Heritage versus h'efficiency at Northmoor Lock?

Friday, 11 November 2011 08:48

So on downstream we go, towards Northmoor Lock again

Northmoor Lock from upstream

This lock has a story and an ongoing dispute .....

Today it was on self service, as it had been on our way up, when I chatted to one of the locals who lived in Appleton, the nearby south-easterly village. Northmoor village is almost equidistant in a north-westerly direction, so the locals are very familiar with the lock. He, along with others, are fighting EA's plans to destroy the heritage of this lock.

Northmoor Lock and weir from downstream

It is one of the remaining four locations of a paddle and rymer weir which have been in use for over 100 years. Using the excuse of that little 'elf ('n safety) and the supposed need for efficiency, the EA are to replace this wonderful old weir with a "computer aided mechanical structure". 

Paddle and rymer weir from below

Paddle and rymer weir from above

The villagers have formed the Northmoor Weir Campaign (NWC) to try to explain the importance of the weir and fight the "improvement"

Detail of the paddles in place

The history of the weir, this "unique example of Britain's Industrial Heritage," can be found under the NWC section of the parish website. Incidentally, the gentleman I spoke to said that there have been no injuries to the Lock Keeper in the last 100 years and the Lock Keeper would like to see it remain. The skill and knowledge of using this method of controlling the River Thames will also be lost, if EA have their way. 

Northmoor top gates and lock house

A recent News Release by the NWC also makes interesting reading.

There are a couple of other things to say about Northmoor Lock. It has an electrically controlled fish pass at the weir nearest the lock.

Fish pass at bottom, with quite a flow for the fish to swim against

The sluice control and fish collection pond at the top

When we came upstream I was puzzled by these cabins. I now know they are called "Log Pods"

Log Pods below Northmoor

It is another form of camping - like the Moroccan Mongolian Yurt at Eynsham. They are apparently cool in summer, warm in winter and sleep four + two children. At Northmoor there are two campsites, Upper and Lower Paddock (where the pods are).

Leaving Northmoor behind and really hoping that the photos we took would not be "historic images", we carried on downstream .....