English Canal Locks and Bridges between Banbury and Braunston, England

The Oxford Canal - the section from Braunston into Banbury.

Braunston via Lower Shuckburgh, Napton Locks, Claydon and Cropedy into Banbury on the Oxford Canal showing Bridges, Locks and other features.

The following series of photographs show all the bridges which cross the beautiful Oxford Canal as it wanders south from Braunston Turn in Northamptonshire down to Banbury in Oxfordshire going through Lower Shuckburgh, Napton and it's lock flight, Marston Doles, Wormleighton, Fenny Compton Wharf, Claydon and Cropedy. From Braunston to Napton Junction The Oxford Canal's towpath is shared with the Grand Union Canal - this section has hardly any towpath in places and is a real mess suffering from collapse, mud, nettles and brambles. From Napton to Fenny Compton there are some muddy bits but it's basically ok and then into Banbury it's fine.

The walk along the Oxford Canal between Fenny Compton and Banbury was achieved by parking at Banbury Railway station and getting a taxi up to Fenny Compton Wharf and then walking back (about 10 miles). This meant we had plenty of time to divert and look around both Copredy and Claydon as well as spending time enjoying the many locks along the way. This stretch of the Oxford Canal is really scenic - loads of things to look at apart from the many locks and bridges. The River Cherwell accompanies the canal at various times but is quite hard to see it at times due to the masses of foliage around. Several disused railway lines are evident and you can go and admire the lovely brickwork and arches from several semi-demolished bridges. They knew about design in those days especially when compared to the ugly concrete messes called bridges which are used by the M40 to cross (and therefore disfigure) the Oxford Canal. We also discovered a small dis-used brick works - this was used to provide the bricks for the canal's tunnel at Fenny Compton (the tunnel is now a deep cutting instead).

Castle Bridge 91
Castle Bridge 91
Braunston Turn - Bridges 93 and 94
Braunston Turn Bridge  93+94
Braunston Turn Bridge 93 - Oxford Canal
Braunston Turn
Bridge 93
Braunston Turn Oxford Canal - Bridge 94
Braunston Turn Bridge 94
Turnover Bridge 95
Turnover Bridge 95
Oxford Canal - Turnover Bridge 95
Turnover Bridge 95
Oxford Canal Aqueduct 96
Oxford Canal
Aqueduct 96
Oxford Canal Bridge 97
Oxford Canal Bridge 97
Bridge 97 on the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal
Bridge 97
Ivy bridge 98 - Oxford Canal in England
Ivy Bridge 98
Ivy Bridge 98 - The Oxford Canal, England.
Ivy Bridge 98
Hargreaves Bridge 99
Hargreaves Bridge 99
Hargreaves Canal Bridge no 99, The Oxford Canal, England.
Hargreaves Bridge 99
Oxford Canal - Chambers Bridge 100
Chambers Bridge 100
Chambers Bridge 100, The Oxford Canal, England.
Chambers Bridge 100

The Fenny Compton Wharf to Marston Doles stretch on the Oxford Canal towpath

can be quite tiring on your feet although it is only about 8 miles mainly because the walking is constantly flat with not one Canal Lock to break up the route. (Towpaths are often not completely flat and can often wander away from the side of the canal and also at locks there is a small amount of up and down to break the pattern). Also the only way back was to either return back on the towpath or make a circular out into the countryside. The latter is how we achieved the walk but the distance was around 20kms - a description of these walks with some photos can be found via our Cropedy - Claydon Walks topic. When constructed The Oxford Canal often followed the land's contours and is perhaps quite well known for how much it meanders around - a perfect example of this are the huge bends which occur on it's journey between Bridge 116 and Bridge 138.
dismantled railway bridge at the Oxford Canal
Dismantled
Railway Bridge
Oxford Canal England - Nethercote Bridge 101
Nethercote Bridge 101
Nethercote Bridge 101, The Oxford Canal, England.
Nethercote Bridge
no.101
Oxford Canal - Flecknoe Road Bridge 102
Flecknoe Road
Bridge 102
Flecknoe Road Bridge 102, The Oxford Canal, England.
Flecknoe Road
Bridge 102
Oxford Canal - New Bridge 103
New Bridge 103
New Bridge 103 - Oxford Canal
New Bridge 103
Oxford Canal bridges - Jacksons Bridge 104
Jacksons Bridge 104
Jacksons Bridge 104, The Oxford Canal, England.
Jacksons Bridge no.104
Oxford Canal Bridge 105
Oxford Canal
FootBridge 105
Bridge 105 on the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal Bridge 105
Oxford Canal - Garners Bridge 107
Garners Bridge no.107
Garners Bridge 107, The Oxford Canal, England.
Garners Bridge 107
Canal Bridges - Nimrod Bridge 108, The Oxford Canal, England.
Nimrod Bridge 108
Nimrod Bridge 108 on the Oxford Canal
Nimrod Bridge no.108
Napton Junction - Bridge no.17, The Oxford Canal, England.
Bridge 17 at Napton Junction
Coventry Road Bridge 109, The Oxford Canal, England.
Coventry Road
Bridge 109
Coventry Road Bridge 109 - Oxford Canal
Coventry Road
Bridge 109
Oxford Canal Bridges - Stockton Road Bridge 110
Stockton Road Bridge no.110
Stockton Road Bridge no.110 over the Oxford Canal
Stockton Road
Bridge 110
Napton Canal Bridge 111, The Oxford Canal, England.
Napton Bridge 111
Oxford Canal - Napton Bridge 111
Napton Bridge 111
Brickyard Bridge 112 on the Oxford Canal
Brickyard Bridge 112
Brickyard Bridge 112, The Oxford Canal, England.
Brickyard Bridge 112
The Folly Bridge 113 on the Oxford Canal in England
The Folly Bridge 113
Oxford Canal crossed by The Folly Bridge 113
The Folly Bridge 113
Napton Bottom Lock 08, The Oxford Canal, England.
Napton Bottom Lock 8
Oxford Canal - Napton Bottom Lock 8
Napton Bottom Lock 8
Napton Lock 09, The Oxford Canal, England.
Oxford Canal
(Napton) Lock 9
Lock 9 at Napton - Oxford Canal
Napton Lock 9
Gilkes Bridge 114, The Oxford Canal, England.
Gilkes Bridge 114
Oxford Canal - Gilkes Bridge 114
Gilkes Bridge 114
Napton Lock 10 Gates - Oxford Canal in England
Napton Lock 10
Lock 10 at Napton on the Oxford Canal
Napton Lock 10
Lock 11 at Napton, The Oxford Canal, England.
Napton Lock 11
Napton Locks on The Oxford Canal - Napton Lock 11
Oxford Canal (Napton)
Lock 11
Shut Bridge no.115 on the Oxford Canal
Shut Bridge 115
Oxford Canal showing Shut Bridge and Napton Lock 12
Shut Bridge 115
and Lock 12
Oxford Canal England - Napton Lock 12
(Napton) Lock 12
Napton Lock 13 Gates, The Oxford Canal, England.
Napton Lock 13 (Gates)
Oxford Canal - Napton Lock 13
Oxford Canal (Napton)
Lock 13
Canal Bridge photos - Greens Lock Bridge 116, The Oxford Canal, England.
Greens Lock Bridge 116
Greens Lock Bridge no.116, The Oxford Canal, England.
Greens Lock
Bridge 116
Napton Adkins Lock 14 Gates, The Oxford Canal, England.
Napton Adkins Lock 14
Napton Adkins Lock 14 Gates, The Oxford Canal, England.
Napton Adkins
Lock 14

The Oxford Canal - Napton Locks area

. The Napton Locks Flight comprises of nine narrow canal locks which takes the Oxford Canal up a total of 49 feet to reach Napton Toplock at Marston Doles. Beside Napton Toplock there is still a linesman's hut - these huts were once used as a refuge by canal workers in bad weather and also for equipment storage. The Old Engine House Arm leaves the Oxford Canal just by Napton Adkins Lock 14 - the first part of the short Arm is now used for private moorings and then the rest of it is really weeded up as it goes off into the fields and terminates at the remains of the Old Engine House itself. This Engine House once contained a steam pump which drew water from a spring and helped with the supply of water to the Oxford Canal but now the only inhabitants are (sometimes grumpy) cows.
Old very weedy Engine House Arm on the Oxford Canal
Old Engine House Arm
The Old Engine House - Oxford Canal
Old Engine House
Twenty Acre Bridge 118 on the Oxford Canal
Twenty Acre Bridge 118
Oxford Canal England - Twenty Acre Bridge no.118
Twenty Acre Bridge 118
Napton Lock 15, The Oxford Canal, England.
Napton Lock 15
Napton Lock 15 lockgates, The Oxford Canal, England.
Oxford Canal (Napton) Lock 15
Marston Doles Bridge, The Oxford Canal, England.
Marston Doles Bridge 119
Oxford Canal - Marston Doles Bridge
Marston Doles
Bridge 119
Napton Top Lock - The Oxford Canal at Marston Doles
Napton Top Lock 16
Oxford Canal England and Napton Top Lock
Napton Top Lock 16
Top Lock - Napton Lock Flight, The Oxford Canal, England.
Napton Top Lock
Linesman's Hut at Napton Locks, The Oxford Canal, England.
Canal Linesmans Hut
Oxford Canal Bridge 122
Oxford Canal
Bridge 122
Bridge 122 - Oxford Canal England
Oxford Canal Bridge 122
Priors Hardwick Bridge, The Oxford Canal, England.
Priors Hardwick
Bridge 123
Priors Hardwick Bridge
Priors Hardwick Bridge 123
Oxford Canal - Priors Hardwick Bridge
Priors Hardwick
Bridge 123
Spurfoot Bridge on the Oxford Canal England
Spurfoot Bridge 124
Spurfoot Bridge
Spurfoot Bridge 124
Bridge 125 on the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal Bridge 125
Oxford Canal England - Bridge 125
Oxford Canal Bridge 125
The Oxford Canal crossed by Bridge 126
Oxford Canal Bridge 126
Bridge 126 goes over The Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal Bridge 126
Stoneton Bridge 127, The Oxford Canal, England.
Stoneton Bridge 127
Oxford Canal - Stoneton Bridge.
Stoneton Bridge 127
Oxford Canal - Willison's Bridge
Willison's Bridge 128
Willison's Bridge 128, The Oxford Canal, England.
Willison's Bridge 128
Ladder Bridge - Oxford Canal
Ladder Bridge 129
Bridge 129 - Ladder Bridge, The Oxford Canal, England.
Ladder Bridge 129
Knott's Bridge - Oxford Canal
Knott's Bridge 130

Wormleighton - and the bendy Oxford Canal.

From just after canal bridge 126 right through to Wells Bridge 136 the Oxford Canal makes an amazing sequence of loops even by it's meandering standards. This was because when the Oxford Canal's designer James Brindley reached Wormleighton Hill the influential owners of the Manor were not too keen about the canal and certainly did not want any of the necessary canal locks to cope with going over the hill built anyway near their land. Therefore instead of a fairly direct 1.25 miles run the canal had to be routed right round the hill which increased the distance to around 3.5 miles.
Oxford Canal - Knotts Bridge
Knotts Bridge 130
Oxford Canal - Griffins Bridge
Griffins Bridge 131
Griffins Bridge - Oxford Canal in England
Griffins Bridge 131
Old footbridge over the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal FootBridge
Oxford Canal and Bridge 132
Oxford Canal Bridge 132
Bridge 132 on the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal Bridge 132
Wells Bridge number 134, The Oxford Canal, England.
Wells Bridge 134
Bridge 135 - Sherne Hill, The Oxford Canal, England.
Sherne Hill Bridge 135
Sherne Hill Bridge goes over The Oxford Canal.
Sherne Hill Bridge 135
Oxford Canal at Fenny Compton - Bridge 136a
Oxford Canal Bridge 136A
Fenny Compton Wharf - Bridge 136a, The Oxford Canal, England.
Oxford Canal Bridge 136A
Bridge 136 on the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal Bridge 136
Fenny Compton Wharf - Bridge 136, The Oxford Canal, England.
Oxford Canal Bridge 136
Fenny Compton Wharf - The Oxford Canal
Fenny Compton Wharf
Tunnel Bridge 137, The Oxford Canal, England.
Tunnel Bridge 137
The Oxford Canal and Tunnel Bridge 137
Tunnel Bridge 137
Turnover Bridge, The Oxford Canal, England.
Turnover Bridge 137a
Oxford Canal - Turnover Bridge 137a
Turnover Bridge 137a
Oxford Canal Bridge 138
Oxford Canal Bridge 138
The cutting which was originally a tunnel at Fenny Compton, The Oxford Canal, England.
Fenny Compton Tunnel Cutting
Brick Kiln used for making the original tunnel at Fenny Compton, The Oxford Canal, England.
Old Brick Kiln
Reservoir Bridge 139, The Oxford Canal, England.
Reservoir Bridge 139
Reservoir Bridge 139 goes over The Oxford Canal
Reservoir Bridge.

The Oxford Canal and the now extinct Fenny Compton Tunnel:

As the Oxford Canal heads away from Fenny Compton Wharf there is a quite unusual feature for this canal - it actually travels in a straight line for a while. The reason for the canal's such untoward behaviour is because this is where there was originally a 1138 yard long narrow tunnel. The tunnel had a series of iron rings on it's walls which boatmen used to pull the boat along - a laborious slow process. However following the purchase of the land above the tunnel the tops of both ends of it were removed and eventually by the early 1870s the whole tunnel had been converted into what became a really deep cutting. The towpath goes high above the canal for a distance and just a little way along look out for a narrow path which takes you to where an old brick kiln still exists. This was used to make the huge number of bricks required during the construction of the tunnel - the building is still fairly intact however quiteovered with brambles and nettles.
Boundary Lift-Bridge 141, The Oxford Canal, England. Boundary Lift Bridge 141 - Oxford Canal in England Feeder Bridge on the Oxford Canal
Boundary Lift-Bridge 141
Boundary Lift- Bridge 141
Feeder Bridge 142



Feeder Bridge 142, The Oxford Canal, England. Hay Bridge crosses The Oxford Canal Hay Bridge 143, The Oxford Canal, England.
Feeder Bridge 142
Hay Bridge 143
Hay Bridge 143

Oxford Canal Lift Bridges:

As the canal system was being built often as not the route would go right through farms and farmland sometimes cutting their land in half and obviously creating an access problem for livestock and so on. In some cases bridges were built but quite often the solution was to build a much cheaper lift bridge. These lift bridges are left in the "up" position and just lowered as necessary - they are quite easy to manipulate as they are counterblanced. The lift bridge mechanism is never on the towpath side of the canal else it would of course obstruct the movement of the horses on the towpath - there is usually a rope or chain to pull the bridge down onto the towpath of course (see picture of Boundary Lift Bridge 141 above). The Oxford Canal still has quite a few lift bridges most of which are all in full working condition as they are still required for livestock movement between fields.
Claydon Top Bridge - Oxford Canal
Claydon Top Bridge 144
Claydon Top Bridge 144, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Top Bridge 144
Claydon Top Lock 17, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Top Lock 17
The Oxford Canal and Claydon Top Lock
Claydon TopLock 17
Oxford Canal - Claydon Top Lock 17
Claydon Top Lock 17
Claydon Lock 18 lockgates, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Lock 18
Claydon Lock 18, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Lock 18
Claydon Middle Lock 19, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Middle Lock 19
Claydon Middle Lock - Oxford Canal
Claydon Middle Lock 19
Claydon Middle Bridge 145, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Middle Bridge 145
Oxford Canal - Claydon Middle Bridge 145
Claydon Middle
Bridge 145
Claydon Lock 20, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Lock 20
Canal Lock Flights - Claydon Lock 20, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Lock 20
Claydon Bottom Lock, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Bottom Lock 21
Claydon Bottom Lock 21
Claydon
Bottom Lock 21
Claydon Bottom Bridge 146, The Oxford Canal, England.
Claydon Bottom
Bridge 146
Oxford Canal - Claydon Bottom Bridge 146
Claydon Bottom
Bridge 146
Oxford Canal Bridge 147
Oxford Canal
Bridge 147
Oxford Canal Bridge 147 - England
Oxford Canal
Bridge 147
Elkingtons Lock 22, The Oxford Canal, England.
Elkingtons Lock 22
Elkingtons Bridge 148, The Oxford Canal, England.
Elkingtons Bridge 148
Elkington's Bridge, The Oxford Canal, England.
Elkingtons Bridge 148
Varneys Bridge 149, The Oxford Canal, England.
Varneys Bridge 149
Varneys Bridge 149 - Oxford Canal
Varneys Bridge 149
Varneys Lock 23, The Oxford Canal, England.
Varneys Lock 23
Varneys Lock nbr 23
Varneys Lock 23
Broadmoor Lock 24, The Oxford Canal, England.
Broadmoor Lock 24
Broadmoor Bridge 150, The Oxford Canal, England.
Broadmoor Bridge 150
Broadmoor Bridge 150 - Oxford Canal
Broadmoor Bridge 150
Possible ruins of Liftbridge 151, The Oxford Canal, England.
Possibly ruins of
liftbridge 151
Oxford Canal possible ruins of Liftbridge 151
Extinct liftbridge 151?
Cropedy Lock 25, The Oxford Canal, England.
Cropedy Lock 25
Oxford Canal - Cropedy Lock
Cropedy Lock
Cropedy Lock Bridge 152, The Oxford Canal, England.
Cropedy Lock
Bridge 152
Oxford Canal - Cropedy Lock Bridge 152
Cropedy Lock
Bridge 152

The Oxford Canal and it's Wharfs:

As the Canals in England were being constructed and then opened for business any nearbye village or small town would - usually at their own expense - have a small wharf installed so they could get involved in the newly created trade opportunies. These canal wharfs were often just simple stone or brick walls built alongside the towpath and allowed the boats to load and unload their goods. They were normally constructed close to where an existing track met the canal. Some of these wharfs ended up being quite busy - for instance durng the 1790s several thousand tons of coal were unloaded at Cropedy Wharf each year.
There also used to be a Toll House alongside Cropedy Wharf - charges were estimated by measuring the heights of the barges above the waterline and using a gauging rod to calculate the weight of the cargo.
Cropedy Wharf Bridge 153, The Oxford Canal, England. Cropedy Wharf Bridge crosses the Oxford Canal. Cropedy Mill Bridge 154 - Oxford Canal in England
Cropedy Wharf Bridge 153
Cropedy Wharf Bridge 153
Cropedy Mill Bridge 154


Cropedy Mill Bridge 154, The Oxford Canal, England. Keens Bridge 155, The Oxford Canal, England. Keens Bridge 155 goes over the Oxford Canal.
Cropedy Mill Bridge 154
Keens Bridge 155
Keens Bridge 155

 

Oxford Canal - Slat Mill Bridge 156
Slat Mill Bridge 156
Slat Mill Bridge 156, The Oxford Canal, England.
Slat Mill Bridge 156
Slat Mill Lock, The Oxford Canal, England.
Slat Mill Lock 26
Slat Mill Lock 27 on the Oxford Canal in England
Slat Mill Lock
Caves Bridge 157, The Oxford Canal, England.
Caves Bridge 157
Oxford Canal - Caves Bridge
Caves Bridge 157
Bourton Bridge 158, The Oxford Canal, England.
Bourton Bridge 158
Bourton Bridge 158 - Oxford Canal
Bourton Bridge 158
Little Bourton Lock, The Oxford Canal, England.
Little Bourton Lock 27
Oxford Canal - Little Bourton Lock nbr 27
Little Bourton Lock 27
Little Bourton Lock controlling the Oxford Canal
Little Bourton Lock
Little Bourton Lock Gates, The Oxford Canal, England.
Little Bourton Lock Gates
Canal Bridge 159, The Oxford Canal, England.
Oxford Canal Bridge 159
Oxford-Canal Bridge 159
Oxford Canal Bridge 159
Oxford Canal - M40 bridge north of Banbury
Oxford Canal - M40 Bridge
Hardwick-Lock 28 on the Oxford Canal
Hardwick Lock 28
Hardwick-Lock Gates, The Oxford Canal, England.
Hardwick Lock Gates
Hardwick Bridge 160, The Oxford Canal, England.
Hardwick Bridge 160
Hardwick Bridge - Oxford Canal
Hardwick Bridge - Oxford Canal
Railway Bridge over the Oxford Canal - N. Banbury
Railway Bridge Oxford Canal Banbury
Oxford Canal footbridge
Oxford Canal Footbridge Banbury
Road bridge over the Oxford Canal north Banbury
N Banbury Roadbridge
Marsh Bridge 163, The Oxford Canal, England.
Marsh Bridge 163
Marsh Bridge - Oxford Canal England
Marsh Bridge - Oxford Canal
Tom Rolt Bridge at Banbury - Oxford Canal
Tom Rolt Bridge Banbury
Spiceball Bridge, The Oxford Canal, England.
Spiceball Lift Bridge 164

Banbury Lock, The Oxford Canal, England.
Banbury Lock 29

Lift Bridge no165 at Banbury, The Oxford Canal, England.
Pedestrian Lift Bridge 165

The Oxford Canal and it's features, bridges and locks etc. are shown in sequence over several pages:-
A photo record of the Oxford Canal's locks
Northern end of the Oxford canal - Sutton Stop to Braunston Turn
Braunston going on south to Banbury in Oxfordshire - this page
Banbury into Oxford - the end of the Oxford Canal

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