River Lee and Stort Navigation a history

1425
Act of Parliament for improving the navigation between London and Hertford. Appointment of commissioners to deal with obstructions in the course of the river.
1571
Act of Parliament for improving navigation between London and Ware. The river was scoured and embanked in certain areas. By 1577 a pound lock (one of the earliest in the country) had been built at Waltham Abbey.
1581
Attempts to sabotage the river. The banks were cut near Green Street and there was an attempt to burn the lock at Waltham. The unrest was led by Enfield maltmen who had lost business because of malt and barley being carried by river instead of by road.
1738
Trustees appointed by Act of Parliament to superintend the navigation of the Lee.
1766
River Lee Act authorised the building of new locks and lock cuts and the construction of a new outlet to the Thames (the Limestone Cut). The work was carried out under the supervision of John Smeaton (builder of the third Eddystone Lighthouse).
1769
Opening of the River Stort Navigation from the Lee at Rye House to Bishop's Stortford.
1830
Opening of the Hertford Union Canal connecting the Lee at Hackney with the Regent's Canal, providing a useful link with the Grand Union Canal.
1850
Act of Parliament to authorise new lock cuts at Hoddesdon, Carthagena Lock (Broxbourne), Waltham Marsh, Tottenham, Walthamstow, Hackney, Leyton and Bromley and new locks at Hunter's Gate (Bow Bridge) and Old Ford.
1855
River Lee Water Act authorised a new lock at Amwell Marsh and the removal of Stanstead Lock. Edmonton Lock was to be removed and Picketts Lock rebuilt.
1869
Lee Conservancy Board formed to take over control of the river from the former trustees.
1909
Closure of the Stort Navigation after the collapse of the side of a lock.
1911
Stort Navigation taken over by Lee Conservancy Board.
1922/3
Reconstruction of locks etc. between Enfield and Hertford. The width was increased from 13ft 3in to 16ft and the length increased to 90ft.
1924
Reopening of the Stort Navigation after dredging and reconstruction of the locks.
1948
Nationalisation of canals. Control of the Lee and Stort passed to the British Transport Commission. On the disbanding of the B.T.C. in 1962 the canals passed to the British Waterways Board.
© Graham Dalling 2006

This document was last updated on 2005-12-30 14:11:57 published by the Libraries team. Document Reference:LBE_112650

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