View source for Romney Lock

{{Short description|Lock on the River Thames in Berkshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
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{{Infobox waterlock
|lock_name   = Romney Lock
|image=RomneyLock01.JPG
|caption= Romney Lock from downstream
|waterway = [[River Thames]]
|county = [[Berkshire]]
|maint   = [[Environment Agency]]
|operation = Hydraulic
|first    = 1798
|latest   = 1980
|length = {{convert|78.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} <ref name="EnvAgency" >{{cite web |url=http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/135271.aspx |title=Environment Agency Dimensions of locks on the River Thames |date=8 November 2012 |work=web page |publisher=Environmental Agency |accessdate=18 November 2012}} Dimensions given in metres</ref>
|width = {{convert|7.45|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name="EnvAgency" />
|fall = {{convert|2.01|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name="EnvAgency" />
|sealevel = {{convert|60|ft|m}}
|enda = [[Teddington Lock]]
|distenda = {{convert|23|mi|km}}
|endb =
|distendb = 
| map_cue= 
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| map_text= 
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| coordinates= 
| lat= 
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| extra= Power is available out of hours
}}
{{Romney Lock map}}
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'''Romney Lock''' is a [[lock (water transport)|lock]] on the [[River Thames]] in England near [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] and [[Eton, Berkshire|Eton]], about half a mile downstream of [[Windsor Bridge]]. It is on the Windsor side of the river next to a boatyard and adjoins [[Romney Island]], a long strip-shaped [[ait]] in the middle of the river. The first lock was built by the [[Thames Navigation Commission]] in 1798.

The weir is some distance upstream near the end of Romney Island and runs across the river to [[Cutlers Ait]]. A small 200kW [[Hydroelectric generator|hydroelectric generation station]] was installed in 2011 to supply electricity to [[Windsor Castle]].<ref>[http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsor/thames/romneyhydro.html Proposals for hydro power scheme]
</ref><ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/10468734/The-Queen-demonstrates-her-power.html The Queen demonstrates her power] Daily Telegraph, 23 November 2013</ref>

==History==

The first proposal for a pound lock was in 1774 which was to be further upstream at [[Firework Ait]] by [[Windsor Bridge]]. However nothing happened until the lock was opened on the present site in 1797, built of oak. There was no weir at the site previously and because of protests, none was built at that time. Barges were still liable to pay the lock fee even if they used the other channel. By the following year a weir was found to be indispensable, and so it was built. The lock was rebuilt by the [[Thames Conservancy]] in 1869 and the weir was rebuilt further upstream at the beginning of the 20th century.<ref>Fred. S. Thacker ''The Thames Highway: Volume II Locks and Weirs'' 1920 - republished 1968 David & Charles</ref> The lock was rebuilt again in 1979/80.

==Access to the lock==
The lock can be reached from Windsor down a long single track road which starts from the car park behind [[Windsor and Eton Riverside railway station]].

==Reach above the lock==
[[File:RomneyWindsor01.JPG|thumb|left|Windsor from the river]]
[[Eton College]] is on the [[bank (geography)|left bank]], beyond Cutler's Ait immediately upstream of which is the compact town [[Eton, Berkshire|Eton]] itself where [[Windsor Bridge]] crosses. On the Windsor bank the river skirts the town centre and set close to it upstream of Windsor Bridge is an islet, the smallest named on the Thames, [[Firework Ait]] and similarly [[Deadwater Ait]].  Just upstream of the islets are the [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]]-designed [[Windsor Railway Bridge]] for the second railway serving the town which crosses [[Baths Island]], and the late 20th century road bridge [[Queen Elizabeth Bridge]]. Cuckoo Weir Stream is a short backwater taking a left bank route under Queen Elizabeth Bridge &mdash; on the [[bank (geography)|right bank]] associated with [[Clewer]]<!--Clewer Within or Clewer Without, or both--> is the confluence of the [[Clewer Mill Stream]]. The main river then has a sharp Z-bend near [[Windsor Racecourse]], then continues past open fields near the village of [[Eton Wick]] before it reaches Boveney Lock. [[Rowing (sport)|Rowing]] on the reach has been reduced by the 2006 creation of [[Dorney Lake]] in the ancient and modern civil and ecclesiastical parishes [[Dorney]].

;Thames Path

The [[Thames Path]] follows the track on the south bank to Windsor and then crosses Windsor Bridge to the north (Eton) side, where it continues to Boveney Lock.
[[File:RomneyLock02.JPG|thumb|The lock looking upstream with Windsor Castle on the horizon]]
[[File:Romney Lock.JPG|right|thumb|upright|Romney Lock in winter looking upstream]]

== See also ==
* [[Locks on the River Thames]]
* [[Rowing on the River Thames]]

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{{River lock start|River=[[River Thames]]}}
{{River lock line|upstream=[[Boveney Lock]]<br/> {{convert|3.75|km|abbr=on}} <ref name="EnvAgency2" >{{cite web |url= http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/131811.aspx |title=Environment Agency Distances between locks on the River Thames |date=19 November 2012 |work=web page |publisher=Environmental Agency |accessdate=21 November 2012}} Distances given in km.</ref>|downstream=[[Old Windsor Lock]]<br/> {{convert|4.83|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="EnvAgency2" />|location=SU970779}}
{{S-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Locks on the River Thames]]