Tooley's Boatyard

Tooley's Boatyard sits alongside the Oxford Canal in the middle of Banbury, surrounded by the Castle Quay shopping centre, and has been working continuously since 1778. Families can wander the historic dry dock, watch the blacksmith at the traditional working forge, and look round the boatyard museum, which tells the story of 250 years of canal boat building and repair through objects and displays. The yard also runs boat trips on the Dancing Duck in the summer, which give younger visitors a relaxed way to see the canal from the water. On selected Saturdays a Dockyard in Action day brings forge demonstrations, model engineering, a short theatre performance and a talk on the boatyard's history into one visit. Much of the site is volunteer-run, so the atmosphere is informal and welcoming. Its canal-side setting makes it a good companion trip to a walk along the towpath.