# Duke's Cut

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Waterway in Oxfordshire, England

Not to be confused with the [Bridgewater Canal](/source/Bridgewater_Canal), known informally as the Duke's cut.

Duke's Cut Bridge 232, crossing the Duke's Cut Interactive map of Duke's Cut Location Wolvercote Country United Kingdom Coordinates 51°47′29″N 1°17′48″W / 51.79136°N 1.29675°W / 51.79136; -1.29675 Specifications Length 0.25 miles (0.40 km) Minimum boat draft 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 m)[1] Locks 1 Status Open Navigation authority Canal and River Trust History Original owner Duke of Marlborough Date completed 1789 Geography Direction WSW Start point Wolvercote Junction, Oxford Canal[2] End point Duke's Cut Junction, Wolvercote Mill Stream[2] Beginning coordinates 51°47′33″N 1°17′37″W / 51.7924°N 1.2937°W / 51.7924; -1.2937 Ending coordinates 51°47′27″N 1°17′57″W / 51.7908°N 1.2991°W / 51.7908; -1.2991 Branch of Oxford Canal Connects to Oxford Canal, Wolvercote Mill Stream

v t e Duke's Cut Legend Oxford Canal and Duke's Lock (44) Oxford Canal to Oxford Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway Duke's Cut Lock (44A) Northern Bypass (A40) Duke's Lake To Wolvercote Mill Wolvercote Mill Stream River Thames King's Lock and River Thames

**Duke's Cut** is a short waterway in [Oxfordshire](/source/Oxfordshire), England, which connects the [Oxford Canal](/source/Oxford_Canal) with the [River Thames](/source/River_Thames) via the Wolvercote Mill Stream. It is named after [George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough](/source/George_Spencer%2C_4th_Duke_of_Marlborough), across whose land the waterway was cut. It is seen as a [branch](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Branch_canal&action=edit&redlink=1) of the Oxford Canal.[2]

## History

The Cut was constructed at the request of the [Duke of Marlborough](/source/George_Spencer%2C_4th_Duke_of_Marlborough). The [Duchy of Marlborough](/source/Duchy_of_Marlborough) had owned [Wolvercote](/source/Wolvercote) paper mill since 1720, and much of the surrounding land belonged to their [Blenheim Palace](/source/Blenheim_Palace) estate.[3] In the 1790s, the Duke saw the benefit of bringing [Warwickshire coal](/source/Warwickshire_Coalfield) to the area, as the upper [Thames](/source/River_Thames) area typically only received fuel from the [Northumberland Coalfield](/source/Northumberland_Coalfield) via [London](/source/London), and consequently little cargo was left by the time vessels reached the upper river.[3] As owner of the land between the [Oxford Canal](/source/Oxford_Canal) and the mill stream, the Duke was aware of how level it was (and thus suited to a waterway) and permitted construction of a 500-yard (460 m) cut between the two waterways. The millstream provided a connection to the Thames above [King's Weir](/source/King's_Lock), bypassing the [flash lock](/source/Flash_lock).[1]

The cut opened in 1789; the exact date is unknown but an advertisement carried in William Jackson's *Oxford Journal*—published by the tenant of Wolvercote Mill[3] and printed on the mill's paper—showed that the cut had opened by 3 October.[1] It was conveyed [in trust](/source/Land_trust) to the Vice-Chancellor of the [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford) and the [Mayor of Oxford](/source/Mayor_of_Oxford) in 1792.

Adjacent to the cut is Duke's Lake, a [reservoir](/source/Reservoir) also used for [carp](/source/Carp), [roach](/source/Common_roach), [tench](/source/Tench), and [bream](/source/Bream) angling.[4]

Today, the cut is the preferred boating route from the Oxford Canal to the Thames;[5] the alternative route is at Oxford via and [Isis Lock](/source/Isis_Lock) and the [Sheepwash Channel](/source/Sheepwash_Channel). Until 1937, the latter was the only route between King's Lock and the lower Thames without having to navigate the [flash lock](/source/Flash_lock) at Medley Weir near [Godstow Lock](/source/Godstow_Lock).[6]

## Description

In 1802, [Robert Mylne](/source/Robert_Mylne_(architect)) surveyed the cut and reported his findings to the [Thames Commissioners](/source/Thames_Commissioners). He described how the cut had a [stop lock](/source/Stop_lock) near Wolvercote Junction where it meets the canal; the [beam](/source/Beam_(nautical)) of this was given as 13 feet 2 inches (4.01 m).[1] [Bradshaw's](/source/Bradshaw's_Guide) *Canals and Navigable Waterways of England and Wales* (1904) noted that the lock gates were reversible to be usable regardless of which waterway was higher.[7] The canal usually discharged towards the Thames,[7] with an average pen of 1 foot (0.30 m), although when in flood, the Thames could rise to be up to 2 feet (0.61 m) above the canal.[1] The lock, known as Duke's Cut Lock, is designated 44A;[5] the numbering is inherited from that on the Oxford Canal. The lock is crossed by the [Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway](/source/Birmingham_and_Oxford_Junction_Railway), which opened in 1850. In 1987, the lock was granted [Grade II listed](/source/Grade_II_listed) status.[8]

At the junction with the mill stream, fed from the Thames, was a single gate of 12 feet 6 inches (3.81 m). Mylne stated that this [floodgate](/source/Floodgate) was of poor seal and water easily flowed into the canal at times the river was of a higher level.[1]

In 1933, the [Oxford–Witney road](/source/A40_road_(Great_Britain)) was constructed, and a large single-span [skew arch bridge](/source/Skew_arch_bridge) (designated 232U) was built across the cut.[9] The cut had a towing path along its north bank, which ran to the Thames in the west and connected with that of the Oxford Canal.[10] The towing path on the Oxford Canal crosses the cut by means of a brick arch bridge which also has Grade II listed status.[11]

At Duke's Cut Junction, a three-way [Inland Waterways Association](/source/Inland_Waterways_Association) [fingerpost](/source/Fingerpost) sign provides navigational guidance, and shows that the Wolvercote Mill Stream below the junction was only for access to the mill.[12]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_52_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_52_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_52_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_52_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_52_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_52_1-5) Compton, Hugh J (1976). *The Oxford Canal*. Newton Abbot: [David & Charles](/source/David_%26_Charles). p. 52. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7153-7238-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7153-7238-6).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CPAC_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CPAC_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CPAC_2-2) ["Waterway Gazetteer for Oxford Canal (Duke's Cut)"](https://canalplan.org.uk/waterway/59fh). *canalplan.org.uk*. CanalPlanAC. Retrieved 10 January 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_51_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_51_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_51_3-2) Compton, Hugh J (1976). *The Oxford Canal*. Newton Abbot: [David & Charles](/source/David_%26_Charles). p. 51. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7153-7238-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7153-7238-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Whyte_2015_4-0)** Whyte, Abigail (19 June 2015). ["Angling on the cut"](http://canalrivertrustwaterfront.org.uk/community/angling-on-the-cut/). *Waterfront*. Canal and River Trust. Retrieved 10 January 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Zucchelli_2016_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Zucchelli_2016_5-1) Zucchelli, Anna. ["DESIGN, ACCESS AND HERITAGE STATEMENT OXFORD CANAL – WOLVERCOTE DUKE'S CUT LOCK (LOCK 44A)"](http://npa.cherwell.gov.uk/AniteIM.WebSearch/(S(ann2or552io2f455oqf1r545))/Download.aspx?ID=8636817). Canal and River Trust. Retrieved 9 January 2020.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Eade_Godstow_Lock_6-0)** Eade, John. ["GODSTOW LOCK - (WHERE THAMES SMOOTH WATERS GLIDE)"](https://thames.me.uk/s01850.htm). *thames.me.uk*. Retrieved 10 January 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Salis2012_305_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Salis2012_305_7-1) Henry Rodolph de Salis (November 2012). [*Bradshaw's Canals and Navigable Rivers of England and Wales*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Tz1xYkqOK6kC&pg=PA305). BoD – Books on Demand. pp. 305–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-95427-214-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-95427-214-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HE_Lock_8-0)** [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["OXFORD CANAL DUKE'S CUT LOCK (1370051)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1370051?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved 9 January 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Compton_1976_89_9-0)** Compton, Hugh J (1976). *The Oxford Canal*. Newton Abbot: [David & Charles](/source/David_%26_Charles). p. 89. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7153-7238-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7153-7238-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NLS_10-0)** ["OS 25 inch Scotland, 1892-1949 England and Wales, 1841-1952"](https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/print/#zoom=18&lat=51.7916&lon=-1.2943&layers=168&b=1). *maps.nls.uk*. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 9 January 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HE_Bridge_11-0)** [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["OXFORD CANAL TOWPATH BRIDGE AT DUKE'S CUT LOCK (1286500)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1286500?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved 9 January 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Eade_Oxford_Canal_12-0)** Eade, John. ["OXFORD CANAL - (WHERE THAMES SMOOTH WATERS GLIDE)"](https://thames.me.uk/s02440.htm). *thames.me.uk*. Retrieved 10 January 2020.

Next confluence upstream River Thames Next confluence downstream River Evenlode (north) Duke's Cut Bulstake Stream (south)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Duke's Cut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke's_Cut) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke's_Cut?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.