Cookham Lock

Cookham Lock is a lock on the River Thames in Berkshire, situated within a cut that accommodates four separate channels of water. The lock has Sashes Island on one side and Mill Island connected to Formosa Island on the other.

Construction of this lock began in 1829 following repeated incidents in which barges ran aground and chalk boulders fell into the river, creating hazards for navigation. The problem had become severe enough to demand a solution.

Stanley Spencer captured this location in his painting Swan Upping at Cookham, depicting the traditional royal ceremony of counting swans in these waters. The artwork reflects a ritual that remains part of the local character when the season arrives.

You can reach this lock via a road from Cookham toward Formosa Island, though vehicle access is restricted to protect the area. The walking route covers roughly one kilometer and leads directly to the site.

The installation of a weir upstream in 1837 significantly altered water conditions and helped improve navigation along this section of the river. This change marked a turning point in managing the challenges that had plagued the area.