Sunbury Lock | |
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51°24′18.5″N0°24′22″W / 51.405139°N 0.40611°W | |
Waterway | River Thames |
County | Surrey |
Maintained by | Environment Agency |
Operation | Old Manual New Hydraulic |
First built | 1812 (removed) 1856 (middle) 1927 (bankside) |
Length | Old 47.15 m (154 ft 8 in) New 62.78 m (206 ft 0 in) [1] |
Width | Old 5.86 m (19 ft 3 in) New 7.41 m (24 ft 4 in) [1] |
Fall | Both locks 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) [1] |
Above sea level | 27 feet (8 m) |
Distance to Teddington Lock | 8 miles |
Power is available out of hours |
Sunbury Lock the Walton, Weybridge and Shepperton reach of the Thames | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sunbury Lock is a lock complex of the River Thames in England near Walton-on-Thames in north-west Surrey, the third lowest of forty four on the non-tidal reaches. The complex adjoins the right, southern bank about 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) downstream of the Weir Hotel.
The complex is two locks, old and new, and a narrow concrete divide, which are downstream of the original lock built in 1812. The older, hand-operated, was originally built in 1856, seldom used. The newer was opened in 1927 by Lord Desborough. Rollers and a slope adjoins for the portage (hauling) of small boats. The lock adjoins Sunbury Lock Ait.
The lock has three associated weirs, upstream. The main weir is between Sunbury Lock Ait and Wheatley's Ait (north); the latter has two other weirs, one is a small part-time weir used in high flows.
The earliest major weir locally was built in 1789 specifically to divert water to create a deeper channel for navigation. [2] Other such weirs locally were in place since medieval times because of many shoals and flats in the Sunbury, in the period of Old London Bridge (1209-1831) which caused much silting downstream the river locally had minor tidal effects. [2] The first plan for a lock was in 1805 with an ambitious lock cut. [2] A modified scheme in 1809 resulted in the first lock, later removed, built close to the footbridge to Sunbury Lock Ait, where its lock house of the same year survives. [2] The associated long cut above the lock expanded a natural channel beside the island known as Church Island and the lock was opened in 1812. [2] The lock had become dilapidated by 1852 and the arrival of water companies planning major water extraction from the section of the river below the lock added an incentive for rebuilding it. [2] The lock was moved downstream and opened in 1856; a new lock house was built. [2] In 1927 a second lock was added at Sunbury, which was opened by Lord Desborough, then president of the Thames Conservancy.
The lock is inaccessible by road and can be reached along the towpath from The Weir Hotel, Walton-on-Thames. The weir stream and Wheatley's Ait backwater, the Creek, is used for kayaking from the northern bank, between Shepperton and Sunbury-on-Thames.
A 300 m cut upstream of Sunbury Lock Ait links to the Weir Hotel facing the Sunbury Weir which is followed by Wheatley's Ait hosting an Environment agency working area and riverside housing. More riverside housing, small parks and a marina feature on the Walton Mile and Cowey Sale reach below and above Walton Bridge, two pubs, and a marina. After Walton Bridge the river divides between the old course which meanders through Lower Halliford and Old Shepperton and the direct Desborough Cut alongside Desborough Island. Before Shepperton lock the waters rejoin where the Wey navigation the River Bourne and two mouths of the Wey join surrounding Hamhaugh Island. Immediately these, including the lock, the Shepperton to Weybridge Ferry.
Navigation transit markers are beside Desborough Cut to allow river users to check their speed.
The reach is home to six rowing clubs, a skiffing club, sailing and canoeing clubs. Walton and Weybridge Regatta, Walton Small Boats Head, Weybridge Silver Sculls, Weybridge Ladies Regatta and Walton Skiff Regatta are annual events.
The Thames Path continues along the Surrey bank until just before Shepperton Lock where the ferry goes across to the other side. To avoid the ferry calls for a long detour over Walton Bridge and via Shepperton.
Sunbury Weir has the highest volume and fastest freestyle kayaking playspot on the River Thames. It is wide, surging and unfriendly to new or inexperienced paddlers. The eddyline is also very unstable and requires considerable effort to cross.
Public car park on Fordbridge Road above on the left bank. From here across an informal football pitch with playground is a backwater, the Creek, which joins below the main weir.
The weir's gates are variously opened or closed as with the storm weir along the Creek.
Sunbury provides its optimal water at a certain pool level — dependent on how many gates are open at the downstream weir (at Molesey), kayaking websites provide details.
The lock is mentioned in Jerome K. Jerome's book Three Men in a Boat
The English River Thames is navigable from Cricklade or Lechlade to the sea, and this part of the river falls 71 meters (234 feet). There are 45 locks on the river, each with one or more adjacent weirs. These lock and weir combinations are used for controlling the flow of water down the river, most notably when there is a risk of flooding, and provide for navigation above the tideway.
Teddington Lock is a complex of three locks and a weir on the River Thames between Ham and Teddington in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England. Historically in Middlesex, it was first built in 1810.
The Thames Path is a National Trail following the River Thames from one of its sources near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Woolwich foot tunnel, south east London. It is about 185 miles (298 km) long. A path was first proposed in 1948 but it only opened in 1996.
Wheatley's Ait or Wheatley Eyot is an ait (island) in the River Thames of approximately 8 hectares on the reach above Sunbury Lock, close to the northern side and in the post town Sunbury-on-Thames however in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England.
The Thames Conservancy was a body responsible for the management of that river in England. It was founded in 1857 to replace the jurisdiction of the City of London up to Staines. Nine years later it took on the whole river from Cricklade in Wiltshire to the sea at Yantlet Creek on the Isle of Grain. Its territory was reduced when the Tideway was transferred to the Port of London Authority in 1909.
Hambleden Lock is a lock with a long weir situated on the River Thames in England, about 2 miles downstream of Henley Bridge. The lock is on the Berkshire bank between Aston and Remenham. Built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773, the lock is named after the village of Hambleden, a mile (1.5 km) to the north.
Kingston Rowing Club (KRC) is a rowing club in England founded in 1858 and a member club of British Rowing.
Iffley Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England near the village of Iffley, Oxfordshire. It is on the southern outskirts of Oxford. The original lock was built by the Oxford-Burcot Commission in 1631 and the Thames Navigation Commission replaced this in 1793. The lock has a set of rollers to allow punts and rowing boats to be moved between the water levels.
Shepperton Lock is a lock on the River Thames, in England by the left bank at Shepperton, Surrey. It is across the river from Weybridge which is nearby linked by a passenger ferry.
The Sunbury Amateur Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames at Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England with a rare visitors' boats lights display and fireworks event. It is for mainly traditional wooden types of boats with a few events for small sculling boats since its instigation in 1877 taking place by convention on a Saturday in early to mid August. The Edith Topsfield Junior Regatta takes place the following day.
Molesey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England at East Molesey, Surrey on the right bank.
Weybridge Rowing Club, founded in 1881, is a rowing club by the Thames in England, on the Surrey bank. The club organises head races, notably the Weybridge Silver Sculls which has had Olympian winners and co-organises a May/June regatta. It consists of a wide range of members: juniors, novices, seniors, masters (veterans) – these include many past and present champions.
The River Wey Navigation and Godalming Navigation together provide a 20-mile (32 km) continuous navigable route from the River Thames near Weybridge via Guildford to Godalming. Both waterways are in Surrey and are owned by the National Trust. The River Wey Navigation connects to the Basingstoke Canal at West Byfleet, and the Godalming Navigation to the Wey and Arun Canal near Shalford. The navigations consist of both man-made canal cuts and adapted parts of the River Wey.
Desborough Island is a 112-acre (0.45 km2) manmade island in the River Thames on the reach above Sunbury Lock in Surrey, England. It was formed in the 1930s by the digging of a channel – the Desborough Cut – by the Thames Conservancy as a meander cutoff of narrow width on the right bank. The island and cut are named after Lord Desborough, a chairman of the Thames Conservancy.
Bell Weir Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England by the right bank, Runnymede which is a water meadow associated with Egham of importance for the constitutional Magna Carta. It is upstream of the terrace of a hotel and the a bridge designed by Edwin Lutyens who designed an ornamental park gate house along the reach. The bridge has been widened and carries the M25 and A30 road across the river in a single span. The lock was first built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1817; it has one weir which is upstream. The lock is the eighth lowest of forty-five on the river and is named after the founder of the forerunner of the adjoining hotel who took charge of the lock and weir on its construction.
Sunbury Lock Ait is the ait (island) in the River Thames in England adjacent to Sunbury Lock between Walton-on-Thames, and Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey. It is unpopulated, but accessible by a footbridge over the lock cut from a wide section of the Thames Path towpath on the southern bank as well as walkways on the lock gates. Thirdly, a walkway links to Wheatley's Ait upstream, across the weir, but this is closed to the public. The quite long, thin island is inaccessible from Sunbury-on-Thames where it faces a long section of public riverbank, a few private conservation area Victorian terraces with moorings and two pubs also with moorings.
Hamhaugh Island is an island, historically known simply as Stadbury, in the River Thames in England south of Shepperton Lock, in Shepperton, Surrey.
Thames Valley Skiff Club is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1923. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Surrey bank between Sunbury Lock and Walton on Thames.
Walton Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, on the River Thames in England. Its large, modern, combined club and boat house is on the Surrey bank of the Thames, facing the Walton Mile straight, at Walton-on-Thames about 400 metres (1,300 ft) above Sunbury Lock cut. The club organises several rowing events, and members have competed at international level.
The Desborough Cut is an artificial channel in the River Thames above Sunbury Lock near Walton on Thames in England. It was completed in 1935, to improve flow and ease navigation on the river.