Lock 63 On The Chesterfield Canal - Misterton, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 53° 26.550 W 000° 50.250
30U E 643628 N 5923674
This lock is known as Misterton Top Lock and is on the navigable section of the Chesterfield Canal.
Waymark Code: WM110JG
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/24/2019
Views: 1
The Chesterfield Canal
"The canal was built to link Chesterfield, Worksop and Retford to the Trent and so gain access to more trade. Local Anston Stone was transported by the canal to the river Trent for the building of the new Houses of Parliament. During the 19th century the canal was a commercial success due to local coal. However, mining caused subsidence in the Norwood Tunnel, severing the top end of the canal.
The Chesterfield Canal runs from the river Trent at West Stockwith to Chesterfield. The Canal is 45.5 miles (73.3 km) long and has 65 locks, but only the section from West Stockwith to the eastern end of Norwood Tunnel is currently navigable. This navigable section is 31.6 miles (50.9 km) long and has 46 locks.
At the isolated western end of the canal, five miles and five locks have been restored. The new Staveley Town Basin opened in 2012. There are slipways at Tapton Lock in Chesterfield and Staveley Town Basin. There is also a craning pad at the basin. This leaves nine miles to be restored. There are detailed plans for the entire stretch, prepared by the Chesterfield Canal Partnership."
link The Lock
Apart from the eastern section of the canal towards the River Trent, the locks on the Chesterfiled Canal are designed to just take the narrow boats that had maximum dimensions of 70 feet long and 7 feet wide.
This particular lock is one of the broad locks near to the River Trent. At 14 feet wide it is capable of handling the wider boats used on the River Trent, or alternatively 2 narrow boats side by side.
Because of the extra width of the lock there are two gates at each end of the lock.
This lock is one of two close together at Misterton.
Originally all the locks were only numbered but over time names evolved, usually reflecting local structures or place names.
The canal and locks on this section of the canal were renovated between 1995 and 2002 and at that time the lock gates were given plates with both their name and number.