Marsh Head Horsebridge

Background 

Marsh Head Horsebridge is situated near Marsh Lock, Henley, Oxfordshire.  It is one of two footbridges of similar construction in this location.  The bridges carry a public right of way from Henley past Marsh Lock and are 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 1996. 

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

The refurbishment of this bridge is being treated as a priority as we know how important it is to both local people and visitors using the Thames Path.  

Recent Updates

Our staff had a successful partnership meeting with Freddie van Mierlo MP and members of Henley Town Council in January 2026. The project’s funding strategy was reviewed, and the various options will now be developed further alongside the ongoing work to prepare an outline design for the bridge, which is expected in March 2026. 

The outline design will be used to inform the next phases of design, evaluate the overall cost of the project, and help identify a suitable contractor. 

Unfortunately, there are no confirmed dates for the construction work yet, but more information will be shared on this page as soon as it becomes available. 

Marsh Tail Horsebridge

This bridge has recently been surveyed and has been confirmed as being in a reasonable condition. We do, however, need to replacement some of the deck boards and carry out other minor repairs to this bridge. A footpath diversion application has been submitted to temporarily close this bridge while we carry the necessary repairs. We anticipate this work will take place in Spring 2026 and expect it to last approximately 2-3 weeks.