Cookham Lock
Telephone: +44 (0)1628 520752
Postcode: SL6 9SR
Click the link below for a map and a list of facilities at the lock.
Location and facilities for Cookham Lock
It is at Cookham that the powerful waters of the Thames meet the Chiltern chalk at Cliveden Cliff. This causes the river to change direction suddenly. Centuries ago this area would have been a maze of narrow river channels between wooded, marshy islands.
The need for a lock here emerged in the 1700s when documents tell of the river at Cookham being a 'very dangerous place.' Three barges sank here. One of the problems was that large chalk stones fell from the 'Clifden Wall' (Cliveden Cliff). Eventually, the first pound lock was constructed in 1830.
Lock keeper
The Lock keeper here is Adam Benge, who lives in the lock house with his wife Kim and their two sons. Adam began his lock keeping career as a weekend assistant at Bray in 1980, becoming a temporary district relief and then taking up a position as an area relief for Temple and Marlow locks before ending up at Cookham.
Adam, who used to work in sales, tried his hand at lock keeping when a friend offered him the job of assistant.
Did you know?
The Queen's Swan Uppers visit Cookham Lock every year to record the swan population. This ritual began when swans were considered an important food for royal banquets and feasts.