Buscot Lock

Buscot Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, near the village of Buscot, Oxfordshire. The lock was built of stone by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1790 and is the smallest on the River Thames. Like most of the Upper Thames Locks, it is a beam lock, which is operated manually through pushing the beams to open and close the gates. The new weir was created in 1979 when a cut was made through fields on the southern side of the lock. Of an unusual cresting design, it is now a National Trust picnic area. The weir was previously on the northern side of the lock. The area is rich in flora and fauna, and a frequent haunt for otters, kites and kingfishers.