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Enfield Lock (lock) facts for kids

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Enfield Lock
Enfield Lock1.JPG
The lock, cottages and toll office
Waterway River Lee Navigation
County London Borough of Enfield
Greater London
Maintained by Canal & River Trust
Operation Manual
First built 1725
Length 84 feet (25.6 m)
Width 16 feet (4.9 m)
Fall 9 feet 7 inches (2.9 m)
Distance to
Bow Creek
11.5 miles (18.5 km)
Distance to
Hertford Castle Weir
14.8 miles (23.8 km)
Coordinates 51°40′02″N 0°01′06″W / 51.667319°N 0.018207°W / 51.667319; -0.018207

Enfield Lock (No 13) is a lock on the River Lee Navigation, in the London Borough of Enfield. It gives its name to the surrounding area of Enfield Lock. The lock is situated close to the former Royal Small Arms Factory now known as Enfield Island Village. It is the first of the smaller locks upstream to Hertford which were built to allow barges up to a maximum 100 tons.

Etymology

Enfield Lock is recorded thus in 1710, earlier as Norhtlok 1355, The Locke 1657, 'the (northern) lock or river barrier (near Enfield)', from Middle English lok.

History

Enfield Lock4
Canal & River Trust offices

A lock on this site has been extant since 1725. The present day structure was re-built in 1922. At the lock are red brick cottages and a Lee Conservancy Board toll office of 1889. Below the lock, a water maintenance depot, with clock turret on the cruciform planned office building of 1907.

Public access

Enfield Lock3
Narrowboats passing through the lock

The lock is located adjacent to Ordnance Road.

Enfield Lock railway station is close by.

The area is served by the 491 and 121 London bus routes.

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