Sandford Lock, River lock and footbridge in Sandford-on-Thames, England.
Sandford Lock is a river lock and footbridge in Sandford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, set on the non-tidal stretch of the Thames with the steepest water level drop along that section of the river. The structure links three islands and gives pedestrians a way to cross between the eastern and western banks using an iron bridge.
The first lock here was built in 1631 by the Oxford-Burcot Commission, making it one of the earlier examples of lock construction in England. It was rebuilt twice over the following two centuries as river traffic on this stretch of the Thames grew steadily.
An obelisk near the lock commemorates students from Christ Church who drowned in the nearby Sandford Lasher pool. The memorial is easy to spot and gives the site a reflective quality that many visitors do not expect from a working lock.
The footbridge can be reached from both banks of the river and works well as a stop along a riverside walk. Visiting in daylight makes it easier to take in the different parts of the site, since the crossing spans several sections between the islands.
A hydroelectric system using an Archimedes screw was installed here in 2018, generating electricity from the water that flows through the lock. The same water that has been managed here for centuries now also powers a small but functional renewable energy setup.
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