Boveney Lock facts for kids
Boveney Lock, with a bridge across the Portage to private mooring. Windsor Racecourse can be seen on the far bank
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| Waterway | River Thames |
|---|---|
| County | Buckinghamshire |
| Maintained by | Environment Agency |
| Operation | Hydraulic |
| First built | 1838 |
| Latest built | 1898 |
| Length | 45.59 m (149 ft 7 in) |
| Width | 5.43 m (17 ft 10 in) |
| Fall | 1.47 m (4 ft 10 in) |
| Above sea level | 64 feet (20 m) |
| Distance to Teddington Lock |
26 miles (42 km) |
| Power is available out of hours. | |
Boveney Lock is a special kind of gate system, called a lock, on the famous River Thames. It's located on the Buckinghamshire side of the river. You can find it across from the Windsor Racecourse and near the village of Eton Wick.
A village called Boveney is also nearby, a bit further upstream on the same side. The first lock here was built in 1838 by the Thames Navigation Commission. Later, in 1898, the lock was rebuilt closer to the Buckinghamshire bank. At the old lock's spot, a set of rollers was put in to help boats move past easily.
Next to the lock, there's a weir. A weir is like a small dam that controls the water level. This weir runs almost parallel to the lock, connecting to the other side of the lock island.
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History of Boveney Lock
Even though the river below Maidenhead was supposed to be clear of weirs, old records show there was once a weir and a flash lock at a place called Gill's bucks. A flash lock was a very old type of lock that used a gate to create a sudden rush of water.
People started suggesting a modern "pound lock" here as early as 1780. A pound lock is the kind we see today, with two gates that create a chamber to raise or lower boats. In 1820, many plans were made for a new lock. Some plans suggested making new channels to avoid tricky bends in the river.
However, the current spot was chosen in the end. A timber (wooden) lock was built here in 1838. Eton College boats often traveled this part of the river to Queen's Eyot. Because of this regular traffic, a temporary boat slide was built in 1895. This slide became permanent in 1898 when a new lock was built right next to the old one. The weir was also rebuilt around 1913.
How to Get to the Lock
Boveney Lock is not very close to any main roads. You can reach it by walking from Eton Wick. Just follow the towpath, which is a path alongside the river.
The River Above Boveney Lock
On the Buckinghamshire side, you'll see open fields leading towards Dorney. Behind these fields is Dorney Lake, a famous rowing venue. On the Berkshire side, the river passes Bush Ait, which is an island at the start of Clewer Mill Stream.
Further along, you'll find houses at Dedworth, a caravan park, and Windsor Marina. Then comes Oakley Court, a historic building used in many old horror films. Upstream from there is Queens Eyot, an island owned by Eton College, which is opposite Bray Marina.
Next, York Stream joins the river from "The Cut" on the southern bank. The Summerleaze Footbridge crosses the river here. It was first built to carry gravel for the construction of Dorney Lake, but now it's a bridge for people to walk across. A little further upstream is Monkey Island, and then the M4 Bridge crosses the river just before Bray Lock.
Sports Clubs Nearby
- Eton Excelsior Rowing Club is a rowing club located in this area.
The Thames Path
The Thames Path is a long-distance walking trail that follows the River Thames. In this section, the path stays on the northern side of the river all the way to Bray Lock.
