Canal locks · West Midlands
Benson Lock
Benson Lock — lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 min–45 min
- Nearest railway station
- Wallingford · 2.4 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
Benson Lock is a canal lock in the United Kingdom. Wikidata describes it as: "lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England". Coordinates: 51.6163°, -1.1175°.
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Chilterns
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Benson Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, close to Benson, Oxfordshire but on the opposite bank of the river. The first pound lock here was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1788 and it was replaced by the present masonry lock in 1870. The distance between Benson Lock and Cleeve Lock downstream is 6.5 miles (10.4 km) - the longest distance between locks on the River Thames. The weir runs from the lock island level with the lock across to the Benson side. There is a footbridge over the weir which replaced the ferry which operated here previously. The Thames Path crosses the river here.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The history of the weir can be traced back into the late 14th century when there was a mill at "Bensington". The mill island and stream are on the Benson side downstream of the lock although the mill itself is long gone. There was also a flash lock, although the first definite reference to this is in 1746. The pound lock was built of oak in 1788 and it is noted that, uniquely for this lock, "Low Country men" were employed at a higher than average wage. Thacker conjectures that these were Dutch specialists. The lock was rebuilt of masonry in 1870. Originally the lock was attended (or not - according to some accounts) by the miller, but there is reference to a (deserted) lock house in 1865.…
Visiting
The lock is a short distance from the village of Benson and can be reached across the weir. The weir is currently closed for refurbishment until 2025.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.6163, -1.1175
- County
- Oxfordshire
- District
- South Oxfordshire
- Parish
- Brightwell-cum-Sotwell
- Postcode
- OX10 8LQ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Didcot and Wantage
- Nearest railway station
- Wallingford — 2.4 km
- Official site
- www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q4890269 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Benson Lock (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Benson Lock - geograph.org.uk - 2536402.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Loading nearby places…
Nearby
📷 3Memorials & monuments · West Midlands
Benson War Memorial
Benson War Memorial is a memorial in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · West Midlands
Benson, Oxfordshire
Benson is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, England. The 2011 Census gave the parish population as 4,754. It lies about a mile and a half (2.4 km) north of Wallingford at the foot of th
📷 3Parks · West Midlands
Howbery Park
Howbery Park — park in Oxfordshire, UK.
📷 5Museums · West Midlands
Benson Veteran Cycle Museum
Benson Veteran Cycle Museum is a private museum of veteran cycles in the village of Benson near Wallingford in Oxfordshire, England. The museum has over 500 cycles dating from 1818 to 1930, with assoc
📷 3Museums · West Midlands
Wallingford Phone Box Museum
Wallingford Phone Box Museum — a museum in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Natural landmarks · West Midlands
Wallingford School
Wallingford School — a school heritage in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
More places in this region
📷 3Canal locks · West Midlands
Abingdon Lock
Abingdon Lock — lock on the River Thames in England.
📷 3Canal locks · West Midlands
Baddiley Lock Number 1
Baddiley Lock Number 1 — Grade II listed building in Baddiley, Cheshire, England, UK.
📷 3Canal locks · West Midlands
Baddiley Lock Number 2
Baddiley Lock Number 2 — Grade II listed building in Baddiley, Cheshire, England, UK.
📷 3Canal locks · West Midlands
Baddiley Lock Number 3
Baddiley Lock Number 3 — Grade II listed building in Baddiley, Cheshire, England, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Benson Lock?
- Benson Lock is in Oxfordshire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode OX10 8LQ), in the parish of Brightwell-cum-Sotwell.
- Is Benson Lock a protected site?
- Yes — Benson Lock is part of the Chilterns National Landscape (AONB) and the North Wessex Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- How do I get to Benson Lock?
- The nearest railway station is Wallingford, about 2.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode OX10 8LQ.