The River divide

Tuesday, 26 April 2011 20:40

Here at Goring the River Thames divides two counties. The area is known as the Goring Gap. The village of Streatley on the west bank is in Berkshire, The village of Goring on Thames is on the east back and is in Oxfordshire. So is Goring Lock in Oxfordshire or Berkshire?

Goring Lock from upstream Berkshire

We walked towards Streatley as the bridge below the lock is the only way to get across the River here. The bridge is in two halves separated by a weir and island  ....

As the signs on the bridge are the Streatley side it is commonly referred to as Goring Bridge! But on the way to the bridge we were side tracked by St Mary's, Streatley.

St Mary's Church

A couple of things inside caught my eye - an old 1549 Sanctus Bell that was lost and then found but sadly cracked and is now preserved for posterity.

Sanctus bell

On the tower wall is a large sculpture of the Angel Gabriel which is pretty impressive

Angel Gabriel

The main road runs straight through the middle of Streatley and the "ancient place ... dating back to Saxon times" (Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat) is now a busy thoroughfare with one pub, The Bull.

Crossing the bridge we could see an old Paddle and Rymer weir on the Streatley south side and the Swan Hotel, much developed over the years with Magdalen College Barge moored outside, bedecked with fairy lights for special occasions!

Paddle and Rymer weir

The Swan Hotel

There is a good view of Goring Lock from the bridge too and the large weir beside it - and in the distance you might just see Epiphany moored.

Goring Lock, narrowboat and cruisers

So on into Goring itself - some lovely buildings, a station, good pubs, post office and a few shops.

Just look at the wisteria on these cottages

The Miller of Mansfield restaurant

The Goring Free Church was built in the late 1800s and stands on the corner of the High Street. John thinks he preached there many years ago.

Goring Free Church

We did a small shop in the small supermarket - not a very good one, but just about OK for basics and an ice cream! Then it was back home to watch the River traffic go by and the people of Goring enjoy the sun on the banks