Benson Lock
The Benson Lock is a lock on the River Thames across from Benson in Oxfordshire , England . The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1788 and replaced by a stone lock in 1870. The downstream distance between Benson Lock and Cleeve Lock is 10.4 km; this is the greatest distance between two locks in the Thames.
The weir runs from the lock island to the opposite side of the bank. A footbridge over the weir replaces a ferry that previously existed at this point.
history
A weir at this point has been historically documented since the late 14th century. It belonged to a no longer existing mill, the mill canal of which still runs downstream of the lock. The first mention of a floodgate dates only from the year 1746. A new lock was in 1788 from oak built. It was found that, as an exception for “low country men”, it was built for a higher than usual wage. It is believed that it was Dutch specialists who built the lock. The lock was renewed in stone in 1870 and according to some information it should have been looked after by the miller. There is evidence of an abandoned lock keeper's house from 1865. The current lock keeper's house was built in 1913.
The river above the lock
In Shillingford the river passes the Shillingford Bridge . The Wittenham Clumps are visible from most of the stretch of river. After Shillingford the River Thame flows into the Thames.
The Thames Path crosses the river at the lock and follows the road to Benson before returning to the river. It runs along the north or east bank of the river to Shillingford. At Shillingford, the path also runs through town and returns to the river outside of town. The path is advanced on the north bank to Little Wittenham Bridge just before Day's Lock , where the bank changes.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jane Cumberlidge: Inland Waterways of Great Britain. 8th ed. Imray Laurie Norie and Wilson, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84623-010-3 , pp. 290-291, p. 300.
- ^ Fred S. Thacker: The Thames Highway. Volume II: Locks and Weirs. 1920 - 1968 reissued, David & Charles, Newton Abbot.
Coordinates: 51 ° 37 ′ 0.6 ″ N , 1 ° 6 ′ 57.7 ″ W.