Wet Sandford/ Sandford-On-Thames |

Oct
13thWet Sandford/ Sandford-On-Thames

Let me show you a section of the Thames I haven’t shared before- Sandford on Thames.

There’s a pub called the Kings Arms.

It is very old but has been renovated.

Here is an early photo of Sandford Lock

and now. There are new flats to the right of the photo. Will share later.

There was an early photo of the next lock upstream Iffley, where I have taken you before.

Sandford Lock-Keeper’s Cottage.

The lock looking downstream towards London

And looking upstream towards Oxford.

Here is a map showing the length of the Thames. The top is West. Click to read.

Those of you who have read “3 men in a Boat” by Jerome K Jerome will find the names familiar.

Map of the Sandford area.

We cross the lock from the pub and walk upstream.

Traditional boat.

Pyramid shaped house.

A modern boat called Captain Toad. For fans of Mr Toad from Wind in the Willows, Toad Hall is Mapledurham House on the Thames further downstream between Whitchurch and Caversham near Reading.

What an unusual summerhouse- straught out of Cinderella.

Sandford Weir.

I came across some interesting funghi.

If you keep going along the tow path you end up in Iffley. Kennington Fields are just out of shot.

But let us go downstream of Sandford Lock. This lump of stone is the mounting block for you to get back on your horse, after crossing the section of river below.

I am standing on the modern bridge so the stone is now defunct.

From here you can see the full extent of the modern flats at the lock. The dark brown one to the left is on the site where the old mill once stood.

Plaque on the lock from when it was officially re-opened in 1973.

Although the river is beautiful, it is also deadly. Several Oxford students died here including the adopted son of Peter Pan’s author JM Barrie in 1921.