Thames Navigation Commission
Encyclopedia
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.
, appointed in an Act of 1605 by James I
. It took responsibility for the river between Oxford
and Burcot.
The Oxford-Burcot Commission
was reasonably successful. Thus, the Thames Navigation Commissioners were appointed through a further Act under King George II
in 1751. This Commission had similar powers covering the whole of the river down to Staines
.
Later, the Thames Conservancy
was founded in 1857. Not long after, in 1866, it was considered best to have the navigation of the whole river under a single management, so the Thames Navigation Commission was subsumed by the Thames Conservancy
.
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 southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In particular, they were responsible for installing or renovating many of the locks on the river in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
History
The first Commission concerned with the River Thames was the Oxford-Burcot CommissionOxford-Burcot Commission
The Oxford-Burcot Commission was the first Commission concerned with the management of the River Thames, appointed by an Act of Parliament of 1605 by James I to make the stretch of river from Burcot to Oxford navigable. The Commission took responsibility for the management of the River Thames...
, appointed in an Act of 1605 by James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
. It took responsibility for the river between Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and Burcot.
The Oxford-Burcot Commission
Oxford-Burcot Commission
The Oxford-Burcot Commission was the first Commission concerned with the management of the River Thames, appointed by an Act of Parliament of 1605 by James I to make the stretch of river from Burcot to Oxford navigable. The Commission took responsibility for the management of the River Thames...
was reasonably successful. Thus, the Thames Navigation Commissioners were appointed through a further Act under King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
in 1751. This Commission had similar powers covering the whole of the river down to Staines
Staines
Staines is a Thames-side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and Greater London Urban Area, as well as the London Commuter Belt of South East England. It is a suburban development within the western bounds of the M25 motorway and located 17 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in...
.
Later, 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...
was founded in 1857. Not long after, in 1866, it was considered best to have the navigation of the whole river under a single management, so the Thames Navigation Commission was subsumed 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...
.
Locks built by the Thames Navigation Commission
- Boulter's LockBoulter's LockBoulter's Lock is a lock and weir on the River Thames in England on the eastern side of Maidenhead, Berkshire. A lock was first built here by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1772. The lock is on the western side of the river between the main Maidenhead to Cookham road and Ray Mill Island...
(1772) - Hambleden LockHambleden LockHambleden Lock is a lock with a long weir situated on the River Thames in England. The lock is on the Berkshire bank between Aston and Remenham...
(1773) - Hurley LockHurley LockHurley Lock is a lock and weir on the River Thames in England, situated in a clump of wooded islands close to the village of Hurley, Berkshire. The lock was first built by the Thames Navigation Commissioners in 1773....
(1773) - Marlow LockMarlow LockMarlow Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in the town of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England. The first pound lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773.The weir stretches a long way upstream above the lock.-History:...
(1773) - Marsh LockMarsh LockMarsh Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. The lock is close to the Berkshire bank, but accessed from the Oxfordshire side via two long walkways, the downstream one being near Mill Meadows...
(1773) - Shiplake LockShiplake LockShiplake Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England near the village of Shiplake, Oxfordshire. It is just above the points where the River Loddon joins the Thames and Shiplake Railway Bridge crosses the river...
(1773) - Sonning LockSonning LockSonning Lock is a lock and associated weir situated on the River Thames at the village of Sonning near Reading, Berkshire, England. The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773 and it has been rebuilt three times since then....
(1773) - Temple LockTemple LockTemple Lock is a lock and weir situated on the Buckinghamshire bank of the River Thames near Temple Mill Island opposite Temple Meadows and not far from Hurley, Berkshire...
(1773) - Caversham LockCaversham LockCaversham Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England at Reading, Berkshire. The lock is connected to De Bohun Island, a somewhat larger than normal lock island...
(1778) - Mapledurham LockMapledurham LockMapledurham Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England. The lock was first built in 1777 by the Thames Navigation Commissioners and the present lock dates from 1908....
(1778) - Cleeve LockCleeve LockCleeve Lock is a lock on the River Thames, in Oxfordshire, England. It is located just upstream of Streatley on the same side of the river. The village of Cleeve is on the opposite bank near Goring ....
(1787) - Goring LockGoring LockGoring Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England at the Goring Gap in the Chiltern Hills. The lock is located on the Oxfordshire bank at Goring-On-Thames, with Streatley, Berkshire on the opposite side of the river. It is just upstream of Goring and Streatley Bridge...
(1787) - Whitchurch LockWhitchurch LockWhitchurch Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England. It is a pound lock, built by the Thames Navigation Commissioners in 1787...
(1787) - Benson LockBenson LockBenson Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, close to Benson, Oxfordshire but on the opposite bank of the river. The first pound lock here was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1788 and it was replaced by the present masonry lock in 1870...
(1788) - Day's LockDay's LockDay's Lock is a lock on the River Thames near Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England on the Dorchester side of the river.The pound lock was built in 1789 by the Thames Navigation Commissioner...
(1789) - Abingdon LockAbingdon LockAbingdon Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, less than 1 mile east and upstream of Abingdon, Oxfordshire on the opposite bank of the river...
(1790) - Buscot LockBuscot LockBuscot Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, near the village of Buscot, Oxfordshire.The lock was built of stone by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1790 and is the smallest on the River Thames...
(1790) - Godstow LockGodstow LockGodstow Lock is a lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is between the villages of Wolvercote and Wytham on the outskirts of Oxford. The first lock was built of stone by Daniel Harris for the Thames Navigation Commission in 1790...
(1790) - Osney LockOsney LockOsney Lock is a lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is close to Oxford where the village or island of Osney is next to the river.The first lock was built of stone by Daniel Harris for the Thames Navigation Commission in 1790....
(1790) - Rushey LockRushey LockRushey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England. It is on the northern bank of the river in Oxfordshire, a considerable distance from any village, the nearest being Buckland Marsh, a hamlet on the road to Buckland to the south of the river....
(1790) - St John's LockSt John's LockSt John's Lock is a lock on the upper reaches of the River Thames in England, near the town of Lechlade, Gloucestershire. It is the highest lock on the river. It is named after a priory that was established nearby in 1250, which no longer exists. The lock was built of stone in 1790 by the Thames...
(1790) - Pinkhill LockPinkhill LockPinkhill Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England. It is close to Farmoor, Oxfordshire.The first lock was built of stone by Daniel Harris for the Thames Navigation Commission in 1791....
(1791) - Romney LockRomney LockRomney Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England near Windsor and Eton. It is on the Windsor side of the river next to a boatyard and adjoins Romney Island, a long strip of land in the middle of the river. The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1798.The weir is some...
(1798) - Culham LockCulham LockCulham 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...
(1809) - Bell Weir LockBell Weir LockBell Weir Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England situated on the Surrey bank near Egham. It is just upstream of the M25 Runnymede Bridge which carries the M25 and A30 road across the river...
(1817) - Clifton LockClifton LockClifton Lock is a lock on River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is located south of the village of Clifton Hampden and north of Long Wittenham...
(1822) - Old Windsor LockOld Windsor LockOld Windsor Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England close to Old Windsor on the side of the river towards the town. The lock marks the start of the New Cut, built in 1822 by the Thames Navigation Commissioners, which created Ham Island in the hook of the old river...
(1822) - Cookham LockCookham LockCookham Lock is a lock with weirs situated on the River Thames near Cookham, Berkshire. The lock is set in a lock cut which is one of four streams here and it is surrounded by woods. On one side is Sashes Island and on the other is Mill Island connected to Formosa Island, the largest on the...
(1830) - Bray LockBray LockBray Lock is a lock and weir on the River Thames in England near Bray and Dorney and is just above the M4 Bridge across the Thames. The lock is on the Buckinghamshire side of the river on the opposite bank from Bray itself and Maidenhead which are in Berkshire...
(1845) - Boveney LockBoveney LockBoveney Lock is a lock on the River Thames situated on the Buckinghamshire bank opposite the Windsor Racecourse and close to Eton Wick. Boveney is a village a little way upstream on the same side. The lock was first built in 1838 by the Thames Navigation Commission...
(1838)