Stockwith Lock opens to the public

WEST Stockwith Lock that connects the Trent to the Chesterfield Canal is being opened to the public when it is drained for repair.

Opening drained locks to the public during the winter months has become a standard feature with Canal & River Trust, with this year West Stockwith having the honours, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Walk along the bottom

Members of the public will have the opportunity to walk along the lock bottom as well as asking questions to the Trust's workmen on Sunday 23rd November when the lock will be 'open' all day.

Larger than normal 70ft long canal broad locks, West Stockwith is 138 feet long and 21 feet deep, and is designed to accommodate the Trent tides. It was originally constructed to carry coal from the now defunct Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire coal fields, and was used to transport the stone for building the Houses of Parliament from a quarry by the side of the Chesterfield Canal.

West Stockwith Lock is on the western side of the Trent at West Stockwith, with its post code DN10 4ET, but come prepared for a bit of sludge.