Southcote Lock, Lock on the Kennet Navigation at Southcote, England
Southcote Lock is a lock on the River Kennet near Reading that allows boats to navigate between different water levels. The structure dates to the early 1700s and remains an active part of the waterway system for small vessel passage.
The lock was built between 1718 and 1723 under engineer John Hore's supervision as part of the Kennet Navigation system. It closed in 1952 due to structural damage but reopened in the mid-1970s after repairs restored it to working condition.
The wire mill beside the lock was fed by iron from nearby forges, shaping local industry in the 18th century. Visitors can still observe how such mills were integrated into the landscape along the water.
The lock is easily reached from Bath Road where parking is available nearby. The site is still an active waterway, so visitors may sometimes need to wait or step aside when boats are passing through the lock.
A pumping station built in 1850 next to the lock supplied Reading with filtered water for the first time. This facility was groundbreaking as it pioneered the city's approach to clean water distribution through the Bath Road Reservoir system.
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