Castle Mill Stream is a backwater of the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...

in the west of

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the Un ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. It is 5.5 km long.

Course

The stream leaves the main course of the River Thames at the south end of Port Meadow, immediately upstream of Medley Footbridge, split by the northern part of Fiddler's Island to the west. It flows between Port Meadow to the north and

Cripley Meadow Cripley Meadow lies between the Castle Mill Stream, a backwater of the River Thames, and the Cotswold Line railway to the east, and Fiddler's Island, on the main branch of the Thames to the west, in Oxford, England. It is to the south of the ...

(largely allotments) to the south. It then passes under the Cherwell Valley railway line and turns south, alongside the southern end of the

Oxford Canal The Oxford Canal is a narrowboat canal in central England linking the City of Oxford with the Coventry Canal at Hawkesbury (just north of Coventry and south of Bedworth) via Banbury and Rugby. Completed in 1790, it connects to the River Tha ...

and the railway tracks, across which is the Castle Mill graduate housing development of the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in contin ...

. Further south, the

Isis Lock Isis Lock (known to boatmen as "Louse Lock") is a lock connecting the Oxford Canal and the Castle Mill Stream, a backwater of the River Thames in Oxford, England. Location The Isis Lock is close to Sheepwash Channel, just to the south and lin ...

gives access to the Oxford Canal, and the short

Sheepwash Channel Sheepwash Channel connects the River Thames to the west and the Castle Mill Stream next to the Oxford Canal to the east (linked through Isis Lock), in west Oxford, England. To the north are Cripley Meadow (largely allotments) and Fiddler's I ...

leads west under the railway tracks to the main stream of the Thames. The stream then flows under Hythe Bridge, on Hythe Bridge Street, and under a series of bridges: Pacey's Bridge on

Park End Street Park End Street is a street in central Oxford, England, to the west of the centre of the city, close to the railway station at its western end. Location To the east, New Road links Park End Street to central Oxford. To the west, Frideswide S ...

, Quaking Bridge, and Swan Bridge (once known as Castle Bridge), outside the original medieval city walls of Oxford, near

Oxford Castle Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined medieval castle on the western side of central Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. Most of the original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced in stone in the late 12th or early 13th century and ...

. It continues under Oxpens Road and rejoins the Thames immediately upstream of the Gasworks Bridge.

History

The stream was altered greatly in

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country ( Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the No ...

and early

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

times. There was a mill here even before the castle existed. In the winter of 1142, there was a siege at the castle.

Empress Matilda Empress Matilda ( 7 February 110210 September 1167), also known as the Empress Maude, was one of the claimants to the English throne during the civil war known as the Anarchy. The daughter of King Henry I of England, she moved to Germany as ...

(aka Queen Maud, 1102–1167), the daughter and dispossessed heir of

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the No ...

, was there during her power struggle with King Stephen (1096–1154). The queen escaped from the castle after her guards lowered her over the walls. She was clothed in a white dress that camouflaged her against the snow. Matilda crept through the enemy lines and across the Castle Mill Stream to escape to freedom. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, the stream was used for navigation, at least above Hythe Bridge. During the 16th century, hay, wood, stone, and slate were unloaded at a wharf at Hythe Bridge. When the Oxford Canal was built, it provided an easier route into the centre of Oxford, and in 1795-96 Daniel Harris built Isis Lock to allow Thames river traffic to access the canal wharves. The stream then fell out of use for navigation.

Gallery

File:The Castle Mill Stream at Quaking Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1573979.jpg, The Castle Mill Stream at Quaking Bridge. File:The Old Malthouse on Castle Mill Stream - geograph.org.uk - 1573993.jpg, The restored Old Malthouse on the Castle Mill Stream and Tidmarsh Lane, dating from the early 19th century. File:The malt house and stone dog, reflected - geograph.org.uk - 1574011.jpg, On the left is the walkway along the Castle Mill Stream, leading from

St Thomas' Street Park End Street is a street in central Oxford, England, to the west of the centre of the city, close to the railway station at its western end. Location To the east, New Road links Park End Street to central Oxford. To the west, Frideswide S ...

. File:Mill stream to the College - geograph.org.uk - 1408218.jpg, The Castle Mill Stream, near Oxpens Road. File:Back up the millstream - geograph.org.uk - 1410531.jpg, Looking the mill stream towards Oxford Castle. File:CastleMillStream.jpg, The Castle Mill Stream flowing under Hythe Bridge. File:Isis Lock, Oxford - geograph.org.uk - 320206.jpg,

, linking the mill stream (right) and the

(left). File:A goods train crosses a minor tributary of the Thames on its way towards Oxford Station - geograph.org.uk - 1555200.jpg, The railway bridge over the mill stream near Port Meadow, north of

Oxford railway station Oxford railway station is a mainline railway station, one of two serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, north-west of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road. It is on the line for trains between ...

and just south of Walton Well Road.

References

External links

*
''Where Thames Smooth Waters Glide: Oxford Old River''
{{authority control Geography of Oxford History of Oxford Rivers of Oxfordshire 0CastleMillStream

Course

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links