Eynsham Lock is a lock

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. It is on the southern bank near Swinford

Swinford, Oxfordshire

Swinford in the English county of Oxfordshire is a small settlement in the civil parish of Cumnor. It lies on the road between Eynsham and Farmoor on the south bank of the River Thames near Swinford Toll Bridge. In 1974 it was transferred from Berkshire....

 Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....

. The large village of Eynsham

Eynsham

Eynsham is a village and civil parish about east of Witney in Oxfordshire, England.-History:Eynsham grew up near the historically important ford of Swinford on the River Thames flood plain...

 is a little distance away on the northern bank.

The lock was one of the last pound locks built on the Thames being built by the Thames Conservancy

Thames Conservancy

The Thames Conservancy was a historical body responsible for the management of the River Thames in England. It was founded in 1857, initially replacing the jurisdiction of the City of London up to Staines and later taking responsibility for the whole river from Cricklade in Wiltshire to the sea at...

 in 1928.

The weir is on the other side of the island on the original course of the river.

History

There was previously a weir and flash lock

Flash lock

Early locks were designed with a single gate, known as a flash lock or staunch lock. The earliest European references to what were clearly flash locks were in Roman times....

 known as Eynsham or Bolde's weir, originally owned by Eynsham Abbey

Eynsham Abbey

Eynsham Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, in England between 1005 and 1538. King Æthelred allowed Æthelmær the Stout to found the abbey in 1005. There is some evidence that the abbey was built on the site of an earlier minster, probably founded in the 7th or 8th...

. The weir was rebuilt in 1886 after there had been some proposals for removing it and around 1890 a boatslide was built for the portage of small boats. It was replaced by the pound lock in 1928 which was cut across the neck of a bend. The weir was reconstructed in 1950.

Access to the lock

The lock is close to the B4044 road where it crosses the river at Swinford Toll Bridge

Swinford Toll Bridge

Swinford Toll Bridge is a privately owned toll bridge south of Eynsham, England that crosses the River Thames just above Eynsham Lock. The bridge carries the road between Farmoor and Eynsham...

 and is accessible on foot.

Reach above the lock

A short distance upstream of the lock is Swinford Toll Bridge. After the bridge there used to be a very sharp horseshoe bend which gave problems to navigation until a cut was built across it in 1900. The river continues to head south west through predominantly open country. The only interruption is a large marina on the eastern bank.

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 southern bank to Pinkhill Lock.

External links

• Eynsham Lock at eynsham.org
• Life at Eynsham Lock at eynsham-pc.gov.uk
• Picture of Eynsham Lock at geograph.org.uk