Problems to navigation had long been recognised and the first suggestions for creating a lock "near Clifton Ferry" occurred in 1793, being raised again in 1811.

[2] The lock is at the end of a long track which starts on the A415 road to Abingdon just opposite Fullamor Farm to the west of Clifton Hampden village.

This is joined by another track running southwestwards from High Street in Clifton Hampden, then continues to the lock.

The Clifton cut takes the navigation for nearly a mile before the reaching the weir to the river's natural course past Long Wittenham.

The river meander has some public footpath access, although the Thames Path follows the navigation cutting, and the northern bank all the way to Culham Lock.