Teddington Lock
Encyclopedia
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
and a weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in England at Ham
Ham, London
Ham is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the River Thames.- Location :Its name derives from the Old English word Hamme meaning place in the bend in the river. Together with Petersham, Ham lies to the east of the bend in the river south of Richmond and north of Kingston...
in the western suburbs of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The lock is on the southern Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
side of the river.
The river downstream of the lock, known as the Tideway
Tideway
The Tideway is a name given to the part of the River Thames in England that is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock and is just under long...
, is tidal
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
, though the Richmond Lock barrage
Richmond Lock and Footbridge
Richmond Lock and Footbridge is a lock and pedestrian bridge, situated on the River Thames in south west London, England and is a Grade II* listed structure. It is the furthest downstream of all the Thames locks and is the only one owned and operated by the Port of London Authority...
downstream limits the fall of water to maintain navigability at low tide. The boundary point between the Port of London Authority
Port of London Authority
The Port of London Authority is a self-funding public trust established in 1908 by the Port of London Act to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and the authority is responsible for the public right of navigation and for conservancy of the...
, which is the navigation authority downstream, and the Environment Agency
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
, which is the navigation authority upstream is marked by an obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
on the Surrey bank a few hundred yards below the lock.
The lock complex consists of three locks, a conventional launch lock, a very large barge lock and a small skiff lock. The barge lock has an additional set of gates in the middle so it can operate in two sizes.
The large bow shaped weir stretches across to Teddington
Teddington
Teddington is a suburban area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London, on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. It stretches inland from the River Thames to Bushy Park...
from an island upstream of the lock which also acts as the centre point for the two bridges making up Teddington Lock Footbridge
Teddington Lock Footbridge
Teddington Lock Footbridge consists of two separate bridges across the River Thames in England situated just upstream of Teddington Lock at Teddington. There is a small island between the bridges....
.
History
Construction of the first lock started in 1810 after the City of London Corporation obtained an Act of ParliamentAct of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
allowing them to build locks at Chertsey
Chertsey Lock
Chertsey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, on the northern Middlesex bank near Chertsey in north-west Surrey. The lock is about 200 yards upstream of the picturesque Chertsey Bridge...
, Shepperton
Shepperton Lock
Shepperton Lock is a lock on the River Thames, in England adjoining the northern bank near Shepperton, Surrey . It is across the river from Weybridge, but not directly accessible from there....
, Sunbury
Sunbury Lock
Sunbury Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England near Walton-on-Thames in north-west Surrey. The lock adjoins the southern bank about half a mile downstream of the Weir Hotel....
and Teddington. The lock was further upstream than the present lock complex at the point where the footbridge now crosses. It opened in June 1811 and the weir was completed by the end of that year. By 1827 the timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
lock needed considerable repair and in 1829 the weir was destroyed by an accumulation of ice. It is noted that in 1843 the lock-keeper prevented a steam vessel from coming through the lock. At that time steam vessels were limited to travel as far as Richmond. A further problem arose in 1848 when old London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
was removed, leading to a drop of 2 ft 6 inches at the lower sill, and resulting in the occasional grounding of barges.
It therefore became necessary to rebuild the lock and in June 1854 proposals included providing capacity for seagoing craft with a side lock for pleasure traffic. In June 1857 the first stone of the new lock was laid at the present position, being the central of the three locks, and it opened in 1858 together with the narrow skiff
Thames skiff
A Thames skiff is a traditional River Thames wooden rowing boat used for the activity of Skiffing. These boats evolved from Thames wherries in the Victorian era to meet a passion for river exploration and leisure outings on the water.-Construction of a skiff:...
lock, (known as "the coffin"). The boat slide was added in 1869 and in the 1870s it is recorded that the weir collapsed twice causing enormous damage. The footbridges
Teddington Lock Footbridge
Teddington Lock Footbridge consists of two separate bridges across the River Thames in England situated just upstream of Teddington Lock at Teddington. There is a small island between the bridges....
were opened in 1889 and finally the barge lock, the largest lock on the river, was built in 1904–1905.
In 1940 Teddington Lock was the assembly point for an enormous flotilla of small ships from the length of the River Thames to be used in the Evacuation of Dunkirk.
Early twenty-first century renovation and improvement work in the area around the locks was undertaken as part of the Thames Landscape Strategy Teddington Gateway project.
Access to and across the lock
The lock is situated on the towpath on the Surrey side in Ham about a mile below Kingston-upon-Thames. It can normally only be reached on foot. The nearest road is Riverside Drive in Ham. Alternatively the lock can be reached from Ferry Road Teddington over the footbridges which cross the river here.Reach above the lock
About half a mile above the lock is Trowlock IslandTrowlock Island
Trowlock Island lies in the River Thames, just upstream of Teddington Lock and close to the Middlesex bank, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England.It is home to 29 bungalows as well as the Royal Canoe Club's clubhouse and gym...
close to the Middlesex bank, followed by Steven's Eyot
Steven's Eyot
Steven's Eyot is an ait in the River Thames in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, London, England, on the reach above Teddington Lock. It is just below Kingston Railway Bridge and opposite Kingston Rowing Club....
in the centre of the river. There are then the bridges - Kingston Railway Bridge
Kingston Railway Bridge
Kingston Railway Bridge crosses the River Thames near Kingston upon Thames, England carrying the South West Trains looping branch line from London Waterloo to Shepperton and Richmond. It was first discussed in 1860 and completed in 1863. The bridge links Kingston and Hampton Wick stations, and...
and Kingston Bridge
Kingston Bridge, London
Kingston Bridge is a road bridge at Kingston upon Thames in London, England, carrying the A308 across the River Thames. It joins the town centre of Kingston in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, to Hampton Court Park, Bushy Park, and the village of Hampton Wick in the London Borough of...
. Raven's Ait
Raven's Ait
Raven's Ait is an ait in the Thames at Surbiton, in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, London, England, in the reach above Teddington Lock. It is situated upstream of Queen's Promenade where it departs from the river, and opposite Thames Sailing Club, home of the Thames A Class Raters...
is upstream of the bridges in the centre of the river which then curves sharply round to the right with Thames Ditton Island
Thames Ditton Island
There are three Islands in the River Thames near Thames Ditton, Surrey, on the reach above Teddington Lock. Thames Ditton Island, the largest of the three, is 350 yards long and has 47 houses and a population of around 100. The second largest, Boyle Farm Island, has a single house...
on the Surrey bank. Finally before Molesey Lock is Hampton Court Bridge
Hampton Court Bridge
Hampton Court Bridge crosses the River Thames in England in a north to south direction between Hampton, Greater London and East Molesey, Surrey. It is on the reach above Teddington Lock and about hundred yards upstream of the bridge is Molesey Lock....
.
On the Middlesex side of the river going upstream, the bank is built up as far as Hampton Wick
Hampton Wick
Hampton Wick is a Thames-side area, formerly a village, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in London, England.Famous for its market gardens until well into the twentieth century, it is now commuter-belt territory, housing developments having been built on these areas...
at Kingston Bridge, with Teddington Studios
Teddington Studios
Teddington Studios is a large British television studio complex located in Teddington, South-West London, providing studio facilities for programmes airing on BBC television, ITV, and Channel 4 along with others...
, Lensbury Club
Lensbury
Lensbury is a wholly owned profit centre of the oil major Royal Dutch Shell located in Broom Road, Teddington in South West London...
and Trowlock Island on the way. Above the bridge is Hampton Court Park
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
, which stretches as far as Hampton Court Bridge. The Longford River
Longford River
The Longford River is an artificial waterway that diverts water 19km from the River Colne at Longford to Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace where it reaches the Thames on the reach above Teddington Lock....
, which feeds the water features at the Palace, runs out of gratings opposite Raven's Ait and below the Water Gallery. After Hampton Court Bridge it is built up again along the side of the weir stream
On the Surrey side there is open space, including Canbury Gardens
Canbury Gardens
Canbury Gardens is a public space in Kingston upon Thames, along the Lower Ham Road, covering 14-and-a-half-acres area between the road and the towpath along the River Thames, downstream from Kingston Railway Bridge.-History:...
, until Kingston is reached. The Hogsmill
Hogsmill
The Hogsmill River in Surrey is one of the tributaries of the River Thames; it rises in Ewell and flows into the Thames at Kingston upon Thames on the reach above Teddington Lock.-Course:...
joins the Thames above Kingston Bridge. The river side is then built up until it reaches the walls of the Seething Wells
Seething Wells
Seething Wells is a locality of Surbiton in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It is the site of a former water treatment works on the south bank of the River Thames. Part of it was redeveloped in the early 21st century. The filter beds remain the property of Thames Water, via their...
reservoirs and a marina just above Ravens Ait at Surbiton
Surbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
. Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton is a village in Surrey, England, bordering Greater London. It is situated 12.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross between the towns of Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Esher and East Molesey...
follows until beyond the end of Thames Ditton Island. There is a then patch of open space either side of the confluence of the River Mole
River Mole, Surrey
The River Mole is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. It rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north west through Surrey for to the Thames near Hampton Court Palace. The river gives its name to the Surrey district of Mole Valley...
, and River Ember
River Ember
The River Ember is a river in the county of Surrey, England. It is a distributary of the River Mole which splits in two at the Island Barn Reservoir to the South of East and West Molesey. The larger portion becomes the River Ember and flows in an easterly and then northerly direction around the...
which continues up to Hampton Court Bridge. Hampton Court railway station
Hampton Court railway station
Hampton Court railway station is a railway station in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, located in East Molesey by Hampton Court Bridge.The station also serves Hampton Court Palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and for the purposes of fare charging it is included in Travelcard...
is behind the bridge and just above it is Molesey lock.
There are navigation transit markers
Navigation transit markers
Navigation Transit Markers are posts placed alongside a navigation to allow powered craft to check their speed. There are examples along the River Thames in England....
between Kingston Bridge and Raven's Ait on the Hampton Court bank, to allow river users to check their speed. A powered boat should not pass between the markers in less than one minute.
The reach is home to at least five sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
clubs, five rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
clubs, two skiffing
Skiffing
Skiffing refers to the sporting and leisure activity of rowing a Thames skiff. A Thames skiff is a traditional hand built clinker-built wooden craft of a design which has been seen on the River Thames and other waterways in England and other countries for nearly 200 years...
and punting clubs, the Royal Canoe Club
Royal Canoe Club
The Royal Canoe Club , founded in 1866, is the oldest canoe club in the world and received royal patronage in the 19th century. The clubhouse is based at Trowlock Island on the River Thames in Teddington near central London. The club promotes canoeing and kayaking, focusing on flatwater, sprint and...
and two Sea Cadet centres. In addition there is a heavy traffic of pleasure boats between Kingston and Hampton Court.
The Thames Path
Thames Path
The Thames Path is a National Trail, opened in 1996, following the length of the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton. It is about long....
follows the Surrey side to Kingston Bridge where it crosses to go alongside Hampton Court Park, before returning to the Surrey side at Hampton Court Bridge. The river makes a large loop on this reach and the two locks are half the distance apart by land.
Sports clubs on the reach
- Royal Canoe ClubRoyal Canoe ClubThe Royal Canoe Club , founded in 1866, is the oldest canoe club in the world and received royal patronage in the 19th century. The clubhouse is based at Trowlock Island on the River Thames in Teddington near central London. The club promotes canoeing and kayaking, focusing on flatwater, sprint and...
- Kingston Rowing ClubKingston Rowing ClubKingston Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, based in England, founded in 1858.The club is one of the world's oldest and most successful amateur rowing clubs...
- Walbrook Rowing ClubWalbrook Rowing ClubWalbrook Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, on the River Thames in England. It is situated at on the Middlesex bank of the Thames just above Teddington Lock at Trowlock Island, Teddington...
- Tiffin School Boat ClubTiffin School Boat ClubThe Tiffin School Boat Club is an amateur rowing club, based in England, run by Tiffin School. It is one of the few school rowing clubs in the state sector....
- Kingston Grammar School Boat Club
- Kingston University Boat ClubKingston University Boat ClubKingston University Boat Club was a competitive rowing club, with members belonging to Kingston University in Surrey.However due to The University cutting its funding to the club the club was reformed in September 2011 as Kingston Student Rowing Crew...
- The Skiff ClubThe Skiff ClubThe Skiff Club is the oldest skiff and punting club in existence, having been founded in 1895. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Middlesex bank between Teddington Lock and Kingston upon Thames....
- Dittons Skiff and Punting ClubDittons Skiff and Punting ClubDittons Skiff and Punting Club or Dittons is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1923. It is based on the River Thames with a club and boat house at Thames Ditton on the reach above Teddington Lock...
- Thames Sailing Club
- Tamesis Sailing Club
- Minima Yacht Club
- Kingston Royals Dragon Boat Racing ClubKingston Royals Dragon Boat Racing ClubKingston Royals Dragon Boat Club is based in Teddington on the non-tidal Thames. Kingston Royals DBC was founded in 1988 as the dragon boat racing section of the Royal Canoe Club , and was one of the first dragon boat clubs to race in the UK. The section was formed from a mixture of RCC members...
- 1st Surbiton (Sealion) Sea Scouts
- Ajax Sea Scouts
Literature and the media
The lock was the location of the Monty PythonMonty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
Fish-Slapping Dance
The Fish-Slapping Dance
The Fish-Slapping Dance is a comedy sketch written and performed by the Monty Python team. The sketch was originally recorded in 1971 for a pan-European May Day special entitled Euroshow 71...
sketch.
In episode 1 of series 5 of New Tricks (BBC TV police drama), the villain is arrested at Teddington Lock.
Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
had purpose-built studios at Teddington Lock.
See also
- Locks on the River ThamesLocks on the River ThamesThe English River Thames is navigable from Cricklade or Lechlade to the sea, and this part of the river falls 71 metres . There are 45 locks on the river, each with one or more adjacent weirs...
- Rowing on the River ThamesRowing on the River ThamesThe River Thames is one of the main rowing areas in England, with activity taking place on the Tideway and on the 45 separate lock reaches on the non tidal section. The river hosts two major rowing events The Boat Race and Henley Royal Regatta, and a large number of other regattas and long distance...
- Sailing on the River ThamesSailing on the River ThamesSailing on the River Thames is practised on both the tidal and non-tidal reaches of the river. The highest club upstream is at Oxford. The most popular sailing craft used on the Thames are lasers, GP14s, Wayfarers and Enterprises...