ditch backwater. The Swift Ditch used to be the main course of...
, one of the largest islands on the Thames. On the Thames side there is an attractive piece of parkland before Abingdon Bridge
Abingdon Bridge
Abingdon Bridge consists of a pair of bridges across the River Thames at the town of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. It carries the A415 road from Abingdon to Dorchester, Oxfordshire – and crosses the Thames on the reach above Culham Lock, just below Abingdon Lock.The bridge is actually two...
. On the opposite side here is the town of Abingdon
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
. After the bricked-up former entrance to the Wilts & Berks Canal there is an iron bridge over the mouth of the River Ock
River Ock
The River Ock is a small English river which is a tributary of the River Thames. It has as its catchment area the Vale of White Horse, a low-lying and wide valley in South Oxfordshire and flows into the River Thames, at Abingdon on the reach above Culham Lock.-Course:The River Ock rises near the...
and then the town quayside. The river is crossed by Abingdon Bridge
Abingdon Bridge
Abingdon Bridge consists of a pair of bridges across the River Thames at the town of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. It carries the A415 road from Abingdon to Dorchester, Oxfordshire – and crosses the Thames on the reach above Culham Lock, just below Abingdon Lock.The bridge is actually two...
which is divided into two (the part across the main navigation being Burford Bridge) by Nag's Head Island
Nag's Head Island
Nag's Head Island is an island in the River Thames in England at Abingdon. It sits in the middle of the two Abingdon Bridges on the reach above Culham Lock....
. Beyond this on the Abingdon side is parkland associated with Abingdon Abbey
Abingdon Abbey
Abingdon Abbey was a Benedictine monastery also known as St Mary's Abbey located in Abingdon, historically in the county of Berkshire but now in Oxfordshire, England.-History:...
.
There is a rowing club on the reach which is the site of the Abingdon Head race.
The Thames Path
Thames Path
The Thames Path is a National Trail, opened in 1996, following the length of the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton. It is about long....
follows the eastern bank over Culham Bridge and Andersey Island to Abingdon Lock, where it crosses over to the other side.
External links
- Picture of Culham Lock at geograph.org.uk