Castle Mill Stream is a backwater of the

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

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 ...

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 b ...

. It is 5.5 km long.

Course

The stream leaves the main course of the River Thames at the south end of

Port Meadow Port Meadow is a large meadow of open common land beside the River Thames to the north and west of Oxford, England. Overview The meadow is an ancient area of grazing land, still used for horses and cattle, and according to legend has never bee ...

, immediately upstream of

Medley Footbridge Medley Footbridge is a pedestrian bridge across the River Thames near the village of Binsey in Oxford, England. It is also known as Rainbow Bridge, although there is another bridge of that name in the University Parks in Oxford. The bridge be ...

, split by the northern part of

Fiddler's Island Fiddler's Island is an island in the River Thames at Oxford in England. It is situated south of Port Meadow on the reach above Osney Lock. The north part of the island sits between the River Thames and the top end of Castle Mill Stream, a Thame ...

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 bet ...

(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 Thame ...

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

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

. 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 link ...

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 Is ...

leads west under the railway tracks to the main stream of the Thames. The stream then flows under Hythe Bridge, on

Hythe Bridge Street Hythe Bridge Street is in the west of central Oxford, England, forming part of the A4144 road. History There has been a road here since at least 1233. Previous names include Hide Brigge, Hithe Brigge, and Rewley Lane. It used to form part of ...

, 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 ...

, 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 Oxpens Road is a road in central Oxford, England, linking west and south Oxford. It is named after the marshy area of Oxpens, next to one of the branches of the River Thames in Oxford. It forms part of the A420 road. Locale To the northwest, Ox ...

and rejoins the Thames immediately upstream of the

Gasworks Bridge The Gasworks Bridge, also known as the Old Gasworks Bridge, is an iron bridge across the River Thames at Oxford in England. It is a pedestrian bridge linking St Ebbes to the Grandpont nature reserve. It crosses the river on the reach between If ...

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 Nor ...

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 ...

, 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 a ...

, 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 ...

. File:Mill stream to the College - geograph.org.uk - 1408218.jpg, The Castle Mill Stream, near

. 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

, 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 Walton Well Road is a road, about 400 metres (a quarter mile) long, near the centre of Oxford, England. It provides a link from central Oxford to Port Meadow. Location The road marks the northern edge of the district known as Jericho. At the ...

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