About The Thames

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Buscot Lock

 

Buscot Lock lays claim to being the smallest of the 45 locks on the River Thames, as it is  only 33.47m long and 4.47m wide.

 

This lock was built in 1790 and it still has its heavy wooden beams the lock keeper uses to open and close the gates.

 

Before the lock was built, there was a flash weir here. Below the weir – an unusual cresting weir – is a lovely weir pool, now a National Trust area.

 

In 1859, Robert Tertius Campbell, rich with money made in the Australian gold fields, bought the lock. His large estate was irrigated with water pumped from the river by water wheels. He also ran a distillery and a beet business. Several years later, Thomas Cook, the travel agents, purchased the property, and they gave the area to the National Trust.

 

Lock Cottage – today it’s home to the lock keeper – was built in the 1700s not only as a dwelling for the keeper, but also as a fish house. Beneath the floor of the cottage were ‘fish stews’ - deep ponds fed with river water and stocked with fish for sale. So, the lock keeper doubled as a security guard for the fish stocks, which were owned by Edward Loveden who lived at Buscot House.

 

The lock and weir pool are rich in wildlife - otters are frequent visitors although they are often difficult to spot. You need to be patient!  Occasionally seen are red kites, hobbies, buzzards and kingfishers.

 

 


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