Newbury Lock, lock on the Kennet and Avon Canal in Newbury, Berkshire, England, UK
Newbury Lock is a lock on the Kennet and Avon Canal in the town of Newbury, built from brick with Bath Stone coping widened at the top to prevent frost damage. The structure controls water levels for boats moving between different canal sections and remains a functional waterway feature with its original late-18th-century design intact.
The lock was built in 1796 as part of the project linking Newbury to Bath, overseen by engineer John Rennie. The canal system opened in 1810 and created an important connection between the Thames, the Kennet Navigation, and the River Avon for moving goods and people across the region.
Newbury Lock represents the town's historical connection to water transport and trade. Today, locals and visitors gather here to walk along the canal and watch boats pass through, experiencing how this working waterway remains woven into daily community life.
The lock sits in central Newbury and is easy to reach on foot from the town center, with canal pathways ideal for walking. Access is free and the best time to visit is during warmer months when narrowboats and pleasure craft are most active.
Next to the lock stands a sculpture called Ebb And Flow by artist Peter Randall-Page, featuring a large granite bowl connected to the lock by underground pipes. As the lock fills and empties with water, the bowl rises and falls in response, creating a quiet visual connection to the water's movement.
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