Waltham Abbey – London Canals

An introduction to the Lee Navigation (River Lea)

The Lee Navigation was actually built in stages from the 1600’s to the Mid 1800’s, with the main body of the work being undertaken in…

The Royal Arsenal Canal today

Looking from the former canal entrance, across the coal pier, towards the Woolwich free ferry, the Thames Barrier, Canary Wharf and Central London. The flats…

History of the Royal Arsenal Railway

(The following section on the railway was kindly written for London Canals by Ian Bull of the Crossness Engines Trust) The Royal Arsenal’s railways began…

The Royal Arsenal Canal – The waterway serving the Woolwich military complex

The Royal Arsenal (or Woolwich Arsenal) canal was designed by Lietunant Colonel Pilkington and built between 1812-14, and extended again by 1816. It had a…

In Retrospect: Is the Lee Navigation a canal or river?

From Hertfordshire.com“The River Lee (or Lea) runs through Hertford on its way to London and it is joined in Hertford by three other rivers, the…

The Lee Navigation – Ware Park, New Gauge and Hertford

The final section of the Lee Navigation is just over three miles long. The course of the River Lea has been utilised since the weir…

The Lee Navigation – Stanstead lock and Gazebos

The River Lea conitnues to be used by the Lee Navigation as far as Stanstead Lock, after which it returns to its own artificial cut,…

The Lee Navigation – Kings Weir to Rye House

Immediately after Kings Weir is Wormley, a popular mooring spot. There are good walks in all directions from here, from viewing the spectacular cascade at…

The Lee Navigation – Rammey Marsh to Kings Weir

The 1835 iron bridge at Rammey Marsh Lock. It was closed recently due to structural faultsRammey Marsh is the second of two partially mechanised locks…

Lee Navigation – the old order at Waltham

The Lee Navigation once connected into the actual River Lea for a short distance from a point just above the M25 at Rammey Marsh as…