Grafton Lock
Encyclopedia
Grafton Lock is a lock
on the River Thames
in England on the northern bank between Kelmscott
and Radcot Oxfordshire
. The lock was built by the Thames Conservancy
in 1896.
The weir is on the other side of the lock island at the upstream end.
Grafton Lock Meadow at the lock is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
.
on the site known variously as Day's, East, New Lock or Lower Hart's. The name Lower Hart's was to avoid confusion with another Hart's Weir upstream which was eventually replaced by Eaton Footbridge
in 1936.
The Thames Conservancy removed the weir in 1869, and the first suggestion for a permanent pound lock was made in 1892, four years before it opened.
. On the north bank is Kelmscott and Kelmscott Manor
, the country retreat of William Morris
.
Further upstream the river is crossed by Eaton Footbridge
There are moorings at this point reflecting the history of the site which had a weir and flash lock until 1936.
The Thames Path
follows the northern bank to Buscot 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 on the northern bank between Kelmscott
Kelmscott
Kelmscott is a village and civil parish on the River Thames in West Oxfordshire, about east of Lechlade in neighbouring Gloucestershire.-Parish church:...
and Radcot Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. The lock was 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 1896.
The weir is on the other side of the lock island at the upstream end.
Grafton Lock Meadow at the lock is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
History
There was previously a weir with a flash lockFlash 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....
on the site known variously as Day's, East, New Lock or Lower Hart's. The name Lower Hart's was to avoid confusion with another Hart's Weir upstream which was eventually replaced by Eaton Footbridge
Eaton Footbridge
Eaton Footbridge is a wooden footbridge across the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is situated on the reach above Grafton Lock.The bridge was built in 1936 on the site of the last flash lock on the river which was in a weir known as Hart’s Weir. The weir and lock, the last remaining on...
in 1936.
The Thames Conservancy removed the weir in 1869, and the first suggestion for a permanent pound lock was made in 1892, four years before it opened.
Access to the lock
The lock can be reached on foot along the river or by road on a turning off Langley Lane which connects to the A4095.Reach above the lock
On the southern bank the river passes Eaton HastingsEaton Hastings
Eaton Hastings is a village and civil parish beside the River Thames about northwest of Faringdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. Eaton Hastings was formerly considerably larger than it is today, and is regarded as a deserted medieval...
. On the north bank is Kelmscott and Kelmscott Manor
Kelmscott Manor
Kelmscott Manor is a handsome limestone manor house in the Cotswold village of Kelmscott, Oxfordshire, England. It is situated close to the River Thames, and it is frequently flooded. It dates from around 1570, with a late 17th-century wing...
, the country retreat of William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
.
Further upstream the river is crossed by Eaton Footbridge
Eaton Footbridge
Eaton Footbridge is a wooden footbridge across the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is situated on the reach above Grafton Lock.The bridge was built in 1936 on the site of the last flash lock on the river which was in a weir known as Hart’s Weir. The weir and lock, the last remaining on...
There are moorings at this point reflecting the history of the site which had a weir and flash lock until 1936.
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 northern bank to Buscot Lock.
External links
- Grafton Lock at thames.me.uk
- Picture of Grafton Lock at geograph.org.uk