Day's Lock facts for kids
Sculler waits to enter Day's Lock while a cruiser tries to come out sideways
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| Waterway | River Thames |
|---|---|
| County | Oxfordshire |
| Maintained by | Environment Agency |
| Operation | Hydraulic |
| First built | 1789 |
| Latest built | 1925 |
| Length | 46.93 m (154 ft 0 in) |
| Width | 6.45 m (21 ft 2 in) |
| Fall | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) |
| Above sea level | 149' |
| Distance to Teddington Lock |
76 miles |
| Coordinates | 51°38′18″N 1°10′45″W / 51.63834°N 1.17919°W |
Day's Lock is a special kind of gate system on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It's located near the village of Dorchester-on-Thames. This lock helps boats move safely up and down the river.
It was built way back in 1789 by a group called the Thames Navigation Commissioner. The lock is right across the river from the small village of Little Wittenham. You can see it clearly from the hills of Wittenham Clumps, especially from a spot called Round Hill.
Next to the lock, there's a weir. A weir is like a small dam that controls the water level. At Day's Lock, the weir goes straight across the river from an island next to the lock.
Day's Lock is also very important for measuring the River Thames's water flow. It's the main "gauging station" where they check how much water is moving. The famous Thames Path, a long walking trail, crosses the river right here.
Did you know? The World Poohsticks Championships are held here every year! This fun event, which helps raise money for the RNLI, has been happening since 1983.
History of Day's Lock
The name Day's Lock comes from the Day family. They were a local Catholic family who lived in the area since the 1600s. Before the current lock, there was an older type of lock here called a flash lock. A flash lock was a simple barrier that could be opened quickly to create a rush of water, helping boats get through.
In August 1788, plans were made to build the modern "pound lock." A pound lock is a chamber with gates at both ends that fills or empties to raise or lower boats. It was decided to build it on the Oxfordshire side of the river.
By 1865, the lock was in very bad shape and considered dangerous. However, it wasn't rebuilt until 1871. In 1882, a special bell was added so boaters could call the lock keeper, as there wasn't a house for the keeper yet. The lock keeper's house was finally built in 1928 on Lock House Island, next to Little Wittenham Bridge.
How to Reach Day's Lock
Just a short distance downstream from the lock, you'll find Little Wittenham Bridge. This bridge crosses the river in two parts, with an island in between. You can walk to the lock easily from Little Wittenham, where there's a car park near St Peter's Church. It's a bit longer walk if you're coming from Dorchester.
Exploring the River Above Day's Lock
On the eastern side of the river, further north, is the historic town of Dorchester. It's home to the ancient Abbey, which is a very old and important church.
The river then takes a long, curving path towards Clifton Hampden. Here, it flows under Clifton Hampden Bridge and past a famous old pub called the Barley Mow. This pub was even mentioned in the classic book, Three Men in a Boat!
After the bridge and before you reach Clifton Lock, the river splits. The main path for boats follows something called the Clifton Cut. The older part of the river, which winds past Long Wittenham, is now mostly a weirstream and doesn't have much public access for walking.
The Thames Path follows the western or southern bank of the river all the way to Clifton Hampden Bridge. At the bridge, the path crosses over to the northern bank and continues towards Clifton Lock.
Upstream from Day's Lock, you'll see special markers called navigation transit markers. These help boats check their speed. If a powered boat takes less than one minute to pass between these markers, it means they are going too fast!
