Category: News

Work on the Forge building refurbishment was funded by a grant from Historic England. It was carried out by local firm P.R.Alcock & Sons. Only materials and techniques appropriate to the historical building were used, and the result is an authentic eighteenth-century survivor in the heart of Banbury, made fit for the 21st century.

Tooley’s Boatyard Trust is working with Shipshape Network who have an interest in historic vessels. In particular we are discussing the restoration of NB Hardy along with the improvements to Tooley’s Boatyard. The objectives of Shipshape Network are to bring together historic vessel owners, skilled craftsmen, businesses, heritage organisations, training bodies and all those with…

Banbury Canal Community Interest Company (CIC) has received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. We are delighted to receive this grant towards the Your Memories project. The aim is to capture stories from people in the area with memories of the canal before we forget. Background The area around Castle Quay and the canal…

Banbury Lock was bombed on 7th September 1940. As the canal was considered to be essential for the war effort, repair and rebuilding was carried out quickly. A stone built into the side of the lock giving the repair date of 1940 can still be seen. Blacksmiths Jamie Simmons and Graham Symons working in the…

Banbury Canal CIC (Community Interest Company) was formed in March 2020 to carry out a project to record and celebrate canal heritage in Banbury. Working from Tooley’s Boatyard, Banbury Canal CIC submitted an application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NHLF) for funding to carry out a canal memories project. The project will record audio…

In October 2019 Channel 5 Television came to Tooley’s Boatyard to film an episode of “Britain by Barge Then and Now“. The series featured Jenny Bond, Anne Diamond, Pete Waterman and Bill Oddie. Touring the canal network by boat, Tooley’s Boatyard were host to the group for part of this episode. During the event, in…

In the picture:Tooley’s Trustees (from left to right) Nick Poole, Richard Stevens, Sarah Jackson (Tooley’s Co-Ordinator), Matt Armitage (Director of Tooley’s), Dan Clacher, John Madden, John Spratt and Jamie Simmons (Tooley’s Blacksmith) (courtesy Rosy Burke) The Whately Hall Hotel was the historic backdrop to a launch event that will secure the future of Tooley’s Boatyard…

Banbury Canal Weekend 1996 After a canal day (a one-day event) in 1995, the next event in 1996 was a Canal Weekend. The same Inland Waterways Association Committee met at The Mill. In the picture above we see left to right: Brian Roberts: chairman, Rosy Burke: representing Banbury and District Chamber of Commerce, Priscilla Frost:…