Crofton Locks, Canal lock system in Great Bedwyn, England
Crofton Locks consist of nine sequential gates on the Kennet and Avon Canal near Great Bedwyn. The system raises or lowers boats across a height difference of 61 feet (19 meters) as they pass through each chamber.
Engineer John Rennie designed this lock system in the early 1800s as part of a water route connecting the River Thames to the Bristol Channel. Completing this stretch was crucial for moving goods by canal between England's major rivers.
The locks display the skill of industrial craftsmen and work alongside the nearby pumping station, which keeps water flowing through the canal system.
The locks are active and accessible to visitors, especially when boats are passing through and you can watch the gates operate. Winter maintenance periods offer the best view of the structure, as drained chambers reveal the full engineering design.
The adjacent Crofton Pumping Station still operates original steam-powered pumps to push water from Wilton Water into the lock system. This partnership between historic pumping equipment and working locks is rarely found intact elsewhere.
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