River Lee Navigation
Encyclopedia
The Lee Navigation is a canal
ised river incorporating the River Lea (also called the River Lee). Its course runs from Hertford Castle Weir
all the way to the River Thames
at Bow Creek
. The first lock of the navigation is Hertford Lock
the last being Bow Locks
.
maps. Constructed elements and human features are spelled Lee, such as the canal system and Lee Valley Park
. The un-canalized river is spelled Lea, along with other natural features such as Lower Lea Valley
.
and was once used by Viking
raiders. King Alfred changed the level of the river to strand Guthrum
and his fleet. In more peaceful times, it became important for the transport of grain from Hertfordshire
, but navigation of its southern-most tidal reaches of Bow Creek were difficult due to its tortuous meanders.
The first Act
for improvement of the river was granted in 1425, also being the first Act granted for navigational improvement in England
. A second Act was passed in 1430. The Act authorised local landowners to make improvements paid for by levying tolls.
The first pound canal lock in England, that is, a lock as we now understand it with mitred gates, was opened at Waltham Abbey
, Essex, in 1577. The remainder of the control of levels was carried out by "staunches" or "turnpikes" — a weir with a single vertically lifting gate, through which boats were pulled against the current.
With increasing extraction of water by the New River Company
, navigation became difficult and water for mill-owners became scarcer, and a petition was presented to Parliament
resulting in a further Act of 1739.
However, this did not solve all the problems. John Smeaton
made a survey of the river in 1765 and recommended that the staunches be replaced by pound locks. An Act in 1767 provided these changes, together with the construction of a new stretch of canal, the Limehouse Cut
to bypass the tight bends of Bow Creek near the River Thames
, and this was opened in 1770 and widened in 1777. Artificial cuts and pound locks were opened at Waltham Abbey
, Edmonton
and Hackney
in 1769. There were further improvements throughout the 19th century, including an Act in 1850 to authorise new lock cuts at Hoddesdon
, Carthagena Lock
(Broxbourne
), Waltham Marsh, Tottenham
, Walthamstow
, Hackney
, Leyton
and Bromley-by-Bow
and new locks at Hunter's Gate (Bow Bridge) and Old Ford. The River Lee Water Act of 1855 authorised a new lock at Amwell Marsh and the removal of Stanstead Lock
. Edmonton
Lock was to be removed and Pickett's Lock
rebuilt. In 1868 the Lee Conservancy Board was formed to take over control of the river from the former trustees.
in 1911, and instituted further improvements, including reconstruction of the locks between Enfield and Hertford, the width being increased from 13 feet 3 inches (4.04 m) to 16 feet (4.88 m): by the 1930s, 130-ton barges could reach Enfield
, and 100-ton barges to Ware and Hertford
.
The navigation was nationalised in 1948, and control passed to the British Transport Commission
. Where possible the locks from Bow Locks
through to Ponder's End Lock
were duplicated and mechanised - the only exception being Pickett's Lock
. In 1962, the British Transport Commission
was wound up, and control passed to the British Waterways Board
. Commercial traffic effectively ended in the 1980s.
During the 1950s horse drawn lighters
were still journeying as far as Hertford
. By 1980 commercial traffic extended no higher than the Enfield Rolling Mills at Brimsdown
, with just one tug, the Vassal was regularly at work on the river. Powered by a 120 hp
Gardner diesel engine, she would typically tow a train of two lighters loaded with timber from Bow
to Hahn's Wharf at Edmonton
. There are efforts currently underway to revive commercial traffic on the canal with a plan to transport rubbish for incineration at the Edmonton Incinerator
.
and open space preserve
. Local jurisdictions also maintain parks on the canals in Lea Valley Park.
The Lea Valley Walk
, an 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) long-distance long-distance
public walking path
and bicycle trail from the headwaters to Thames confluence
, is along the canal towpath
s in the Lee Navigation section.
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
ised river incorporating the River Lea (also called the River Lee). Its course runs from Hertford Castle Weir
Hertford Castle Weir
Hertford Castle Weir is a weir located in Hertford near to Hertford Castle and next to Castle Hall.Its function is to connect the upper River Lea to the canalised section that runs through Hertfordshire, North London into the River Thames...
all the way to the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Bow Creek
Bow Creek
Bow Creek is a long tidal estuary of the River Lea and is part of the Bow Back Rivers. Below Bow Locks the creek forms the boundary between the London Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets, in east London....
. The first lock of the navigation is Hertford Lock
Hertford Lock
Hertford Lock is a lock situated on the River Lea on the eastern side of Hartham Common, Hertford in the English county of Hertfordshire. It is owned and managed by British Waterways and is the first lock of the River Lee Navigation....
the last being Bow Locks
Bow Locks
Bow Locks is a set of bi-directional locks in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The locks link the tidal Bow Creek to the River Lee Navigation, which is a canalised river. These locks were first built in 1850 and then rebuilt in 1930, at the same time as the Prescott Channel was cut nearby...
.
Name
The Lee Navigation is named by Acts of Parliament and is so marked on Ordnance SurveyOrdnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps. Constructed elements and human features are spelled Lee, such as the canal system and Lee Valley Park
Lee Valley Park
Lee Valley Regional Park is a long linear park, much of it green spaces, running through the northeast of London, Essex and Hertfordshire from the River Thames to Ware in Hertfordshire, England through areas such as Hackney, Tottenham, Enfield, Stratford, Tower Hamlets, Walthamstow, Cheshunt,...
. The un-canalized river is spelled Lea, along with other natural features such as Lower Lea Valley
Lower Lea Valley
The Lower Lea Valley is the southern end of the Lea Valley, surrounding the River Lea , which runs along the boundary of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on its western bank and the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest and Newham on its eastern bank, into the River Thames. The river forms the...
.
19th Century
The River Lea is a major tributary of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
and was once used by Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raiders. King Alfred changed the level of the river to strand Guthrum
Guthrum
The name Guthrum corresponds to Norwegian Guttom and to Danish Gorm.The name Guthrum may refer to these kings:* Guthrum, who fought against Alfred the Great* Gorm the Old of Denmark and Norway* Guthrum II, a king of doubtful historicity...
and his fleet. In more peaceful times, it became important for the transport of grain from Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, but navigation of its southern-most tidal reaches of Bow Creek were difficult due to its tortuous meanders.
The first Act
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
for improvement of the river was granted in 1425, also being the first Act granted for navigational improvement in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. A second Act was passed in 1430. The Act authorised local landowners to make improvements paid for by levying tolls.
The first pound canal lock in England, that is, a lock as we now understand it with mitred gates, was opened at Waltham Abbey
Waltham Abbey, Essex
Waltham Abbey is a market town of about 20,400 people in the south west of the county of Essex, in the East of England region. It is about 24 km north of London on the Greenwich Meridian and lies between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east. It takes its name from The Abbey...
, Essex, in 1577. The remainder of the control of levels was carried out by "staunches" or "turnpikes" — a weir with a single vertically lifting gate, through which boats were pulled against the current.
With increasing extraction of water by the New River Company
New River (England)
The New River is an artificial waterway in England, opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water taken from the River Lea and from Amwell Springs , and other springs and wells along its course....
, navigation became difficult and water for mill-owners became scarcer, and a petition was presented to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
resulting in a further Act of 1739.
John Smeaton
John Smeaton, FRS, was an English civil engineer responsible for the design of bridges, canals, harbours and lighthouses. He was also a capable mechanical engineer and an eminent physicist...
made a survey of the river in 1765 and recommended that the staunches be replaced by pound locks. An Act in 1767 provided these changes, together with the construction of a new stretch of canal, the Limehouse Cut
Limehouse Cut
The Limehouse Cut is a straight, broad canal in the East End of London, which linked the lower reaches of the River Lee Navigation to the River Thames...
to bypass the tight bends of Bow Creek near the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, and this was opened in 1770 and widened in 1777. Artificial cuts and pound locks were opened at Waltham Abbey
Waltham Abbey, Essex
Waltham Abbey is a market town of about 20,400 people in the south west of the county of Essex, in the East of England region. It is about 24 km north of London on the Greenwich Meridian and lies between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east. It takes its name from The Abbey...
, Edmonton
Edmonton, London
Edmonton is an area in the east of the London Borough of Enfield, England, north-north-east of Charing Cross. It has a long history as a settlement distinct from Enfield.-Location:...
and Hackney
Hackney Marshes
Hackney Marshes is an area of grassland on the western bank of the River Lea in the London Borough of Hackney. It was incorporated into the Lee Valley Park in 1967...
in 1769. There were further improvements throughout the 19th century, including an Act in 1850 to authorise new lock cuts at Hoddesdon
Hoddesdon
Hoddesdon is a town in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated in the Lea Valley. The town grew up as a coaching stop on the route between Cambridge and London. It is located southeast of Hertford, north of Waltham Cross and southwest of Bishop's Stortford. At its height during the 18th...
, Carthagena Lock
Carthagena Lock
Carthagena Lock is a lock on the River Lee Navigation at Broxbourne- Location :Directly behind the lock is Carthagena Weir part of a fishery which also includes two lakes and a section of the Old River Lea....
(Broxbourne
Broxbourne
Broxbourne is a commuter town in the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England with a population of 13,298 in 2001.It is located 17.1 miles north north-east of Charing Cross in London and about a mile north of Wormley and south of Hoddesdon...
), Waltham Marsh, Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
, Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
, Hackney
Hackney Marshes
Hackney Marshes is an area of grassland on the western bank of the River Lea in the London Borough of Hackney. It was incorporated into the Lee Valley Park in 1967...
, Leyton
Leyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....
and Bromley-by-Bow
Bromley-by-Bow
Bromley-by-Bow, historically and officially Bromley, is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is an inner-city district situated east north-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
and new locks at Hunter's Gate (Bow Bridge) and Old Ford. The River Lee Water Act of 1855 authorised a new lock at Amwell Marsh and the removal of Stanstead Lock
Stanstead Lock
Stanstead Lock is a lock on the River Lee Navigation close to the villages of Stanstead Abbotts and St Margarets. The lock which incorporates a rare example of a swing-bridge, has the reputation of being one of the country's most difficult to negotiate....
. Edmonton
Edmonton, London
Edmonton is an area in the east of the London Borough of Enfield, England, north-north-east of Charing Cross. It has a long history as a settlement distinct from Enfield.-Location:...
Lock was to be removed and Pickett's Lock
Pickett's Lock (lock)
Pickett's Lock is a lock on the River Lee Navigation in the London Borough of Enfield, England and is located near Edmonton, London. It gives its name to the surrounding area of Picketts Lock. In common with other locks as far as Ponder's End Lock it is large enough to take barges of up to 130 tons...
rebuilt. In 1868 the Lee Conservancy Board was formed to take over control of the river from the former trustees.
20th Century
The Lee Navigation bought the Stort NavigationStort Navigation
The Stort Navigation is the canalised section of the River Stort running from the town of Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire downstream to its confluence with the River Lee Navigation at Feildes Weir near Rye House, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.-History:...
in 1911, and instituted further improvements, including reconstruction of the locks between Enfield and Hertford, the width being increased from 13 feet 3 inches (4.04 m) to 16 feet (4.88 m): by the 1930s, 130-ton barges could reach Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
, and 100-ton barges to Ware and Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
.
The navigation was nationalised in 1948, and control passed to the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
. Where possible the locks from Bow Locks
Bow Locks
Bow Locks is a set of bi-directional locks in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The locks link the tidal Bow Creek to the River Lee Navigation, which is a canalised river. These locks were first built in 1850 and then rebuilt in 1930, at the same time as the Prescott Channel was cut nearby...
through to Ponder's End Lock
Ponder's End Lock
Ponder's End Lock is a paired lock on the River Lee Navigation in England and is located near Ponders End, London. It is the last lock upstream that is large enough to take barges of up to 130 tons.- History :...
were duplicated and mechanised - the only exception being Pickett's Lock
Pickett's Lock (lock)
Pickett's Lock is a lock on the River Lee Navigation in the London Borough of Enfield, England and is located near Edmonton, London. It gives its name to the surrounding area of Picketts Lock. In common with other locks as far as Ponder's End Lock it is large enough to take barges of up to 130 tons...
. In 1962, the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
was wound up, and control passed to the British Waterways Board
British Waterways
British Waterways is a statutory corporation wholly owned by the government of the United Kingdom, serving as the navigation authority in England, Scotland and Wales for the vast majority of the canals as well as a number of rivers and docks...
. Commercial traffic effectively ended in the 1980s.
During the 1950s horse drawn lighters
Lighter (barge)
A lighter is a type of flat-bottomed barge used to transfer goods and passengers to and from moored ships. Lighters were traditionally unpowered and were moved and steered using long oars called "sweeps," with their motive power provided by water currents...
were still journeying as far as Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
. By 1980 commercial traffic extended no higher than the Enfield Rolling Mills at Brimsdown
Brimsdown Industrial Estate
Brimsdown Industrial Estate is located to the east of the residential part of Brimsdown in the London Borough of Enfield. The estate, which lies in the Lea Valley, is bordered to the west by the West Anglia Main Line portion of the Lea Valley Lines and to the east by the River Lea and King George V...
, with just one tug, the Vassal was regularly at work on the river. Powered by a 120 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
Gardner diesel engine, she would typically tow a train of two lighters loaded with timber from Bow
Bow, London
Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...
to Hahn's Wharf at Edmonton
Edmonton, London
Edmonton is an area in the east of the London Borough of Enfield, England, north-north-east of Charing Cross. It has a long history as a settlement distinct from Enfield.-Location:...
. There are efforts currently underway to revive commercial traffic on the canal with a plan to transport rubbish for incineration at the Edmonton Incinerator
Edmonton Incinerator
Edmonton Incinerator is a municipal waste incinerator and waste-to-energy power station which burns London's waste to provide electricity for the National Grid...
.
Recreation
Much of the Lee Navigation is within Lea Valley Park, a multi-county regional parkRegional park
Regional park is a term used for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government.-Definition:...
and open space preserve
Open space reserve
Open space reserve, open space preserve, and open space reservation, are planning and conservation ethics terms used to describe areas of protected or conserved land or water on which development is indefinitely set aside...
. Local jurisdictions also maintain parks on the canals in Lea Valley Park.
The Lea Valley Walk
Lea Valley Walk
The Lea Valley Walk is a long-distance path located between Leagrave, the source of the River Lea near Luton, and the Thames, at Limehouse Basin, Limehouse, east London. From its source much of the walk is rural. At Hertford the path follows the towpath of the River Lee Navigation, and it becomes...
, an 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) long-distance long-distance
Long-distance trail
Long-distance trails are the longer recreational trails mainly through rural areas, used for non-motorised recreational travelling ....
public walking path
Footpath
A Footpath is a thoroughfare intended for by pedestrians but not by motorized vehicles. The term is often for paths within an urban area that offer shorter quieter routes for pedestrians, they may also provide access to the surrounding countryside or parks...
and bicycle trail from the headwaters to Thames confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
, is along the canal towpath
Towpath
A towpath is a road or trail on the bank of a river, canal, or other inland waterway. The purpose of a towpath is to allow a land vehicle, beasts of burden, or a team of human pullers to tow a boat, often a barge...
s in the Lee Navigation section.
See also
- Bow Back RiversBow Back RiversThe Bow Back Rivers are part of the River Lea in the London Borough of Newham, east London, England, and form a complex system of waterways. The River Lea was originally tidal as far as Hackney Wick; man-made changes to the river had changed this dramatically in the 9th century, and in 1110 a...
- Locks and Weirs on the River Lea
- Canals of Great Britain
- History of the British canal systemHistory of the British canal systemThe British canal system of water transport played a vital role in the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution at a time when roads were only just emerging from the medieval mud and long trains of pack horses were the only means of "mass" transit by road of raw materials and finished products The...
External links
- River Lee Navigation
- Photographs of Edmonton timber wharves (1983)
- Photo of the last horse-drawn barge (1955)
- History of the locks on the Lee & Stort Navigation
Further reading
- Cumberlidge, Jane (1998). Inland Waterways of Great Britain (7th ed.). Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson. ISBN 0-85288-355-2.
- Paget-Tomlinson, Edward (1994). The Illustrated History of Canal & River Navigations. Sheffield Academic Press. ISBN 1-85075-277-X.
- Priestley, Joseph (1831). Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers, Canals, and Railways, of Great Britain. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green.
- NicholsonNicholson GuidesThe Nicholson Guides are a set of books now published jointly by Bartholomew and the Ordnance Survey as guides to the navigable waterways of England and Wales ....
& Ordnance SurveyOrdnance SurveyOrdnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
.Guide to the Waterways 1 London,Grand Union,Oxford& Lee (1997) ISBN 0 7026 3296 0 - John Boyes and Ronald Russell, (1977), The Canals of Eastern England, David and Charles, ISBN 0-71537-415-X