Fiddler's Island

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{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}

File:The Thames Path on Fiddler's Island - geograph.org.uk - 1758537.jpg on Fiddler's Island{{cite web| url=http://www.thames-path.org.uk/thames_oxford_northmoor.html | title=Oxford to Northmoor | work=Thames Path National Trail | location=UK | accessdate=18 September 2012 }}]]

Fiddler's Island is an island in the River Thames at Oxford in England. It is situated south of Port Meadow on the reach above Osney Lock.

The north part of the island sits between the River Thames and the top end of Castle Mill Stream, a Thames backwater. Fiddler's Island Stream flows to the east of the southern part of the island. To the south of the island, there is a short stretch of water known as the Sheepwash Channel linking back to the Castle Mill Stream and the Oxford Canal.{{cite web| url=http://canalplan.org.uk/waterway/edm8 | title=River Thames (Sheepwash Channel) | publisher=CanalPlanAC | location=UK | accessdate=15 September 2012 }} The Thames Path runs the length of the complete island. At the northern end, the island has a row of trees along it. On the Castle Mill Stream side there is extensive mooring. The rainbow-shaped Medley Footbridge crosses the main stream of the Thames to the west at the northern end and a flat iron Bailey bridge crosses Castle Mill Stream further south, linking it to Port Meadow to the east. A small footbridge takes the Thames Path along the bank towards Osney Bridge. The northern part of Fiddler's Island is very thin.{{cite web| url=http://wikimapia.org/15699329/Fiddler-s-Island | title=Fiddler's Island (Oxford) (north) | publisher=Wikimapia | accessdate=18 September 2012 }} The southern part, connected by a footbridge, is wider.{{cite web| url=http://wikimapia.org/10611755/Fiddler-s-Island | title=Fiddler's Island (Oxford) (south) | publisher=Wikimapia | accessdate=18 September 2012 }} To the east is Cripley Meadow, largely consisting of allotments.

Fiddler's Island was authorised for public bathing by the Oxford City Council in 1852, probably the first place in Oxford to be approved by the council.{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?ei=ZtpZUPqpBeO90QX4-oD4Aw&id=_zZWAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Fiddler%27s+Island%22 | title=The Victoria history of the county of Oxford | volume=4 | series=Victoria history of the counties of England | editor1-first=Louis Francis | editor1-last=Salzman | editor2-first=William | editor2-last=Page | first=Alan | last=Crossley | publisher=Oxford University Press for University of London, Institute of Historical Research | year=1939 | page=428 }}