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 on the extreme right are built on land where the Woolwich class narrow boats were once built. A look at the waterway The canal is…
(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 in 1824 with a horse drawn plateway that was regarded as complete by 1840 when it had reached 15 miles in length. It’s likely that…
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 dual purpose – one was to deliver materials into the heart of the Royal Arsenal military complex and the other was to create a defence…
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 River Mimram, the River Beane and the River Rib. A canal called the Lee Navigation runs south from Hertford and barges can be hired…
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 below Ware bridge. The approach to Ware lock is actually a man made channel built to avoid the local mill. The navigation uses the River…
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, straight ahead and no bends of course. The locks at Stanstead and Hardmead must be treated with care as they only have gate paddles and…
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 Kings Weir to the vast expanse of Hoyfield Lake and tracing the old Barge River course. Wormley has some shops and pubs on the far…
The 1835 iron bridge at Rammey Marsh Lock. It was closed recently due to structural faults Rammey Marsh is the second of two partially mechanised locks on the navigation. The first was that at Enfield. From here to Hertford the locks are entirely manual. As soon as one passes under…
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 far as the Hazlemere marina footbridge. From here one could indeed reach Waltham Abbey along a branch of the River Lea as well as boat…
The lock and 1835 iron bridge at Rammey Marsh. This section of the Lee Navigation was the last to be constructed outside of London, and the date on Rammey Marsh bridge gives the date of completion. It replaced the entire river section from Enfield to Waltham Abbey. Rammey Marsh is…