Bath Locks

Entering Bath Deep Lock

Bath Bottom Lock, which is numbered as No 7 on the canal is the meeting with the River Avon just south of Pulteney Bridge.^[1] Alongside the lock is a side pond and pumping station which pumps water up the locks to replace that used each time the lock is opened.^[2]

Bath Deep Lock

The next stage of Bath Deep Lock is numbered 8/9 as two locks were combined when the canal was restored in 1976. A road constructed while the canal was in a state of disrepair passes over the original site of the lower lock.^[3] The new chamber has a depth of 19 feet 5 inches, making it Britain's second deepest canal lock.^[4]

Narrow boats in Bath Deep Lock

Just above the 'deep lock' is an area of water enabling the lock to refill and above this is Wash House Lock (number 10),^[5] and soon after by Abbey View Lock (number 11), a grade II listed building^[6] by which there is another pumping station and in quick succession Pulteney Lock (12) and Bath top Lock (13).^[7]

Cleveland House and the cast iron bridges of Sydney Gardens, Bath

Above the top lock the canal passes through Sydney Gardens where it passes through two tunnels^[8][9] and under two cast iron footbridges dating from 1800. Cleveland tunnel is 173 feet long and runs under Cleveland House, the former headquarters of the Kennet and Avon Canal Company. A trap-door in the tunnel roof was employed to exchange paperwork between clerks above and barges below.^[10] This is now a grade II* listed building.^[11]

Many of the bridges over the canal are also listed buildings.^{[12][13][14][14][15][16][17]}

The locks were restored in 1968 by a collaboration involving staff from British Waterways and volunteer labour.^[18]

References

See also

• Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal

Coordinates: 51°22′37″N 2°21′6.5″W / 51.37694°N 2.351806°W / 51.37694; -2.351806