Everything about Teddington Lock totally explained
Teddington Lock is a
lock (or lock complex), footbridge and
weir on the
River Thames in England between
Ham and
Teddington in the western suburbs of
London.
It is the highest point on the river to which
tides penetrate, the river downstream being known as the
Tideway. The boundary point between the
Port of London Authority, which is the navigation authority downstream, and the
Environment Agency, which is the navigation authority upstream is marked by an
obelisk on the Surrey bank a few hundred yards below the lock. The lock itself is owned and managed by the Environment Agency.
Construction of the first of the three locks, the "old" lock, started in
1810 and finished with the completion of the weir in
1812. This original
timber lock was repaired in
1825 and substantially rebuilt with foundation stones laid in
1856 and project completed in
1858. At this time the narrow
skiff lock, (known as "the coffin"), was also added. The boat slide was added in
1869, and finally the barge lock, the largest lock on the river, built in
1904–
1905. The two footbridges, the iron
girder bridge linking
Ham on the
Surrey bank to the lock island, and the
suspension bridge linking the island to
Teddington were built between
1887 and
1889, funded by donations from local residents and businesses.
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 Island close to the Middlesex bank, followed by
Steven's Eyot in the centre of the river. There are then the bridges -
Kingston Railway Bridge and
Kingston Bridge.
Raven's Ait is upstream of the bridges in the centre of the river which then curves sharply round to the right with
Thames Ditton Island on the Surrey bank. Finally before Molesey Lock is
Hampton Court Bridge.
On the Middlesex side, the bank is built up to
Hampton Wick at Kingston Bridge, with Teddington Studios, Lensbury Club and Trowlock Island on the way. Above the bridge is Hampton Court Park, as far as
Hampton Court Palace. The
Longford River, which feeds the water features at the Palace, runs out of gratings opposite Raven's Ait and below the Water Gallery. On the Surrey side there's open space until Kingston is reached and the
Hogsmill flows in here. The bank is then built up until the walls of the reservoirs and a marina just above Ravens Ait at
Surbiton.
Thames Ditton 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, and
River Ember which continues up to Hampton Court Bridge.
Hampton Court railway station is behind this and just above it's Molesey lock.
There are
navigation transit markers between Kingston Bridge and Raven's Ait on the Hampton Court bank, to allow river users to check their speed. A powered boat shouldn't pass between the markers in less than one minute.
The reach is home to at least five
Sailing clubs, four
rowing clubs, two
skiffing and punting clubs, the
Royal Canoe Club and two
Sea cadet centres. In addition there's a heavy traffic of pleasure boats between Kingston and Hampton Court.
The
Thames Path 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
Literature and the media
The lock was the location of the
Monty Python Fish-Slapping Dance sketch.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Teddington Lock'.
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