Jim Shead Waterways Photographer & Writer

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

Oxford Canal (Southern Section)

Description: Runs 49.25 miles from Napton Junction, where it joins the Grand Union Main Line, to Oxford where it joins the Thames.

History: Fenny Compton Tunnel was opened out in 1870. The name remains and its site can be recognised by the straight stretch of narrow canal in a cutting crossed by several bridges. In 1939 L. T. C. Rolt, on board Cressy, made his historic trip from Banbury, later recorded in his seminal classic canal book Narrow Boat.
For more details see the History page.

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Oxford Canal

By Priors Hardwick Bridge

Related Books

The Canals of the East Midlands by Charles Hadfield, Edition: 3rd impression, ISBN: 0-7153-4871-X, 294 pages, Published by David & Charles, in 1981, (including part of London). Order now from .
The Flower of Gloster by Ernest Temple Thurston, Edition: 1st edition, 244 pages, Published by Williams & Norgate, in 1911, Classic story of an early canal boat trip, illustrated by W R Dakin..
Southern Inland Waterways by Derek Pratt, ISBN: 0 7110 1225 3, 128 pages, Published by Ian Allan, in 1982, Has 202 b/w photos with a colour cover. It covers the River Thames and its attendant waterways including the southern G.U. and Oxford, and all the Kennet & Avon. Size 9 ½" x 7 ¼. . Order now from .
A Towpath Walk in Oxford by Mark Davies and Catherine Robinson, ISBN: 0 9535593 1 9, 112 pages, Published by Oxford Towpath Press, in 2001, An illustrated guide to the Oxford Canal and the River Thames within the Oxford area.. Order now from .
In the Wake of the 'Flower of Gloster' by John Kemplay, ISBN: 0 9518964 2 3, 74 pages, Published by Ronald Crowhurst, in 2004, A reconstruction of Temple Thurston's voyage of 1911 as described in his book 'The Flower of Gloster'.. Order now from .

Related videos

The South Oxford Canal , Released in 1991, 0 minutes Produced by VideoActive, tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
World's Most Beautiful Waterways , 1 hour 10 minutes Produced by Contender Ltd, A waterway journey from Worcester to Oxford via the River Avon, Hatton and Banbury. Available on tape. Order on video tape from
Heart of England Route , 0 minutes Produced by VideoActive, tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from

Related photographs

Oxford Canal (Southern Section): Heyford Wharf Bridge No 206 Blue Line Camping Cruiser
Oxford Canal (Southern Section): Aynho Bridge No 190 Aynho Wharf
Oxford Canal (Southern Section): Aynho Bridge No 190 Aynho Wharf - Ian Cooper
Oxford Canal (Southern Section): King's Sutton Lock No 31 Beryl and Lorna-Ann at King's Sutton Lock
Oxford Canal (Southern Section): Claydon Top Lock No 17 Monarch
Oxford Canal (Southern Section): Grant's Lock No 30 Replacing the sill plate
Oxford Canal (Southern Section): Priors Hardwick Bridge No 123 Boat and swan with cygnets
Oxford Canal (Southern Section): Slat Mill Lock No 26

Related External Web Sites

Anglo Welsh A large narrowboat hire company with a good choice of bases and boats.
College Cruisers Narrowboat hire based in the centre of Oxford on the Oxford Canal.
Napton Narrowboats Hire boats at two Bases in the UK on the South Oxford and Shropshire Union Canals
Oxfordshire Narrowboats Two to twelve berth narrowboat holidays on the South Oxford Canal.
Cowroast Marinas Marina Services and boat sales based at Cowroast on the Grand Union and Fenny Compton on the Oxford Canal.
Kingsground Narrowboats Boat fitters based at Upper Heyford and with moorings at Enslow on the Oxford Canal
Wildcat Enterprises A small family run company, based on the Oxford Canal near Banbury, offering individual tuition in all aspects of boat handling on rivers and canals.

Related Cruising Logs

Other Related Pages

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 72 foot, beam 6 foot 10 inches. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

Oxford Canal (Southern Section): Table of distances		Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Napton Junction	Junction with Grand Union Main Line Junction with the Grand Union Main Line	0	0	N	SP467624	151
Coventry Road Bridge No 109		0.5	0	N	SP463622	151
Napton Bridge No 111	A425 road and Napton Wharf	1	0	N	SP456619	151
Napton Brickyard Bridge No 112		1.3	0	N	SP452614	151
Napton Bottom Lock No 8	The Folly Bridge No 113	2.3	1	N	SP457606	151
Napton Lock No 9		2.4	2	N	SP457604	151
Napton Locks Nos 10 and 11	Gilkes Bridge No 114	2.5	4	N	SP457602	151
Napton Locks Nos 12 and 13	Shut Bridge No 115	2.8	6	N	SP457597	151
Greens Lock No 14	Part of the Napton Flight	3.1	7	N	SP458592	151
Napton Lock No 15		3.9	8	N	SP465585	151
Napton Top Lock No 16	Marston Doles Bridge No 119	4	9	N	SP464582	151
Priors Hardwick Bridge No 123	Priors Hardwick 1 mile south-east	5.3	9	N	SP461568	151
Griffins Bridge No 131		9.3	9	N	SP430550	151
Sherne Hill Bridge No 135	Wormleighton three-quarters of a mile east.	11.3	9	N	SP435534	151
Fenny Compton Wharf	A423 road bridge No 136	11.5	9	N	SP431532	151
Claydon Top Lock No 17	Claydon Top Bridge No 144	15	10	N	SP465504	151
Claydon Bottom Lock No 21	Claydon Bottom Bridge No 146	15.5	14	N	SP465496	151
Elkington's Lock No 22	Elkington's Bridge No 148	16.5	15	N	SP468485	151
Varney's Lock No 23		16.8	16	N	SP470481	151
Broadmoor Lock No 24	Broadmoor Bridge No 150	17	17	N	SP471478	151
Cropredy Lock No 25	Cropredy Bridge No 152 and Village	17.8	18	N	SP470467	151
Slat Mill Lock No 26	Slat Mill Bridge No 156	19.1	19	N	SP470449	151
Little Borton Lock No 27	Jobson's Lock	20	20	N	SP464438	151
Hardwick Lock No 28	Salmon's Lock	20.9	21	N	SP464426	151
Grimsbury Wharf	Lift bridge No 162	21.5	21	N	SP455417	151
Banbury Lock No 29	Banbury Town Centre	22.3	22	N	SP458407	151
Grant's Lock No 30	Grant's Bridge No 174	24.4	23	N	SP480382	151
Twyford Bridge No 177	Twyford Wharf	25	23	N	SP482372	151
King's Sutton Lock No 31	Tarver's Bridge No 179	25.9	24	N	SP490365	151
Nell Bridge Lock No 32	Nell Bridge No 187. A41 road bridge.	27.8	25	N	SP494343	151
Aynho Weir Lock No 33		28.5	26	N	SP494336	151
Aynho Bridge No 190	Ayhno Village 1.25 miles north-east up B4031.	29.1	26	N	SP487322	151
Somerton Deep Lock No 34	Bridge No 194	31	27	N	SP494298	164
Heyford Common Lock No 35	Heyford Comon Bridge No 200	33.3	28	N	SP486269	164
Allen's Lock No 36	Allen's Bridge No 204 leading to Upper Heyford Village	33.9	29	N	SP492261	164
Heyford Wharf Bridge No 206	B4030 road bridge leading to Lower Heyford village	35.1	29	N	SP482246	164
Dashwood's Lock No 37	Dashwood's Bridge No 209	36.6	30	N	SP486226	164
North Brook Lock No 38		37.1	31	N	SP488217	164
Pigeon's Lock No 39	Enser's Mill Lock. Pigeon's Bridge No 213	39.1	32	N	SP487194	164
Enslow Bridge No 216	A4095 road bridge	40.4	32	N	SP479182	164
Baker's Lock No 40	Gibraltar Lock. North end of River Cherwell section	40.8	33	N	SP479178	164
Shipton Weir Lock No 41	South end of River Cherwell Section	41.8	34	N	SP487170	164
Thrupp Bend		42.9	34	N	SP482159	164
Langford Lane Bridge No 224	A423 road bridge	43.4	34	N	SP482150	164
Roundham Lock No 42	Roundham Bridge No 226	44.1	35	N	SP483140	164
Yarton Lane Bridge No 228	Kidlington half a mile north	44.6	35	N	SP488133	164
Kidlington Green Lock No 43		45	36	N	SP491128	164
King's Bridge No 230	A34 road bridge	45.9	36	N	SP489115	164
Dukes Lock No 44	Junction with Duke's Cut Junction with Duke's Cut Branch leading to the River Thames	46.4	37	N	SP487106	164
Wolvercote Lock No 45	Wolvercote Bridge No 235	47.1	38	N	SP493098	164
Aristotle Bridge No 240		48.6	38	N	SP504078	164
Isis Lock No 46	Junction with River Thames Junction with River Thames	49.4	39	N	SP505066	164
End of Hythe Bridge Arm	End of navigation	49.5	39	N	SP507063	164

NOTE: N and U in the Navigable column above indicates that the node is navigable or unnavigable. If a D appears here it means that navigation is difficult or restricted to smaller craft.

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.