Tooley’s is a historical gem, offering fascinating demonstrations and guided tours of the canal onboard its very own narrowboat, The Dancing Duck.
Situated in the heart of Banbury Town Centre, next to Lock 29 on the Oxford Canal; Tooley’s is home to one of the oldest working dry docks on the Inland Waterways and is listed as a nationally important, scheduled monument by Historic England.
Forming part of the original Boatyard, the dry dock has remained in continuous service since it was built to maintain local boats in 1778. Alongside the dry dock sits the original blacksmith’s forge and carpenter’s workshop, both of which are still in full operation today.
Today, its history and heritage are promoted and preserved by the Tooley’s Boatyard Trust and Friends of Tooley’s; a charitable organisation run by a group of local waterways enthusiasts who are passionate about sharing the dry dock’s rich history with fellow boaters and the wider community.
Go and experience the wonder of the Boatyard
Visitors are welcome to come along and look around the Boatyard anytime during opening hours – Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 1pm, with ‘Working Museum’ guided tours taking place on Saturday’s.
Tooley’s very own Dancing Duck is available for private hire and public boat tours along the canal. Weekend visitors can enjoy a 40-minute guided tour from Saturday 7th May – and every Saturday and selected Sunday’s thereafter until October. Please visit the website to check availability and pre-book tickets.
The 39 ft day boat was purpose-built and launched at Tooley’s in 2007 to allow local residents, tourists and boaters alike the opportunity to explore Banbury by waterway. Semi-traditional in style, it can carry 12 passengers up and down the Oxfordshire Canal, and you can even hop on the back to sit with the qualified skipper.
Those looking for something more hands-on can sign up for a ‘have a go’ blacksmith workshop. In just two hours, you will learn how to make and take away your own simple forged item!
The active blacksmith’s forge and carpenter’s workshop on site are still used for building parts for traditional wooden boats and you can see many exhibits on display from the days when Tooley’s was a vital part of our industrial economy.
In addition to its day to day use for boat maintenance, the dry-dock is also used as a performance space for Theatre in the Dock – look out for upcoming events on the website.
Banbury Canal Festival
New for 2022 – Banbury Canal Day will become ‘Waterside Weekend’ on Saturday 1st October and Sunday 2nd October, 11:00 – 17:00.
The event, organised by Banbury Town Council, will look back on the canal’s rich history and includes a special tour of the Boatyard with talks about Hardy – a 1940’s historic wooden boat that sank just weeks away from a planned extensive restoration using hundred year-old techniques.
A rich history
Tooley’s has a unique place in the history of Britain’s inland waterways. In 1939, author Tom Rolt had his boat Cressy fitted out here before embarking on the journey he subsequently described in his book Narrow Boat. It was this very book that started, what became, the Inland Waterways Association – without which, most of the canals we enjoy today would have been long filled in or closed.
It has attracted the interest of numerous TV personalities over the years, from Timothy West and Prunella Scales, to Michael Portillo, and, most recently, a Channel 5 series featuring Anne Diamond, Jennie Bond, Bill Oddy and Pete Waterman.
You can read the fascinating history of Tooley’s in our book: Forging Ahead – A history of Tooley’s Boatyard.
Getting there:
Tooley’s Boatyard is situated next to the Oxford Canal in the centre of Banbury.
Parking is available at Chamberlaine Court Pay &
Display Car Park in Spiceball Park Road.
Visitors need to cross the canal via Lift Bridge No.164 adjacent to Tooley’s. Alternatively, you can walk through Castle Quay Shopping Centre and exit by the forge.
Contact info:
Telephone: 01295 272917
www.tooleysboatyardtrust.org.uk
Facebook @TooleysBoatyard
