Tooley's Boatyard Limited

Tooley's Boatyard Limited

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  • Forging Ahead

    Forging Ahead

    FORGING AHEAD IS A BRAND NEW LOOK AT THE FASCINATING HISTORY OF TOOLEY’S BOATYARD IN BANBURY.

    See this video about the book Forging Ahead

    This unique, working yard has been in existence since the arrival of the Oxford Canal in the North Oxfordshire market town in 1778. Matthew Armitage has been the director of the site for the past sixteen years. His very personal account of the yard’s past is brought right up to date with a distinctive insight into how age old practices still prevail and thrive to this day. With a wealth of photographs, articles, illustrations and anecdotes about the Tooleys themselves, Matthew’s insight into this much loved jewel in Banbury’s crown will entertain and inform anyone with an interest in the history of the canals and inland waterways.

    All the money from the sale of this book will support the boatyard and its projects.

    “I’m very impressed – its how it was” – John Plester blacksmith’s son

    “splendid and beautifully illustrated” – Banbury Guardian

    Go to the Forging Ahead page on Trust’s website to purchase this remarkable book.

  • New Sculpture of Lock 29

    New Sculpture of Lock 29

    The new sculpture of Lock 29 depicts the events of 7th September 1940 when Banbury Lock was bombed. Repair and rebuilding was carried out quickly at the time as the canal was considered to be essential for the war effort,. The repair date of 1940 can still be seen on a stone built into the side of the lock.

    This is the creation of blacksmiths Jamie Simmons and Graham Symons working in the forge at Tooley’s Boatyard. They designed and made the sculpture of Lock 29 as an aerial view in 1940 to remember the 80th anniversary of this terrible event.

    The Royal British Legion will be using this sculpture to assist fundraising with this year’s Poppy appeal.

    The unveiling of the sculpture took place on Saturday 5th September 2020 at Castle Quay. It is located just outside the new “Lock29” outlet recently opened.

    Photography by Rosy Burke.

    Lock 29 on the Oxford Canal is the 29th lock counting from the northern end at Hawkesbury Junction where it joins the Coventry Canal. The last lock before Oxford is number 45 at Wolvercote.