History
There was a flash lock recorded at Whitchurch in the 16th century. The pound lock, built of oak, was installed at the island in the summer of 1787. Two alternative sites were originally considered. One would have expanded the mill stream on the Whitchurch side, and another would have involved a cut across land occupied by the Swan public house at Pangbourne. A lock house was built on the island in the 1830s. In the later 19th century local people used to cross over the weir to avoid paying tolls on the bridge. The lock was rebuilt in 1876 and access across the weir was closed. The right of way from Whitchurch to the lock was closed in 1888.
Read more about this topic: Whitchurch Lock
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