Buscot Red Walk
Starting a Buscot village car park walk through Buscot village and countryside. Discover the smallest lock currently on the River Thames at Buscot Weir, two Second World War bunkers and the site of a former pub whilst walking a section of the 180 miles of the Thames path.
Start:
Buscot Village National Trust Carpark SN7 8BY
1
Park in the National Trust visitors car park in Buscot which is on the right hand side as you drive through the village. Once parked, turn right out of the car park and walk down the the road to Buscot Lock.
Buscot Village
Buscot Village was originally developed around the church. The degeneration of this earlier site probably began in the 14th century with the Black Death and the enclosure of land for sheep. The location of the village as it is today, expanded in the mid 19th Century as housing was required for a growing Estate workforce. The cottages were constructed of bricks which were made on the estate using locally sourced raw materials. The oldest buildings in the village lie at the northern end. The Manor dates from the 17th century, was designed to stand slightly apart from what was then, the main village centre around the church. The remaining stone-built cottages are clustered around the southern end of the village and were built to provide better quality housing for estate workers, compared to the earlier brick built dwellings. They were designed by Ernest George who was commissioned by Sir Alexander Henderson during the 1890s. The cottages were built of limestone rubble with stone slate roofs and large limestone chimney stacks. Ernest George also designed the village hall and pump.
2
Cross the lock gates and turn right onto the Thames Path
Buscot Lock
Buscot Lock is the smallest lock on the River Thames. It was built in 1790 and is the second highest lock on the river. Look out for the flood plaques.
3
Follow this path over a bridge and continue with the river to your right. You will pass a Second World War bunker.
Second World War Bunkers
These Second World War Bunkers were built in 1940-41 as part of the Stop Lines to halt the advance of a German Army.
4
Eventually enter a willow spinney through at a gate. Continue and cross a wooden bridge over the Thames to the right.
5
Pass through the Anchor Boat Club onto a farm track. Bear right diagonally across field to the opposite corner (sometimes the farmer moves the path slightly further up the track and along the hedgerow to avoid livestock).
The Anchor Boat Club
The Anchor Boat Club is now at the site of the Anchor Inn which burnt to ground in 1980. There was once a weir here with two waterwheels. There is also a bridge here for crossing the Thames.
6
Turn right through gate and follow hedge. Cross a footbridge and cross two fields to gate beside the road. Turn right onto track.
7
Turn left through gate before reaching house, follow hedge on right around to the right by the house and pond. Go through the gate and turn left following the edge of the field along to Buscot Wharf.
Brandy Track and Buscot Wharf
When the Australian, Robert Tertius Campbell bought the Buscot Estate in 1859 he proceeded to turn it into the most highly industrialised farm in 19th-century Britain. He built a 20 acre reservoir for irrigation purposes, a large distillery to make sugar and distil spirit alcohol from sugar beet, a narrow gauge railway around the Estate and a large corn mill driven by a water turbine.
8
Through kissing gate and footbridge back into the Weir Field.
9
Turn left at the road to return to the carpark.
End:
Buscot Village National Trust Carpark SN7 8BY
