Shiplake Lock: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 13:45, 31 January 2011 editJohn of Reading (talk \| contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers767,601 editsm Typo and General fixing, replaced: to built → to be built using AWB ← Previous edit		Revision as of 23:45, 15 March 2011 edit undoFrietjes (talk \| contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Template editors1,001,704 editsmNo edit summaryNext edit →
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	\|lock_name = Shiplake Lock<ref></ref>		\|lock_name = Shiplake Lock<ref></ref>
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	'''Shiplake Lock''' is a ] and ] situated on the ] in England near the village of ], ]. It is just above the points where the ] joins the Thames and ] crosses the river. The first pound lock was built by the ] in 1773.		'''Shiplake Lock''' is a ] and ] situated on the ] in England near the village of ], ]. It is just above the points where the ] joins the Thames and ] crosses the river. The first pound lock was built by the ] in 1773.

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	==Reach above the lock==		==Reach above the lock==
			{{multiple image
⚫	]
			\|direction = vertical
	]
			\|align = left
			\|width = 200
			\|image1 = ShiplakeRiver01.JPG
		⚫	\|caption1 = Shiplake on the hill from near The Lynch
			\|image2 = Thames near sonning.JPG
			\|caption2 = The River Thames near Sonning
			}}
	The river skirts Shiplake on the Oxfordshire bank and eventually passes into ]. ] is just above the lock, and on the hill on the Shiplake bank is Shiplake House now the premises of ]. The college boat house is on the river bank at this point. Further on there is a double bend with two large islands ], and ] followed by ]. On the bank opposite the Ait is ]. This stream is believed to have been a tributary stream of the River Loddon which became an outfall when the water level was raised by the building of Shiplake Lock.<ref name="Thacker"/> Apart from a small development here, the river banks are open fields to ]. Sonning lock is a short was upstream of the bridge, but there is a large backwater branching before the bridge on the ] side which is crossed by ].		The river skirts Shiplake on the Oxfordshire bank and eventually passes into ]. ] is just above the lock, and on the hill on the Shiplake bank is Shiplake House now the premises of ]. The college boat house is on the river bank at this point. Further on there is a double bend with two large islands ], and ] followed by ]. On the bank opposite the Ait is ]. This stream is believed to have been a tributary stream of the River Loddon which became an outfall when the water level was raised by the building of Shiplake Lock.<ref name="Thacker"/> Apart from a small development here, the river banks are open fields to ]. Sonning lock is a short was upstream of the bridge, but there is a large backwater branching before the bridge on the ] side which is crossed by ].

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	]		{{wide image\|Shiplake-pano-1.jpg\|550px\|Shiplake Lock from downstream with the weir stream to the left}}

	{{S-start}}		{{S-start}}
	{{River lock start\|River=]}}		{{River lock start\|River=]}}

Revision as of 23:45, 15 March 2011

Shiplake Lock
Shiplake lock looking downstream with Shiplake Railway Bridge in the distance

Waterway	River Thames
County	Oxfordshire
Maintained by	Environment Agency
Operation	Hydraulic
First built	1773
Latest built	1874
Length	133’ 4” (40.64m)
Width	18’ 3” (5.56m)
Fall	5’ 1” (1.55m)
Above sea level	110'
Distance to Teddington Lock	49 miles

Shiplake Lock

Legend

					River Thames

					Sonning Lock & weir
					moorings
					B478 Thames Street


					St Patrick's Stream
					Buck Ait
					Hallsmead Ait
					The Lynch

					Philimore's Island
					Borough Lake
					River Loddon



					Shiplake Lock
					Site of mill

					River Loddon
					River Thames

Shiplake 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. The first pound lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773.

The weir is some distance upstream of the lock between the lock island and Berkshire bank.

History

There is reference to the weir and flash lock at this location in the 16th century when it was known as "Cotterell's", a name which persisted after the pound lock was built. It was the second downstream of the eight locks built after the navigation act of 1770, and was completed in fir wood in 1773. At this time the towpath upstream was transferred from the Berkshire to the Oxfordshire bank. The lock had to be rebuilt of oak in 1787 as the fir had decayed. There were two mills on the island at this time. The lock was rebuilt again in 1874 and the weir in 1885. The lock island was purchased by the City of London Corporation for camping in 1891, and in 1907 the ruined mills were demolished. Shiplake Lock was the first lock on the Thames to have hydraulic operation installed in 1961. During the winter of 2009/2010 the wooden lock gates were replaced with steel gates at a cost of £600,000.

The camping island

The reason for the purchase of Shiplake Lock Island by the Corporation was to preserve the amenities for bathing and camping. It was managed by the Corporation's City Lands Committee. However, managing at a distance proved a problem and the island was let in perpetuity in 1914 to the Thames Conservancy. The camp was then divided into 18 plots and run by the lock keepers.

Soon after taking over, the Conservancy allowed huts to be built near the tents. The use of these was restricted to cooking and they were not to be used for sleeping. (At that time, ladies were not allowed to sleep on the island at all, but had to retire to wooden huts on the Shiplake bank).

The Thames Conservancy and its successor organisations the National Rivers Authority and Environment Agency have not been prepared to give more than a one-year lease to the plotholders. However, the community has remained remarkably static with plots passing down the family line.

Access to the lock

The lock can be reached from Lower Shiplake down Mill Road, and into Mill Lane, where there is a tarmac path to the lock along the edge of a field.

Reach above the lock

Shiplake on the hill from near The Lynch

The River Thames near Sonning

The river skirts Shiplake on the Oxfordshire bank and eventually passes into Sonning. Phillimore Island is just above the lock, and on the hill on the Shiplake bank is Shiplake House now the premises of Shiplake College. The college boat house is on the river bank at this point. Further on there is a double bend with two large islands The Lynch, and Hallsmead Ait followed by Buck Ait. On the bank opposite the Ait is St Patrick's Stream. This stream is believed to have been a tributary stream of the River Loddon which became an outfall when the water level was raised by the building of Shiplake Lock. Apart from a small development here, the river banks are open fields to Sonning Bridge. Sonning lock is a short was upstream of the bridge, but there is a large backwater branching before the bridge on the Sonning Eye side which is crossed by Sonning Backwater Bridges.

Thames Path

The Thames Path stays on the Oxfordshire bank to Sonning, where it crosses the bridge to the other side and continues to Sonning Lock.

Literature and the media

Shiplake Lock was a favourite place for fishing for the young George Orwell and his Buddicom friends.

References

Statistics from Environment Agency A User's Guide to the River Thames:Part II
^ Fred. S. Thacker The Thames Highway: Volume II Locks and Weirs 1920 - republished 1968 David & Charles
National Archives
Environment Agency, Rare chance to see deep into a Thames Lock
Jacintha Buddicom Eric & Us 2nd ed Finlay Publisher 2006

Shiplake Lock from downstream with the weir stream to the left

Next lock upstream	River Thames	Next lock downstream
Sonning Lock 2.91 miles	Shiplake Lock Grid reference: SU776786	Marsh Lock 2.98 miles

51°30′04″N 0°53′00″W / 51.50102°N 0.88343°W / 51.50102; -0.88343

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