There is an error somewhere which results in the reach downstream from Godstow Lock showing a negative gradient. I think the Tail gate pile zero is not correct (and may be 1 metre too high). Negative gradients are simply ignored by my calculations of the river flow.
Maps
This section in The Stripling Thames by Fred Thacker
Right Bank, tel: 01865 54784, length: 110'0", width: 16'3"
1992: Skyscan's Aerial View of Godstow Lock and Port Meadow with Oxford in the distance, in The Secret Thames -
Skyscan's Aerial View Godstow Lock and Port Meadow.
Godstow Lock
is for me the start of the upper river.
Below Godstow is the Oxford section with its
rowing and punts and eventually Salters Steamers.
I know Londoners think the upper river starts where London stops -
but the upper river for me is that remote section above Oxford which few people
know or have seen.
1909: Fred Thacker, The Stripling Thames -
Althought there be other regions in England even richer in history and beauty,
they lack the prestige and the crowning embellishment he [the Thames] bestows.
I have learned to love this countryside, to wish to revive for myself its ancient life,
and to discover what share of the wide history of England it was immediately aware of. And I have
therefore explored many libraries and gleaned some harvest from their discoloured folios and pamphlets;
I have learned much through the courtesy of rectors and of lowlier men.
Some of us Rectors are actually quite lowly!
Godstow Lock.
1789: Jessop - “Woodward’s Hole”
1790: Godstow Lock built;
Harris “keeper of the Oxford Gaol being the Commissioners’ adviser”
1896: Andrew Lang -
Godstow Lock, Andrew Lang, 1896.
1900s? Mrs Bryan Stapleton Three Oxfordshire Parishes – “The erection of the pound lock at Godstow … destroyed the fordway into Pixey” [ the great mead above Port Meadow, ie the left bank between Godstow Lock and Kings Lock ]
Fred Thacker’s Map, 1920.
Managing the river in drought (when the weirs are not running) -
Kings and Godstow locks are fairly similar in length and width but the depth at Godstow is double that of Kings. Godstow therefore takes twice as much water out of the reach as Kings puts in. If they were operated the same number of times the level of the water in the reach between them would fall. By permitting some flow through the weir at the upstream lock the reach is kept in balance.
[ Of course the above does not actually mean 'depth'. The depth of the locks is not material. It is the fall that matters -
the difference in level between lock full and lock empty - which governs the volume of water used by the lock. ]
2004: From my log book -
In 2004 I came down through Godstow Lock in my punt. As I entered the lock there was light rain
and some very dark clouds. As the level dropped so did the clouds and as I left the lock
the rain came down in torrents.
I could hardly breathe let alone see where I was going. The water inside the punt was
visibly deepening. I ran straight up the right bank at right angles and sat down
and began to bail. I reckon over an inch of rain fell in that hour I was there. I was
frozen to the bone and when the hail started it felt like the end of the world.
However it slowly eased off and I punted up to the Trout and slopped into their lavatory
and changed my clothes. A hot meal later and with everything gently steaming in the July sun
all was well again.
The moral is - if you must get caught in a cloudburst, always do so near a hot meal!
But seriously - even at the height of an English Summer - weather can change a light hearted
trip into a serious matter. Enough rain can fall in an hour to compromise the stability of
some small boats. And hypothermia can affect anyone - anywhere.
2006: Waterways News -
Godstow Lock in Oxford was highly commended for its £400,000 refurbishment in the Environmental and Historic category. Located on the site of a 12th century nunnery managed by English Heritage, the lock is one of the narrowest on the Thames at just 4.95 metres wide. The unusual site meant all construction work had to be carried out sensitively within a very restricted working area.
(Upstream to Godstow Nunnery)
Introduction
Estuary
PLA
QEII Br
Barrier
Tower Br
Custom Ho
London Br
; Frost Fairs
Cannon St Rb
The Great Stink
Southwark Br
Millenium Br
Blackfriars Rb
Blackfriars Br
Waterloo Br
Charing Cross Rb
Westminster Br
Lambeth Br
Vauxhall Br
Victoria Rb
Chelsea Br
Albert Br
Battersea Br
Battersea Rb
Wandsworth Br
Fulham Rb
Putney Br
Hammersmith Br
Barnes Rb
Chiswick Br
Kew Rb
Kew Br
RICHMOND
Twickenham Br
Richmond Rb
Richmond Br
TEDDINGTON
Kingston Rb
Kingston Br
Ditton Slip
Hampton Br
MOLESEY
SUNBURY
Walton Br
Desborough Cut
SHEPPERTON
Chertsey Br
CHERTSEY
M3 Br
Laleham Slip
PENTON HOOK
Staines Rb
Staines Br
Runnymede Br
BELL WEIR
Magna Carta Is
OLD WINDSOR
Albert Br
Datchet
Victoria Br
Black Potts Rb
ROMNEY
Eton
Windsor Br
Windsor Rb
Windsor Slip
Elizabeth Br
BOVENEY
Dorney Lake
York Cut
Summerleaze Fb
MonkeyIsland
New Thames Br
BRAY
Bray Slip
Maidenhead Rb
Maidenhead Br
Below Boulters
BOULTERS
Cliveden
Hedsor
COOKHAM
Cookham Slip
Cookham Br
BourneEnd RFb
Quarry Woods
A404 Br
MARLOW
Marlow Br
Bisham
TEMPLE
HURLEY
Medmenham
Culham Ct
Aston Slip
HAMBLEDEN
Temple Is
Fawley Ct
Remenham
Regatta
Phyllis Ct
Henley Slip
Leander
Red Lion
Henley Br
Angel on Br
Landing
Hobbs Boatyard
Hobbs Slipway
MARSH
Hennerton
Bolney
Wargrave
Shiplake Rb
R.Loddon
SHIPLAKE
Sonning Br
SONNING
Dreadnought
K&A Canal
CAVERSHAM
Reading Br
Caversham Br
Reading Slip
Purley
MAPLEDURHAM
Hardwick Ho
Whitchurch Br
WHITCHURCH
Hartswood Reach
Gatehampton Rb
Goring Gap
Goring Br
GORING
Swan
CLEEVE
Moulsford
Moulsford Rb
Papist Way Slip
Winterbrook Br
Wallingford Br
BENSON
Shillingford Br
R.Thame
DAYS
Burcot
Clifton Hampden
Clifton Church
Clifton H Br
Barley Mow
Long Wittenham
CLIFTON
Appleford Rb
Sutton Courtenay
Sutton Br
CULHAM
Culham Cut Fb
Abingdon Slip
Abingdon
Abingdon Br
ABINGDON
Nuneham Rb
Nuneham
Nuneham Park
Radley Boats
SANDFORD
Rose Island
Kennington Rb
Isis Br
Iffley Mill
IFFLEY
Oxford Rowing
Isis
Donnington Br
Riverside Slip
Boathouses
Punting
Lower Cherwell
Upper Cherwell
Islip
Head of River
Salters Steamers
Folly Br
Bacons Folly
Oxford Fb
Osney Fb
Weir stream
Osney Rb
Bullstake Stream
Osney Marina
OSNEY
Osney Br
Four Rivers
OLD RIVER
CANAL
Medley Weir Site
Medley Fb
Bossoms
Perch
Trout
GODSTOW
Godstow Nunnery
Godstow Br
Thames Br
KINGS
River Evenlode
EYNSHAM
Swinford Br
Oxford Cruisers
PINKHILL
Farmoor
Stanton Harcourt
Bablock Slip
Arks Weir Site
NORTHMOOR
Harts Fb
Rose Revived
Newbridge
Maybush
River Windrush
below Shifford
SHIFFORD
Shifford Fb
Tenfoot Fb
Trout Inn
Tadpole Br
RUSHEY
Old Mans Fb
RADCOT
Radcot Cradle Fb
Swan Inn
Radcot New Br
Radcot Old Br
GRAFTON
Eaton Hastings
Kelmscott
Eaton Fb
BUSCOT
Bloomers Hole Fb
Trout Inn
St Johns Br
ST JOHNS
Halfpenny Br
Marina Slip
LIMIT
Inglesham
Hannington Br
Kempsford
Castle Eaton Br
Marston Meysey
A419 Br
Cricklade
SOURCE?
THAMES HEAD
SEVEN SPRINGS