In the early 1800's an increasing number of horse drawn barges made their way up the Thames to Appleton and beyond. There were no locks as we know them – but simple wooden barriers made to hold back water, maybe a couple of feet deep. These simple locks provided a head of water to create a meadow or drive a small grain mill.
But the locks blocked the river to most traffic. Simple gates were added to the locks so that they could be opened. But barges were very heavy and had to be hauled up against the downflow of water. It often required every spare man, woman, child, dog and horse to pull a barge through a lock. All of this effort would cost the bargee much haggled cash.
The bargee would sell his cargo wherever he found a village - goods such as domestic ironware – saucepans etc, salt and coal. He would also buy goods that he could sell on his return to London. Honey and cheese were top of his list; 50 tons of cheese per week was loaded at Cheese Wharf near Lechlade.
Appleton has a Thames wharf – at the end of Badswell Lane. The lane arose here because it runs in a shallow valley down to the Thames, the best route for carrying goods with the least gradient. At the end of Badswell Lane is a patch of land 22 yards square, the wharf; this is shown in the enclosure map of 1832.