What if I told you that a Duke’s desire shaped this very waterway? Welcome to Duke’s Cut. This short canal connects the Oxford Canal to the River Thames. It’s named after George Spencer. He was the 4th Duke of Marlborough.
Duke’s Cut offers a direct route to the Thames. The Duke owned Wolvercote paper mill since 1720. He also owned much of the surrounding land near Blenheim Palace. The Duke saw a business opportunity. He wanted to bring Warwickshire coal to the area.
In the 1790s, most fuel came from Northumberland via London. This left little cargo for the upper Thames area. The Duke knew the land between the canal and mill stream was level. This made it ideal for a waterway. He allowed the construction of a 500-yard cut. This connected the Oxford Canal and the Wolvercote Mill Stream. This mill stream linked to the Thames above King’s Weir. It bypassed the flash lock.
Duke’s Cut opened in 1789. The exact date is not known. An advertisement in William Jackson’s Oxford Journal announced its opening by October 3rd. William Jackson was the tenant of Wolvercote Mill. In 1792 it was conveyed in trust to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. It was also conveyed to the Mayor of Oxford.
Take note of Duke’s Lake. It sits adjacent to Duke’s Cut. This reservoir is popular for angling. People fish for carp roach tench and bream here.
Today Duke’s Cut is a popular route for boats. It provides an alternative to the route through Oxford. The alternative route goes via Isis Lock and the Sheepwash Channel. Before 1937 this was the only route to the lower Thames. It avoided the flash lock at Medley Weir.
In 1802 Robert Mylne surveyed Duke’s Cut. He reported his findings to the Thames Commissioners. He noted a stop lock near Wolvercote Junction. The beam of this lock was 13 feet 2 inches wide. Bradshaw’s Canals noted the lock gates could reverse. This made them usable no matter which waterway was higher. Usually, the canal discharged toward the Thames. The average pen was 1 foot. During floods the Thames could rise above the canal. It could rise up to 2 feet.
Duke’s Cut Lock is designated 44A. This number comes from the Oxford Canal numbering system. The Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway crosses the lock. This railway opened in 1850. In 1987 the lock became a Grade II listed structure.
The junction with the mill stream had a single gate. It measured 12 feet 6 inches. Mylne reported this floodgate had a poor seal. Water easily flowed into the canal when the river was high. In 1933 the Oxford Witney road was built. A large skew arch bridge was constructed across Duke’s Cut.
There was a towing path along the north bank. It ran to the Thames and connected to the Oxford Canal path. The Oxford Canal towing path crosses Duke’s Cut. It crosses via a brick arch bridge. This bridge is also Grade II listed.
At Duke’s Cut Junction there is a three-way sign. The Inland Waterways Association put it up. It shows the Wolvercote Mill Stream was only for mill access. Duke’s Cut stands as a testament to a Duke’s vision and a vital waterway.