Dukes Cut
Encyclopedia
Duke's Cut is a short waterway in Oxfordshire
, England, which connects the Oxford Canal
near Wolvercote Junction with the River Thames
at King's Lock
.
The Cut was constructed at the request of the Duke of Marlborough
, and opened in 1789 providing the first link from the Oxford Canal to the River Thames. The Cut was conveyed in trust to the Vice-Chancellor of the University and the Mayor of Oxford in 1792. An alternative connection between the two waterways was opened in 1796 at Isis Lock in the centre of Oxford. Duke's Cut remains a popular route for narrowboat users as it bypasses the last three urban miles of the canal in Oxford.
The Cut is joined from the Oxford Canal via a lock (Dukes Cut Lock) and then Dukes Bridge and another lock. The Cut resembles a river with willows and other trees along the route and joins the Thames at a triangular island which has King's Lock on the southern side and the weir towards Wolvercote
on the northern side. There is a narrow towpath which follows the twists of the Cut between fields; this does not connect to the Thames Path
, which is on the opposite bank of the River Thames.
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England, which connects the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal
The Oxford Canal is a narrow canal in central England linking Oxford with Coventry via Banbury and Rugby. It connects with the River Thames at Oxford, to the Grand Union Canal at the villages of Braunston and Napton-on-the-Hill, and to the Coventry Canal at Hawkesbury Junction in Bedworth just...
near Wolvercote Junction with 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,...
at King's Lock
King's Lock
King's Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England. It is in open country to the north of Oxford, Oxfordshire, on the southern bank of the river. The lock was one of the last pound locks built on the Thames being built by the Thames Conservancy in 1928 to replace the former flash lock.At the lock...
.
The Cut was constructed at the request of the Duke of Marlborough
George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough
George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough KG, PC, FRS , styled Marquess of Blandford until 1758, was a British courtier and politician...
, and opened in 1789 providing the first link from the Oxford Canal to the River Thames. The Cut was conveyed in trust to the Vice-Chancellor of the University and the Mayor of Oxford in 1792. An alternative connection between the two waterways was opened in 1796 at Isis Lock in the centre of Oxford. Duke's Cut remains a popular route for narrowboat users as it bypasses the last three urban miles of the canal in Oxford.
The Cut is joined from the Oxford Canal via a lock (Dukes Cut Lock) and then Dukes Bridge and another lock. The Cut resembles a river with willows and other trees along the route and joins the Thames at a triangular island which has King's Lock on the southern side and the weir towards Wolvercote
Wolvercote
Wolvercote is a village that is part of the City of Oxford, England, though still retaining its own identity. It is about northwest of the centre of Oxford, on the northern edge of Wolvercote Common, which is itself north of Port Meadow.-History:The village is listed in the Domesday Book as...
on the northern side. There is a narrow towpath which follows the twists of the Cut between fields; this does not connect to 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....
, which is on the opposite bank of the River Thames.