Tumbling Bay
{{Short description|Outdoors bathing area in Oxford}}
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| building_type = Bathing Spot
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| location = Oxford
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| grid_position = SP 502 065
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| opened_date = 1853
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| renovation_date = 1866
| closing_date = 1990
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Tumbling Bay, also known as Tum, is an outdoors bathing area in Oxford, England. Fed by the River Thames, the bathing spot opened in 1853 and closed formally in 1990. Subsequently, it has been known as a wild swimming 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 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.{{cite web |last1=Fell |first1=Vanessa |title=Tumbling Bay Bathing Place |url=https://ogt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Botley_final_25Aug2021_revised-12Sept23.pdf#page=6 |website=Oxfordshire Gardens Trust Research & Recording Group |access-date=15 October 2024 |date=August 2021}} Downstream the waterway feeds into the Isis. It is also known locally as "Tum".
History
Tumbling Bay was the second, after Fiddler's Island near Port Meadow, 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.{{cite book |editor1-last=Crossley |editor1-first=Alan |editor2-last=Elrington |editor2-first=C R |title=A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 4, the City of Oxford |date=1979 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol4/pp425-441}}{{cite book |last1=Alden |first1=Edward Cox |title=Alden's Oxford Guide |date=1926 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-uYBAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Tumbling%20Bay%22%20oxford}}{{cite web |title=Tumbling Bay Bathing Place - Oxford Heritage Asset Register Nominations List |url=https://www.oxford.gov.uk/directory-record/2470/tumbling-bay-bathing-place |website=Oxford City Council |access-date=8 February 2025}} Facilities included a changing room and toilets.{{cite news |last1=Blyth |first1=Eleanor |title=Wild swimmer tells of her experience of swimming across Oxford |url=https://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/20277434.wild-swimmer-tells-experience-swimming-across-oxford/ |access-date=15 October 2024 |work=This is Oxfordshire |date=14 July 2022}}
In 1881 John Salter, in his book The River Thames: A Guide, stated the Tum was a "fine public bathing place".{{cite book |last1=Salter |first1=John |title=The River Thames: A Guide |date=1881 |publisher=John Salter, University Boat House|location=Oxford |page=17 |url=https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5QadLgNCtWJocBmXcc_gcDCF5CD7Dbus2fVfF8OE3llYaMu6Ha7Hscbf_Og5AMd_P1WV8g9yEgFYDVP3OalnF6n8HYoYyPBBiZR3B_OnSloe-OXk0F9CRVLwLuiQajMSGGf-ZhWjAy8DcNocfz_9UKL7XPMboMchttZriYo6ROWLiDyM_KKvc7XvDP9cjeZ51agbX56KT38B3eYeayJV_BPRqd7SM7nYwbqSI-NjubCRN0KZnJN-I7YswOY01xkAE2x2Rkm2W}} Its' most popular year was 1947, when 86,000 people visited the bathing spot.{{cite news |last1=Ffrench |first1=Andy |title=Tumbling Bay was one of city's best outdoor bathing locations |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24328163.tumbling-bay-one-citys-best-outdoor-bathing-spots/ |work=Oxford Mail |date=20 May 2024}} Archaeological investigations, conducted in 2019 in preparation for a fish ladder, 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.{{cite journal |last1=Rose-Jones |first1=T |title=Tumbling Bay, Oxford Archaeological Watching Brief Report |journal=ADS |date=2019 |doi=10.5284/1089552}}
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.{{cite news |last1=Ffrench |first1=Andrew |title=Swimmers share happy memories of Tumbling Bay in city |url=https://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/24418792.swimmers-share-happy-memories-tumbling-bay-city/ |access-date=16 October 2024 |work=This is Oxfordshire |date=29 June 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Rice |first1=Liam |title=Tumbling Bay pool closed by council due to 'health and safety issue' |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19694136.tumbling-bay-pool-closed-council-due-health-safety-issue/ |access-date=15 October 2024 |work=Oxford Mail |date=4 November 2021 |archive-date=25 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125163257/https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19694136.tumbling-bay-pool-closed-council-due-health-safety-issue/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Wild - Tumbling Bay |url=https://wildopenwater.com/swimspot/tumbling-bay-oxfordshire-england-united-kingdom |website=wildopenwater.com |access-date=15 October 2024}} In 2022 the Tumbling Bay Preservation Society was formed.
=Incidents=
A 17-year-old youth died while bathing in Tumbling Bay in June 1895.{{cite journal |title=Bathing Fatalities |journal=The Lancet |date=22 June 1895 |page=1616 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O4pMAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22tumbling+bay%22+%22oxford%22&pg=PA1616}} In 2007 the body of a 15-year-old boy was found at Tumbling Bay, after falling into the River Thames in Port Meadow.{{cite news |title=Drowned boy's death 'accidental' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/6905123.stm |access-date=15 October 2024 |work=BBC |date=18 July 2007}} In 2010 a 29-year-old man, Daniel Lewis, died while swimming at the spot.{{cite news |title=Man who died on Oxford river swim named |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10233230 |work=BBC |date=3 June 2010 |access-date=16 October 2024 |archive-date=30 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130163935/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10233230 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Hearn |first1=Dan |title=Man dies at Tumbling Bay |url=https://www.wheatleyarchive.org.uk/images/files/1943-dan-lewis-dies-while-swimming.pdf |access-date=15 October 2024 |work=Oxford Times |date=10 June 2010}}
See also
References
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External links
- {{cite web |last1=Graham |first1=Malcolm |title=Tumbling Bay bathing place with distant airship |url=https://heritagesearch.oxfordshire.gov.uk/images/POX0029283 |website=Picture Oxon |date=July 1983}}
{{Authority control|state=collapsed}}
Category:Public baths in the United Kingdom
Category:Swimming venues in England
Category:Buildings and structures in Oxford