Tooley’s Boatyard

Tooley's Boatyard is a historic working boatyard dating from 1778 when the Oxford Canal reached Banbury. It features one of the oldest working dry docks on the inland waterways, in continuous use since 1778. The boatyard originally built and repaired wooden horse-drawn narrow boats that were vital to the Industrial Revolution and the development of Britain's canal network. The boatyard was immortalized in Tom Rolt's famous 1944 book 'Narrowboat', which helped spark the canal preservation movement across Britain. Tooley's operated continuously as a working boatyard until 1995, when its future was threatened by the Castle Quay development. Thanks to a campaign by the Inland Waterways Association, the site was saved and incorporated into Banbury Museum. Today, Tooley's Boatyard is a living museum where visitors can see traditional boat building and repair work in progress. The site features the historic dry dock, traditional forge, and original boat building tools and techniques. It offers a unique insight into canal heritage and industrial history, showing how narrow boats were built and maintained during the golden age of canals.