THE Canal & River Trust offered the public a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes and descend into one of the drained lock chambers on the historic Caen Hill Lock Flight where important repairs are being carried out.
The free-to-access event took place at Lock 40 on the Wiltshire flight on February 8 where the trust showcased the vital conservation work needed to keep the Scheduled Ancient Monument on the Kennet & Avon Canal in working order.
The lock is one of two on the lock flight which has been undergoing important maintenance over the winter. Because the water had been drained so that repairs can take place, the trust offered the public the unique opportunity to go down into the two-centuries-old structure to see inside the brick chamber. Specialists from the trust are repairing the bottom gates as part of the trust’s annual winter maintenance programme.
Visitors met CRT experts on site to discover more about the work and, as well as being able to go down into the lock, enjoy a guided walk of Caen Hill, and could take part in orienteering at Jubilee Woodland, as well as participate in educational activities and games for children, and step aboard Admiral, the trust’s narrowboat and welcome station.
With thousands of bridges, locks, aqueducts, tunnels and embankments that date back centuries, it is a massive task to keep the Kennet & Avon and national canal network in working order for boats, for local communities, and for the benefit of wildlife. The year-round effort involves the trust’s passionate team of specialists aided by thousands of dedicated volunteers, donors and partners.
Anna Finn, community development and attractions manager at Canal & River Trust, said: “We are delighted to offer the public the unique opportunity to go down into one of the locks on the famous Caen Hill Lock Flight. Designed by famed engineer John Rennie, it is one of the longest continuous flight of locks in the country and one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.
“It’s really important that the trust carries out this essential maintenance to our historic canal network, and this free open day is an opportunity for people to see our working industrial heritage up close and to discover more from the teams involved in how they keep this important part of the nation’s history flowing.”
The trust’s canals date back to the first days of the Industrial Revolution. They were the first transport network of the industrial age and are still used and navigated by boats as they have been for hundreds of years.
