Tumbling Bay, also known as Tum, is an outdoors bathing area in
Oxford
Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.
The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
, England. Fed by the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...
, the bathing spot opened in 1853 and closed formally in 1990. Subsequently, it has been known as a
wild swimming
Open water swimming is a swimming discipline which takes place in outdoor bodies of water such as open oceans, lakes, and rivers. Competitive open water swimming is governed by the International Swimming Federation, World Aquatics (formerly kno ...
location.
Description
The Tumbling Bay bathing area is formed of two constructed concrete bathing areas, with steps, fed by the River Thames via the
Bulstake Stream.
Weirs
A weir or low-head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...
at either end enable the water level to remain stable. Access to the bathing area is either via the Thames itself, or by a path from
Botley Park.
Downstream the waterway feeds into the
Isis
Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...
.
It is also known locally as "Tum".
History
Tumbling Bay was the second, after Fiddler's Island near
Port Meadow
Port Meadow is a large meadow of open common land beside the River Thames to the north and west of Oxford, England.
Overview
The meadow is an ancient area of grazing land, still used for horses and cattle, and according to legend has never bee ...
, public bathing space in Oxford to be authorised by the County Council. It opened in 1853, originally for men only, and was extended in 1866. The men-only status lasted until 1892 when women, in an historic first for Oxford, were granted permission by the council to bathe free of charge.
fish ladder
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass, fish steps, or fish cannon, is a structure on or around artificial and natural barriers (such as dams, locks and waterfalls) to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration as well as mov ...
, identified 16 structures on the site. These included locker room and toilet facilities, a guard house, and toll house and ferry house to the east for crossing the River Thames.
Tumbling Bay was closed officially in 1990, though swimmers often used it subsequently, and the concrete pools and the foundations of the changing rooms remained. In 2021, due to the ongoing collapse of the northern concrete bank, the area was closed off to the public due to health and safety concerns.
Incidents
A 17-year-old youth died while bathing in Tumbling Bay in June 1895. In 2007 the body of a 15-year-old boy was found at Tumbling Bay, after falling into the River Thames in Port Meadow
Port Meadow is a large meadow of open common land beside the River Thames to the north and west of Oxford, England.
Overview
The meadow is an ancient area of grazing land, still used for horses and cattle, and according to legend has never bee ...
. In 2010 a 29-year-old man, Daniel Lewis, died while swimming at the spot.
See also
* Parson's Pleasure
Parson's Pleasure in the University Parks at Oxford, England, was a secluded area for male-only nude bathing on the River Cherwell. It was located next to the path on the way to Mesopotamia, Oxford, Mesopotamia at the south-east corner of t ...
* Dame's Delight
* Botley Road
Botley Road is the main road into the centre of Oxford, England from the west. It stretches between Botley, on the Oxford Ring Road ( A34) to the west of the city, and Frideswide Square at the junction with Oxford railway station, close to ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control, state=collapsed
Former public baths
Public baths in the United Kingdom
Swimming venues in England
Buildings and structures in Oxford
Defunct sports venues in Oxford
Parks and open spaces in Oxford