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List of locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal
Background Information
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The Kennet and Avon Canal is a canal in southern England. The name may refer to either the route of the original Kennet and Avon Canal Company, which linked the River Kennet at Newbury to the River Avon at Bath, or to the entire navigation between the River Thames at Reading and the Floating Harbour at Bristol, including the earlier improved river navigations of the River Kennet between Reading and Newbury and the River Avon between Bath and Bristol.
The River Kennet was made navigable to Newbury in 1723, and the River Avon to Bath in 1727. The Kennet and Avon Canal between Newbury and Bath was built between 1794 and 1810 by John Rennie, to convey commercial barges carrying a variety of cargoes. and is 57 miles (92 km) long. The two river navigations and the canal total 87 miles (140 km) in length. The section from Bristol to Bath is the course of the River Avon, which flows through a wide valley and has been made navigable by a series of locks and weirs.
There are a total of 105 locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal from Bristol to the River Thames, including 6 on the navigable section of the River Avon from Bristol to Bath and 9 on the navigable section of the River Kennet to its confluence with the Thames near Reading. The remaining 90 locks lie along the 57 miles (92 km) of canal.
In Bath the canal separates from the river but follows its valley as far as Bradford on Avon. The ornate Bath Locks lead to a stretch through Limpley Stoke valley with few locks. The flight of locks at Devizes, including the Caen Hill Locks, raises the canal to its longest pound, which then ascends the 4 Wooton Rivers locks to the short summit pound which includes the Bruce Tunnel. Pumping stations are used to supply the canal with water. The canal continues through the rural landscape of Wiltshire and Berkshire before joining the River Kennet at Newbury and becoming a navigable river to Reading, where it flows into the River Thames.
In the later 19th century and early 20th century the canal fell into disuse following competition from the Great Western Railway, who owned the canal. Between 1970 and 1990 the canal was restored, largely by volunteers, and today is a popular heritage tourism destination, for boating, canoeing, fishing, walking and cycling. It is also important for wildlife conservation.
Locks
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The following list numbers the locks from the River Avon in Bristol to the River Thames. It includes one lock that has been removed (98, Ufton Lock) and two that have been combined to form a single deep lock (8 and 9, now Bath Deep Lock). Travelling from Bristol to Reading, locks 1 to 54 are uphill, and locks 55 to 107 are downhill.
Lock number | Lock name | Grid ref | Listed Building grade | Rise / fall | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
imperial | metres | ||||
1 | Hanham Lock | ST646700 | II | ||
2 | Keynsham Lock | ST658690 | 6ft 10in | 2.1 | |
3 | Swineford Lock | ST691689 | 4ft 4in | 1.3 | |
4 | Saltford Lock | ST692679 | 3ft 10in | 1.2 | |
5 | Kelston Lock | ST688669 | 3ft 1in | 0.9 | |
6 | Weston Lock | ST725648 | 9 ft 3in | 2.8 | |
7 | Bath Bottom Lock | ST756643 | II | 9 ft 3in | 2.8 |
8/9 | Bath Deep Lock | ST756643 | II | 19 ft 5in | 5.9 |
10 | Wash House Lock | ST756643 | II | 8 ft 6in | 2.6 |
11 | Abbey View Lock | ST756643 | II | 9 ft 0in | 2.7 |
12 | Pultney Lock | ST756643 | II | 9 ft 5in | 2.9 |
13 | Bath Top Lock | ST756643 | II | 9 ft 0in | 2.7 |
14 | Bradford Lock | ST825602 | 10 ft 3in | 3.1 | |
15 | Buckley's Lock | ST900609 | 8 ft 0in | 2.4 | |
16 | Barrett's Lock | ST900609 | 7 ft 10in | 2.4 | |
17–21 | Seend Locks | ST933613 | 38 ft 4ins | 11.7 | |
22–50 | Caen Hill Locks | ST978614 | II | 237 ft | 72.2 |
51 | Wootton Rivers Bottom Lock | SU198629 | II | 8 ft 0ins | 2.4 |
52 | Heathy Close Lock | SU201631 | 8 ft 1in | 2.5 | |
53 | Brimslade Lock | SU209634 | II | 8 ft 0in | 2.4 |
54 | Wootton Top Lock | SU212634 | 8 ft 0in | 2.4 | |
Summit of the canal | |||||
55–63 | Crofton Locks | SU254622 | II | 61 ft 0in | 18.6 |
64 | Bedwyn Church Lock | SU278641 | II | 7 ft 11ins | 2.4 |
65 | Burnt Mill Lock | SU283649 | 7 ft 9ins | 2.4 | |
66 | Potter's Lock | SU288654 | 7 ft 6ins | 2.3 | |
67 | Little Bedwyn Lock | SU290659 | 6 ft 7ins | 2.0 | |
68 | Oakhill Down Lock | SU299671 | II | 5 ft 11in | 1.8 |
69 | Froxfield Middle Lock | SU301674 | 6 ft 11in | 2.1 | |
70 | Froxfield Bottom Lock | SU303676 | 7 ft 0in | 2.1 | |
71 | Picketfield Lock | SU315680 | 7 ft 0in | 2.1 | |
72 | Cobbler's Lock | SU321684 | 8 ft 3in | 2.5 | |
73 | Hungerford Marsh Lock | SU326685 | 8 ft 1in | 2.5 | |
74 | Hungerford Lock | SU336687 | 8 ft 0in | 2.4 | |
75 | Dun Mill Lock | SU352683 | II | 5 ft 8in | 1.7 |
76 | Wire Lock | SU363681 | II | 6 ft 10in | 2.1 |
77 | Brunsden Lock | SU372676 | II | 4 ft 11in | 1.5 |
78 | Kintbury Lock | SU386671 | 5 ft 9in | 1.7 | |
79 | Dreweatt's Lock | SU411673 | II | 5 ft 9in | 1.7 |
80 | Copse Lock | SU416670 | 6 ft 0in | 1.8 | |
81 | Hamstead Lock | SU424671 | II | 6 ft 5in | 2.0 |
82 | Benham Lock | SU438665 | 6 ft 3in | 1.9 | |
83 | Higg's Lock | SU447667 | 5 ft 10in | 1.8 | |
84 | Guyer's Lock | SU453669 | II | 7 ft 0in | 2.1 |
85 | Newbury Lock | SU470671 | II | 3 ft 6in | 1.1 |
86 | Greenham Lock | SU480673 | 8 ft 11in | 2.7 | |
87 | Ham Lock | SU487672 | 4 ft 2in | 1.3 | |
88 | Bull's Lock | SU499667 | 5 ft 9in | 1.8 | |
89 | Widmead Lock | SU508663 | 3 ft 7in | 1.1 | |
90 | Monkey Marsh Lock | SU522662 | 8 ft 8in | 2.6 | |
91 | Colthrop Lock | SU538663 | 7 ft 7in | 2.3 | |
92 | Midgham Lock | SU548662 | 7 ft 7in | 2.3 | |
93 | Heale's Lock | SU562663 | 8 ft 11in | 2.7 | |
94 | Woolhampton Lock | SU571665 | 8 ft 11in | 2.7 | |
95 | Aldermaston Lock | SU601671 | II | 8 ft 11in | 2.7 |
96 | Padworth Lock | SU606672 | 5 ft 1in | 1.6 | |
97 | Towney Lock | SU610680 | 9 ft 8in | 3.0 | |
98 | Site of Ufton Lock (ungated) | SU617686 | |||
99 | Tyle Mill Lock | SU626691 | 6 ft 4in | 1.9 | |
100 | Sulhamstead Lock | SU637698 | 4 ft 1in | 1.2 | |
101 | Sheffield Lock | SU648706 | II* | 2 ft 2in | 0.6 |
102 | Garston Lock | SU655707 | II* | 7 ft 7in | 2.3 |
103 | Burghfield Lock | SU674709 | 7 ft 0in | 2.1 | |
104 | Southcote Lock | SU693712 | 5 ft 3in | 1.7 | |
105 | Fobney Lock | SU705710 | 7 ft 8 in | 2.2 | |
106 | County Lock | SU713729 | 1 ft 2in | 0.3 | |
107 | Blake's Lock | SU727735 | 3 ft 6in | 1.1 |