Benson Lock

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Benson Lock
The keeper's house and lock at Benson Lock
Waterway	River Thames
County	Oxfordshire
Maintained by	Environment Agency
Operation	Hydraulic
First built	1788
Latest built	1870
Length	133’ 1” (40.56m)
Width	17’ 11” (5.46m)
Fall	6’ 2” (1.87m)
Above Sea Level	144'
Distance to Teddington Lock	72 miles

Benson Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, close to Benson,Oxfordshire but on the opposite bank of the river. The history of the weir can be traced back into the 1300s. The first pound lock here was built of oak by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1788. The present masonry lock dates from 1870 and the lock keeper's house from 1913. 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.

Contents 1 Access to and across the lock 2 Reach above the lock 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Access to and across the lock

The lock is a short distance from the town of Benson and can be reached across the weir.

[edit] Reach above the lock

About halfway along the reach, the river passes through Shillingford and under Shillingford Bridge. For a great part of the way the two round topped hills of the Wittenham Clumps are in view. After Shillingford the River Thame enters the river from the direction of Dorchester which is a short way to the north.

Benson Lock
legend River Thames Day's Lock Little Wittenham Bridge Dorchester bridge River Thame -- -- (navigable by small boats) Shillingford Bridge Benson Lock weir Old mill River Thames

The Thames Path, which crosses the river at the lock, follows a road in Benson and rejoins the river, running along the northern/eastern bank to Shillingford. At Shillingford the path follows a diversion through the town, rejoining the river outside the town. It continues on the northern bank, over the River Thame to Little Wittenham Bridge where it crosses just before Day's Lock.

[edit] See also

• Locks on the River Thames
• Crossings of the River Thames

[edit] External links

• Benson Lock: About The Thames

Next lock upstream	River Thames	Next lock downstream
Day's Lock 3.96 miles	Benson Lock Grid reference: SU612912	Cleeve Lock 6.50 miles
Next crossing upstream	River Thames	Next crossing downstream
Shillingford Bridge	Benson Lock	Wallingford Bridge
Next crossing upstream	Thames Path	Next crossing downstream
northern bank Little Wittenham Bridge	Benson Lock	southern bank Goring and Streatley Bridge

Coordinates: 51.61631° N 1.11748° W