
Keynsham Lock is a
canal lock
A lock is a device used for raising and lowering boats, ships and other watercraft between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a chamber in a permanently fixed position i ...
situated on the
River Avon at
Keynsham
Keynsham ( ) is a town and civil parish located on the outskirts of the city of Bristol on the A4 that links the cities of Bristol and Bath, Somerset, Bath in Somerset, England. It had a population of 19,603 at the 2021 Census. It was listed i ...
, England.
The Bristol Avon Navigation, which runs the from the Kennet and Avon Canal at Hanham Lock to the Bristol Channel at Avonmouth, was constructed between 1724 and 1727, following legislation passed by
Queen Anne, by a company of proprietors and the engineer
John Hore of
Newbury. The first cargo of 'Deal boards, Pig-Lead and Meal' arrived in Bath in December 1727. The navigation is now administered by the
Canal & River Trust.
The old bridge next to the lock played a part in the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
as the
Roundheads saved the town and also camped there for the night, using the pub now known as the Lock Keeper's Inn as a guard post. The lock opened in 1727.
Just above the lock are some visitor moorings and a
pub, on an island between the lock and the
weir
A weir or low-head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...
. The weir side of the island is also the mouth of the
River Chew. The adjacent bridge was replaced after damage in the
Great Flood of 1968.
See also
*
Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal
References
{{Coord, 51.41977, N, 2.49192, W, region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(ST658690), display=title
Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal
Transport infrastructure completed in 1727
Lock
Lock(s) or Locked may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainme ...