Marsh Head Horsebridge

Marsh Head Horsebridge is situated near Marsh Lock, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. It is 1 of 2 footbridges of similar construction in this location. The bridges carry a public right of way from Shiplake, downstream past Marsh Lock, and back to the riverbank near Henley. They are both part of the Thames Path National Trail.

A bridge was first constructed at the site in 1796, and the current bridge was last subject to a major refurbishment in the 1990s.

Keeping the public safe is one of our highest priorities. Following a structural inspection, we regrettably closed Marsh Head Horsebridge in May 2022 due to structural and safety concerns.

Recent Updates

Thank you to everyone who attended our public event on Wednesday 20 May 2026.

You can view the event posters here. (External link)

We recognise that the Marsh Horsebridge is an important recreational asset for the residents of Henley, Shiplake and Harpsden. It is also a valued heritage asset on the River Thames and forms part of one our National Trails. However, the bridge does not provide any operational purpose for the Environment Agency and therefore does not directly receive central government funding for its ongoing maintenance. The full cost of the reconstruction work therefore needs to be met by other sources of funding.

Crowdfunding provides an opportunity for anyone with an interest in the Marsh Horsebridge to contribute and collectively support a solution. This approach reinforces the strong community focus to undertake the repairs. Our crowdfunding information page can be found here: www.projectsfornature.com/marsh-horsebridge(External link) Please register on the page for further updates, and once the Crowdfunding opens for donations, you will be notified. Alongside the Crowdfunding we are looking to secure funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund, local councils, private donors and corporate partners.

The initial design, produced in March 2026, will be used to inform the next stages of design development including material options appraisal, evaluation of costs and help to identify a suitable contractor.

Once our designs have been finalised and we have secured the required level of funding and planning permission for the replacement bridge, we will be able to confirm dates for the reconstruction work.

For more information please visit this section.