Bishop’s Court Farm Mooring
‘In the painter’s mind, this place has a compelling magic.’
Paul Nash
Situated on the River Thames at Day’s Lock, which is between Benson Lock and Culham Lock, Bishop’s Court Farm is located within easy reach of Reading, Oxford and Didcot and set on a 300-acre site in the historic village of Dorchester-on-Thames in the heart of the idyllic Oxfordshire countryside.
We have three spacious and stunningly picturesque mooring locations – Lake Field, Thames Path and Day’s Lock – which are a stone’s throw from the Sinodun Hills, commonly known as Wittenham Clumps.
Visiting Bishop’s Court Farm by boat
Day’s Lock, which is our most central mooring area, is the main gauging station for measuring the flow of water in the River Thames. From here you can easily walk to the villages of Dorchester-on-Thames, Long Wittenham, Little Wittenham and Bishop’s Court Farm, where we would encourage you to visit our cafe, Snug.
If you are feeling more energetic, you could take a stroll up Wittenham Clumps, sometimes called the Sinodun Hills. Rising 122 metres above the clay beds of the River Thames, the chalk hills of the Clumps can be seen from many miles away as the only peaks on an otherwise lowland landscape. They are a unique ancient monument that is steeped in history.
A hilltop fort was built by Iron Age man on Castle Hill (the lower clump). When the Romans invaded they built a camp where the nearest village – Dorchester on Thames – was founded.
Archaeologists have discovered evidence of Roman, Bronze Age and Iron Age occupation on the site, and it has inspired many famous artists, authors and poets over the years. Wittenham Clumps hosted local rulers from as far back as the Ice Age because they offered unparalleled views of the surrounding area, which was described by British landscape artist, Paul Nash, as ‘a beautiful legendary country haunted by old Gods long forgotten.’
Nash was so inspired by the atmospheric shapes and mystical associations of Wittenham Clumps that he painted them numerous times throughout his life: ‘In the painter’s mind,’ he wrote, ‘this place has a compelling magic.’
Booking Cost
– Day’s Lock: £10 per night
– Thames Path: £7 per night
– Lake Field: £7 per night
Booking Information
– Maximum of three nights per booking
– Arrival time from 13:00, departure time by 12:00
– You will receive a booking confirmation by email
Cancellation Policy
You can change or cancel your booking free of charge up to 48 hours before the start of the booking.
Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice are non-refundable.
Please note: Bishop’s Court Farm is a fully working and sustainable farm with livestock roaming freely around the 300-acres of fields, so we would very much appreciate it if boat owners do not light barbeques, leave litter, let their dogs off the lead or leave their poo behind.
