Shiplake Lock

Shiplake Lock

Shiplake lock looking downstream with Shiplake Railway Bridge in the distance
Waterway	River Thames
County	Oxfordshire
Maintained by	Environment Agency
Operation	Hydraulic
First built	1773
Latest built	1874
Length	40.64 m (133 ft 4 in)
Width	5.56 m (18 ft 3 in)
Fall	1.55 m (5 ft 1 in)
Above sea level	110'
Distance to Teddington Lock	49 miles

Shiplake Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England near the village of Shiplake, Oxfordshire. It is just above the points where the River Loddon joins the Thames and Shiplake Railway Bridge crosses the river. The first pound lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773.

The weir is some distance upstream of the lock between the lock island and Berkshire bank.

There is reference to the weir and flash lock at this location in the 16th century when it was known as "Cotterell's", a name which persisted after the pound lock was built. It was the second downstream of the eight locks built after the navigation act of 1770, and was completed in fir wood in 1773. At this time the towpath upstream was transferred from the Berkshire to the Oxfordshire bank. The lock had to be rebuilt of oak in 1787 as the fir had decayed. There were two mills on the island at this time. The lock was rebuilt again in 1874 and the weir in 1885. The lock island was purchased by the City of London Corporation for camping in 1891, and in 1907 the ruined mills were demolished. Shiplake Lock was the first lock on the Thames to have hydraulic operation installed in 1961. During the winter of 2009/2010 the wooden lock gates were replaced with steel gates at a cost of £600,000.

The reason for the purchase of Shiplake Lock Island by the Corporation was to preserve the amenities for bathing and camping. It was managed by the Corporation's City Lands Committee. However, managing at a distance proved a problem and the island was let in perpetuity in 1914 to the Thames Conservancy. The camp was then divided into 18 plots and run by the lock keepers.

Soon after taking over, the Conservancy allowed huts to be built near the tents. The use of these was restricted to cooking and they were not to be used for sleeping. (At that time, ladies were not allowed to sleep on the island at all, but had to retire to wooden huts on the Shiplake bank).