Tuesday 13th
August 2019
The Oxford Canal continues for about ¼ mile beyond Isis Lock to its
dead end terminus that is just a stone’s throw from the city centre itself.
Before setting off this morning, we reversed down the canal for about 600 yards
down the very narrow channel, to the terminus itself so that we could say we
will have travelled the full length of the canal. A lot of the boats we passed
thought us crazy. But hey-ho.
Oxford Canal Terminus
The Oxford Canal was one of the earliest and for many years, one of
the most important canals in the south of England. It was authorised in 1769 to
join the Warwickshire coalfields on the Coventry Canal with Banbury and Oxford
and also provide a link between London and the Midlands by giving access to the
River Thames.
James Brindley was appointed engineer with plans of a winding contour
canal 91 miles long. Brindley died in 1772 and was replaced by Samuel Simcock,
a protege of Brindley’s. The line was completed between the Coventry Canal at
Longford and Banbury in 1778 and finally to Oxford in 1790. It was an immediate
success and through-traffic flowed constantly along this new trade route.
In 1805 however, the canals making up the Grand Union Canal opened,
completing a new and shorter route between London and the Midlands. This had
the immediate effect of drawing traffic away from the Oxford Canal, especially
south of Napton Junction.
The Oxford Canal Company protected themselves by charging outrageously
high tolls for their 5½ mile stretch of canal between Braunston and Napton, that
had become part of the new route and thus maintained its revenue and high
dividends for years to come. This short stretch of combined canal has had the
effect of dividing the Oxford into northern and southern sections: Hawkesbury
Junction with the Coventry Canal to Braunston, and the southern section from
Napton to Oxford.
By the 1820’s, the Oxford Canal had become outdated with its
extravagant winding course and the company decided to modernise the northern
part of their navigation. Aqueducts, massive embankments and deep cuttings were
built, cutting almost 14 miles off the original 36 miles between Braunston and
the Coventry Canal.
On leaving Oxford behind, we stopped at the sanitation station on the
outskirts, took on water, emptied the loo and dumped rubbish. We also took the
opportunity of doing two well needed washes.
Wolvercote Lock was reached on the very edge of the city and, after
passing under the M40 motorway, we came to the first of the many Oxford Canal
lift bridges before the junction with the other route from the Thames at Duke’s
Cut. Some of the lift bridges, like this one, are locked and it was quite
awkward unlocking them.
Oxford Canal Lift Bridge
Like many canal junctions, Duke’s Cut is isolated and appears so
insignificant, that they bely just how important and busy they can, and have been
in the past. Beyond the junction there was another locked lift bridge followed
shortly with another lock at Kidlington. Kidlington did not look at all
inviting from the canal. Countryside was again then reached.
At Thrupp there was an electrically operated lift bridge carrying
quite a busy little road that served the café and craft shops housed in the
former BW Workshop buildings. Thrupp was an attractive place with its terrace
of cottages that fronted the canal and the Boat Inn. Along with the businesses
in the old workshop buildings, it was a busy little place.
Aubrey’s
Lift Bridge, Thrupp
Care had to be exercised when operating the lift bridge. There were no
barriers to prevent pedestrians or traffic from crossing the bridge while in
the process of operating it. A few weeks previous, we had heard of damage to
the bridge when a car attempted to cross when the bridge had been raised about
12 inches.
The moorings at Thrupp were very much spoilt by the presence of the long
line of moored boats belonging to the Thrupp Canal Cruising Club. These moorings
stretched for a full mile and only allowed for the mooring of about 10 visiting
narrow boats.
The River Cherwell adjoined the canal here and became a regular
neighbour. At the oddly shaped Shipton
Weir Lock, reminiscent of Pershore Lock on the Stratford Avon, the canal joined
the river to provide a beautiful mile of cruising on the river, before the two
again diverged at Baker’s Lock. Baker’s Lock was named after one of the canal
contractors, Henry Baker.
We moored just above the lock but unfortunately, were positioned under
heavy tree foliage, the drips from the overnight rain being rather loud inside
the boat.
We walked up to the Rock of Gibraltar pub, passing a dredging
operation on the way. The pub is an amazing place, low beamed ceilings and a
warren of small rooms, which was built at the same time as the canal, to
provide a place of “refreshment” for the navvies engaged in the building of the
canal and a hostelry for visitors. If only walls could talk.
The landlord kindly leant us a booklet on the history of the place.
The pub was originally named the “Brindley Head” in recognition of James
Brindley but was later changed in 1807, to commemorate the local Lord
Heathfield, a hero and Governor of Gibraltar. He was instrumental in triumphantly
defending the Rock against the attacks of France and Spain in the Great Siege
lasting from 1779 until 1783.
Weather: a nice, warm day.
Day Total: 6 locks; 9 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 3 Lift Bridges;
0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 6.5
Overall Total: 673 locks; 1184 miles; 49 tunnels; 57 Swing Bridges; 9
Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 747.5hrs
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