Hertford Union Canal

Canal in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Hertford Union Canal

Junction of Hertford Union Canal and River Lee Navigation

Specifications
Maximum boat length| 72 ft 0 in (21.95 m)
Maximum boat beam| 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m)
Locks| 3
Status| Navigable
Navigation authority| Canal and River Trust
History
Original owner| Sir George Duckett
Principal engineer| Francis Giles
Date of act| 1824
Date completed| 1830
Geography
Start point| Regent's Canal
End point| Lee Navigation
| Route map

* v
* t
* e

Hertford Union Canal

Legend

|  |  |

|  | River Lee Navigation

|
|
|
|

|  |

| Old Ford Bottom Lock
|  |

|  | Wansbeck Road
|  |

|  |  A12  East Cross Route
|  |

|  | Cadogan Terrace
|  |

| Old Ford Middle Lock
|  |

| Old Ford Top Lock
|  |

|  |  B118  Old Ford Road
|  |

|  |  A1205  Grove Road
|  |

|  | Regent's Canal
|  |  |  |  |  |

The Hertford Union Canal or Duckett's Cut, just over 1 mile (1.6 km) long, connects the Regent's Canal to the Lee Navigation in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London.[1] It was opened in 1830 but quickly proved to be a commercial failure. It was acquired by the Regents Canal Company in 1857, and became part of the Grand Union Canal in 1927.[2]

## History

[edit]

Like its 1766 predecessor, the Limehouse Cut, the Hertford Union Canal was intended to provide a short-cut between the River Thames and the River Lee Navigation. It allowed traffic on the Lea heading for the Thames to bypass the tidal, tortuous and often silted Bow Back Rivers of the Lea via a short stretch of the Regent's Canal, and provided a short-cut from the Lea to places west along the Regent's Canal.

United Kingdom legislation

Hertford Union Canal Act 1824

Act of Parliament

Parliament of the United Kingdom

Long title| An Act for making and maintaining a Navigable Canal from the River Lee Navigation in the Parish of Saint Mary Stratford Bow in the County of Middlesex, to join the Regents Canal at or near a Place called Old Ford Lock in the Parish of Saint Matthew Bethnal Green in the said County of Middlesex.
Citation| 5 Geo. 4. c. xlvii
Dates
Royal assent| 17 May 1824

The canal was promoted by Sir George Duckett who succeeded in obtaining an act of Parliament, the Hertford Union Canal Act 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. xlvii), that gained its royal assent on 17 May 1824. The act was entitled An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal from the River Lee Navigation, in the parish of St. Mary Stratford Bow, in the county of Middlesex, to join the Regent's Canal at or near a Place called Old Ford Lock, in the parish of St. Matthew Bethnal Green, in the said county of Middlesex.[3] The Act authorised Duckett to borrow up to £50,000 to fund construction, and to charge tolls for using the canal, initially one shilling (£0.05) per ton of goods carried.[3]

With Francis Giles appointed as engineer, the canal opened in 1830 and was for some years known as Duckett's Canal or Duckett's cut (or passage). It was not a commercial success, and within a year offers to waive the tolls were being made. For several years around the 1850s it was unnavigable, as a dam was built across it to prevent the Regent's Canal losing water to it. After failed attempts to sell it in 1851, it was eventually acquired by the Regent's Canal Company and became a branch of that canal on 28 October 1857. The new owners removed the dam, and deepened and widened the channel.[4] When the Grand Union Canal Company came into existence on 1 January 1929, it became part of that network. Today, it is maintained by the Canal & River Trust.

## Route

[edit]

The canal starts at Hertford Union Junction between Mile End Lock and Old Ford Lock on the Regent's Canal in Bethnal Green. It passes along the north of Bow Wharf, redeveloped in the 1990s with shops and bars, and after Grove Road, passes south of Lakeview Estate, completed in 1958. For much of the rest of its route it is bounded on the north by Victoria Park. The canal joins the Lee Navigation just above Old Ford Lock.

Many of the associated locks, bridges and other features around the canal date from the canal's opening in 1830, and are designated listed structures within a scheduled monument.

## Locks

[edit]

For other locks of the same name in this area, see Old Ford Lock (disambiguation).

Hertford Union Top Lock No. 1 Hertford Union Middle Lock No. 2 Hertford Union Bottom Lock No. 3

The locks on this canal have been collectively named Old Ford Three Locks,[5] all lying within the district of Old Ford, but are now individually known as Hertford Union Top, Middle and Bottom locks. They are grouped together towards the north-eastern end, and descend approximately 19 feet (5.8 m) from the Regent's Canal to the Lee Navigation. They are all single manual locks, and the largest craft that can use them have a length of 72 feet and a beam of 14 feet.[6]

Proceeding west to east, the locks are:

### Hertford Union Top Lock No. 1

[edit]

This is lock No.1, and is 0.63 miles (1.0 km) from the Hertford Union Junction with the Regent's Canal. It is to the south of Victoria Park, with the tail of the lock passing beneath a cast iron footbridge accessing the park from Parnell Road.[7] It has a fall of 6 feet 3 inches (1.9 m).[8]

The lock was designated a Grade II listed structure in 1990, and its bottom gates have rare cast iron balance beams.[9] One of the adjacent cottages (No 3 Lock Cottages) is also a Grade II listed building.[10]
51°32′17″N 0°01′47″W﻿ / ﻿51.538056°N 0.029783°W﻿ / 51.538056; -0.029783

### Hertford Union Middle Lock No. 2

[edit]

The middle lock has a fall of 8 feet 11 inches (2.7 m)[11] The tail of the lock passes under Cadogan Terrace.
51°32′21″N 0°01′39″W﻿ / ﻿51.539082°N 0.027568°W﻿ / 51.539082; -0.027568

### Hertford Union Bottom Lock No. 3

[edit]

The lower lock has a fall of 3 feet 9 inches (1.1 m). It is just 0.13 miles (0.2 km) from the junction with the River Lee.[12]

A now demolished public house, The Mitford Castle, by the ramp to the canal, on Wick Road, was where Thomas Briggs – the first victim of a railway murder – was taken to die from his wounds, in July 1864 (see Hackney Wick).[13]
51°32′26″N 0°01′29″W﻿ / ﻿51.540610°N 0.024636°W﻿ / 51.540610; -0.024636

## Transport

[edit]

The nearest London Overground stations are Cambridge Heath at the western end or Hackney Wick at the eastern end.

The canal towpath is open to walkers and cyclists, without permit. At its eastern end, the towpath joins the Lea Valley Walk. At Hackney Wick, the Capital Ring crosses the canal; with section 13 proceeding north-west toward Stoke Newington[14] and section 14, south-east via The Greenway towards Beckton District Park.[15] The towpath forms part of the "Limehouse Circuit" commencing at Limehouse Basin and utilising the Limehouse Cut, Lee Navigation, Regent's Canal and Hertford Union in a circular five-mile walk.

The Olympic Park was constructed to the east of the Lee Navigation. During the games, the Cut was closed to navigation and used for mooring visiting craft. In the legacy phase of the 2012 Summer Olympics, there is promised access to the Olympic Park and Bow Back Rivers.

## See also

[edit]

* Canals of the United Kingdom
* History of the British canal system

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hertford Union Canal.

KML file (edit • help)

Template:Attached KML/Hertford Union Canal

KML is from Wikidata

* United Kingdom portal
* Transport portal

1. ^ "Boating facilities". Canal & River Trust. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.; "Lea Valley Walk, Section 4 of 6, Southwold Road to Three Mills Bromley-by-Bow" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
2. ^ "Waterways of England and Wales: London's Minor Canals: Smaller Navigations of London". London Canal Museum Home Page. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
3. ^ a b Priestley, Joseph (1831). Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers, Canals, and Railways, of Great Britain. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green
4. ^ London Canals: Hertford Union: History Archived 2007-12-01 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ "Inland Waterways Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland". Imray, Laurie, Norie And Wilson, Limited. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
6. ^ "Boating in London. Facilities, maps and waterways guide". British Waterways. p. 13\. Archived from the original on 5 May 2011.
7. ^ Historic England. "Parnell Road Bridge at TQ 367840 (1260227)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
8. ^ "Hertford Union Top Lock No 1". CanalPlan AC. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
9. ^ Historic England. "Top Lock at TQ 3675 8398 (1357546)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
10. ^ Historic England. "Lock Cottages, Top Lock at TQ 3673 8399 (1065741)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
11. ^ "Hertford Union Middle Lock No 2". CanalPlanAC. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
12. ^ "Hertford Union Bottom Lock No 3". CanalplanAC. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
13. ^ Harper's Weekly, 10 September 1864 Retrieved 1 December 2007
14. ^ Capital Ring Section 13: Stoke Newington to Hackney Wick, Transport for London, Retrieved 14 December 2008
15. ^ Capital Ring Section 14: Hackney Wick to Beckton District Park, Transport for London, Retrieved 14 December 2008

* v
* t
* e

Locks and weirs on the River Lea, England

Counties|

* Bedfordshire
* Hertfordshire
* Essex
* Greater London

Locks|

* Hertford Lock
* Ware Lock
* Hardmead Lock
* Stanstead Lock
* Feildes Weir Lock
* Dobbs Weir Lock
* Carthagena Lock
* Aqueduct Lock
* Cheshunt Lock
* Waltham Common Lock
* Waltham Town Lock
* Rammey Marsh Lock
* Enfield Lock
* Ponder's End Lock
* Pickett's Lock
* Stonebridge Lock
* Tottenham Lock
* Pond Lane Flood Gates
* Old Ford Lock
* Bow Locks

Weirs|

* Horns Mill Weir
* Hertford Castle Weir
* Hartham Weir
* Ware Weir
* Feildes Weir
* Dobbs Weir
* Carthagena Weir
* Kings Weir
* Newmans Weir
* Middlesex Filter Beds Weir

Hertford Union Canal
(branch from Hackney Cut)|

* Hertford Union Bottom Lock No. 3
* Hertford Union Middle Lock No. 2
* Hertford Union Top Lock No. 1
* Regent's Canal

Limehouse Cut
(branch, at Bow Locks)|

* Bromley Stop Lock
* Britannia Stop Lock
* Limehouse Basin

Bow Back Rivers
(branches of the
Old River Lea)|

* Three Mills Lock
* City Mill Lock
* Carpenter's Road Lock
* Marshgate Lane Lock (defunct)
* Three Mills Wall River Weir
(These rivers form the waterways within the 2012 Olympic Park \- they flow into Bow Creek)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template