Days Lock, Narrowboats#, Widebeams# and Pooh Sticks

POOH STICKS
The World Annual Pooh Sticks Championships, on behalf of the RNLI, have taken place annually here since 1984.

The event was started by Lynn David who was a lock keeper here at Day's. Hundreds of people turn out to watch this event and teams from across the globe take part; it was inspired by A A Milne's tale about Winnie the Pooh. The race involves dropping sticks into the river and seeing who's is first to the finish line.

DAYS LOCK
The name Day's Lock comes from the Day family, local Catholic yeomen since the 17th century.

For centuries this has been a religious area. Neolithic man built ritual henges a mile upstream. During the sixth century, St Birinus established the first cathedral in Wessex bring Christianity to the South West of England.

During the 16th century, there was a flash lock here. The pound lock was planned in August 1788. It was judged best to build it on the Oxfordshire bank provided the existing weir owner
would "remove his bucks"(eel traps).

A little over a mile north is the small village of Burcot; in 1605 King James 1 instigated the Oxford-Burcot Commission who built the first locks on the Thames in the 1620's, they were also responsible for appointing commissioners for sewers to help make the river cleaner.

Work was slow and the first barge did not reach Oxford until 1635. Later the Thames Navigation Commission was appointed under King George 2nd. Existing locks were renovated and updated and more locks built.

Day's lock was first constructed in 1789 as part of a series of locks built along the Thames in order to facilitate navigation and transport of goods.
The lock is across the river from the small village of Little Wittenham and is overlooked from the south by the hills of Wittenham Clumps.

Wittenham Clumps, 2 hills topped by trees. These are the Sinodun Hills - known locally as the Wittenham Clumps.
In the past and somewhat less respectfully as Mother Dunch's Buttocks. The unfortunate Mother Dunch was the wife of a less-than-popular local medieval squire.

Prior to the construction of the lock, the river was difficult to navigate due to its shallow and winding nature and constantly varying river conditions.
The construction of the lock and others that followed later, allowed for a more manageable and consistent depth of water, making navigation easier, which increased trade and commerce along the Thames in the area.

The original lock was operated by a lock keeper who lived in a nearby cottage. It was manually operated using a system of gears and pulleys.
Over time, the lock and its operation have undergone several changes and updates. Today, it is motor driven but can still be done using a manual cranking wheel.

Day's Lock is the main gauging station for measuring the flow of water in the river.

Just downstream is Little Wittenham Bridge which spans the river in two sections. The island in the middle in known as Lock House Island as the lock house was built here in 1928.

In addition to its role in transportation and commerce, Days Lock has also played a part in several historic events.

During World War II, the lock was used to store fuel for the RAF's Spitfire planes and was heavily guarded to prevent enemy sabotage.
The lock also played a role in the filming of the popular British TV series, "Midsomer Murders."

Today, Days Lock remains an important and picturesque spot on the River Thames, attracting tourists and boaters from around the world.
The lock and its surrounding area are protected as part of the Thames Path National Trail and are home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including swans, ducks and herons.

In 1865 it was in total ruin and dangerous. Reconstruction did not take place until 1871.
In 1882 a bell push to alert the lock keeper was installed, as there was no lock keeper's house here at that time.
The lock house was not built until 1928 when it was erected on Lock House Island next to Little Wittenham Bridge.

The weir runs straight across the river from the other side of the lock island. The Thames Path crosses the river here.

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