Sonning Lock

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Sonning Lock
Sonning Lock from the head gates
Waterway	River Thames
County	Berkshire
Maintained by	Environment Agency
Operation	Hydraulic
First built	1773
Latest built	1905
Length	156’ 1” (47.57m)
Width	17’ 11” (5.46m)
Fall	5’ 4” (1.63m)
Above Sea Level	115'
Distance to Teddington Lock	52 miles
Power is available out of hours

Sonning Lock
legend River Thames Reading railway station Caversham Lock & weir moorings weir Heron Island bridge Kennet and Avon Canal Kings Road bridge Forbury Road bridge Kings Road bridge Gas Works Road bridge Blake's Lock Paddington - Reading Rly marina Sonning Lock & weir moorings B478 Thames Street River Thames

Sonning Lock is a lock and associated weir situated on the River Thames at the village of Sonning near Reading, Berkshire, England. It was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773, originally of fir wood but this was replaced by oak in 1787. The first substantial replacement was in 1868.

The weir is some distance upstream at the top of the island where the backwater heads behind the island

Contents 1 Access to the lock 2 Reach above the lock 3 Literary references 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] Access to the lock

The lock is a short walk upstream from Sonning Bridge, which itself is close to the centre of Sonning. It is also accessible via a short footpath between St Andrew's Church and the river. The path by the river continues into the town of Reading.

[edit] Reach above the lock

On the southern Berkshire bank, on the approach into Reading is the Thames Valley Park. Beyond the northern Oxfordshire bank are Caversham Lakes which include the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake and the Thames & Kennet Marina. Access to these is on the upper part of the reach, opposite the entrance to the River Kennet at Blake's Lock. There is a bend in the river before Herons Island, View Island and Caversham Lock. Sonning Regatta takes place at Sonning in May, while Reading Town Regatta, Reading Amateur Regatta, and Thames Valley Park Regatta are held further upstream in June.

There are navigation transit markers just downstream of the entrance to the Thames & Kennet Marina, to allow river users to check their speed.

The Thames Path stays on the southern bank all the way to Caversham lock, crossing the River Kennet on Horseshoe bridge which is attached to Brunel's Great Western Railway Bridge.

[edit] Literary references

"The floral tastes of the lock-keeper generally make Sonning Lock very bright and gay."

— Charles Dickens (1882)

Is there a spot more lovely than the rest,

By art improved, by nature truly blest?

A noble river at its base running,

It is a little village known as Sonning.

— James Sadler (1845–1885), Sonning lock keeper

[edit] See also

• Locks on the River Thames
• Rowing on the River Thames
• Sonning Bishop's Palace, nearby

[edit] External links

• Official Thames site at visitthames.co.uk

Next lock upstream	River Thames	Next lock downstream
Caversham Lock 2.63 miles	Sonning Lock Grid reference: SU752754	Shiplake Lock 2.91 miles

Coordinates: 51.47258° N 0.91868° W