Double Lock Gates, Lock Gate Hotel, Exeter Canal
N 50° 42.003 W 003° 30.793
30U E 463756 N 5616595
Quick Description: Double Lock Gates on the Exeter Canal at the Double Locks Hotel.
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 5/6/2007 12:57:10 PM
Waymark Code: WM1GRF
Views: 128
Long Description:These Double Lock Gates are at the Double Locks Hotel on the Exeter
Ship Canal.
Exeter Ship Canal runs for about 5 miles connecting the city of
Exeter with the sea.
The Exeter Ship Canal was the first canal to be built in Britain
since Roman times, the first section dating back to 1566. It
enabled vessels to navigate to the wharfs at Exeter Quay for the
River Exe was obstructed by shoals and fishing weirs. Over the
years the canal was extended and enlarged until in 1824 it was
recommended that it should be extended a further 2 miles down the
Estuary to Turf. In 1827 the extension was opened along with The
Turf Hotel providing accommodation for the Lock Keeper, and the
crews of the many sailing vessels that were to enter the
Canal.
The canal remains very much the same today as it was then except
that the towpaths are no longer used by horses to tow craft the 5
miles from Turf to Exeter.
Coasters continued to use the Canal until the late 1960s with the
last commercial vessel finishing in 1998.
During the 70s Exeter City Council closed The Turf, and it was
feared that it would be demolished. Thankfully, The Exeter Maritime
Museum obtained a listed building order and set about restoring the
unique building.
The canal is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty and
protected by The Exe Estuary and surrounding wetlands being deemed
by English Nature a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and
Special Protected Area (SPA).
The canal is now popular with rowers, cyclists and canoeists,
walkers and anglers and both commercial and leisure boats. It is
also a favorite haunt for keen twitchers.
