Turnpikes and Toll Bridges


Sutton Bridge


Map surveyed in 1872 showing the Sutton bridges and toll house
Map published by Ordnance Survey Office, Southampton in 1912
Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland
Aerial view from 1928 showing the Sutton bridges and toll houseClick or tap to see a larger image on the Britain from Above website
Aerial view taken in September 1928
Aerofilms Collection EPW024654, courtesy of Britain from Above
Map surveyed in 1872 showing the Sutton bridges and toll house
Map published by Ordnance Survey Office, Southampton in 1912
Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland
Aerial view from 1928 showing the Sutton bridges and toll houseClick or tap to see a larger image on the Britain from Above website
Aerial view taken in September 1928
Aerofilms Collection EPW024654, courtesy of Britain from Above

The Waggon & Horses (often spelt with one 'g') public house was situated on Abingdon Road just outside Culham village. This pub can be traced back to at least 1795 and it was rebuilt in the early 19th century but eventually closed in 2015. A short road ran from the main road alongside the pub down to a ferry which gave access to Sutton Courtenay across the Thames. Just as at Abingdon, the river used to mark the county boundary, with Sutton Courtenay being in Berkshire until 1974.



Sutton Bridge toll house
View taken whilst standing on the bridge
Courtesy of Sutton Courtenay Local History Society

An Act of Parliament allowed for a new turnpike road to be built joining the main road with a road to the south via Sutton Courtenay. The Act also stipulated that a bridge should be built to replace the ferry, and a new bridge was duly erected just to the east which opened 1807. This bridge operated as a private toll bridge and was provided with a small tollhouse and gate situated on the eastern side of the Berkshire bank. The bridge was eventually jointly bought by the Oxfordshire and Berkshire County Councils in 1938 and the toll lifted. The tollhouse must have been demolished soon after, and it can be seen in the two photographs which date from about 1890.

At about the same time the Thames Navigation Commissioners built the ¾ mile (1.2 km) long Culham Cut, a navigation that bypassed a difficult stretch of river with pools, shallows and a watermill at Sutton Courtenay. Sutton Bridge was extended to span the cut, and Culham Lock was built just above the bridge. This lock is one of the deepest on the Thames with a rise of 2.41 metres (7ft 11in). The new bridge extension was opened in about 1811.

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Culham Lock and Kilns
Culham lock bridge and kilns
Undated postcard by Judges of Hastings, author's collection


Seen on both the map and in the aerial view of the bridge is a brickworks and lime kilns. Eventually closing around 1932 it had started operating in about 1850 with coal to heat the kilns being supplied by barge. Clay for the bricks was transported from the claypits in wagons hauled by horses along temporary narrow gauge railway tracks. Read some recollections from a family associated with the brickworks on the Culham Village websiteClick or tap to open a new page and visit the Culham Village website.


Claypit for Culham brickworks
Courtesy of Sutton Courtenay Local History Society

Claypit for Culham brickworks
Culham claypit, September 1925
J.Rhodes, courtesy of British Geological Survey P203166

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From 1912 until his death in 1928, Sutton Courtenay was home to H.H. Asquith who was prime minister between 1908 and 1916. He is buried in Sutton Courtenay churchyard. Also buried there is Eric Arthur Blair, better known as the writer George Orwell.