Sandiacre - At Sandiacre Lock
w/e 11 June 2023
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Nikon D3300
Sandiacre Lock sits about half way along the Erewash Canal between
the Cromford Canal at Langley Mill in the north and Trent Lock
at Sawley and the River Trent in the south. It also sits at the
junction with the Derby Canal which is just north of the lock
itself. Access is also possible to the canal via Lock Lane from
Sandiacre.
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Lock Lane crosses the now disused Derby Canal which was privately
owned and despite efforts to keep it open was abandoned in the
1960s and much of it became a landfill site. Since our last visit
in 2017 a metal fence has been erected alongside the path which
follows the route of the Derby Canal.
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Also since our last visit, the area inside the fence has been
partially excavated to reveal what was the first (or last) lock
on the Derby Canal. This was known as Bottom Lock. Like the Cromford
Canal there are groups that hope one day the Derby Canal will
be restored to its former glory but in both cases it is a long
term project.
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Standing at the side of Lock Lane between the Derby Canal and
Sandiacre Lock is the Grade II listed building of Beech House,
a two storey red brick building with a slate roof built in the
18th century. At the rear of the building are the remains of
a slipway which enabled boats to be removed from the canals for
repair work to be undertaken.
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The bridge at the end of Lock Lane over the Erewash Canal is
also a Grade II listed structure and has stood the test of time
as it was built in 1779. The sluice channel which bypasses the
lock can be seen entering the canal to the left.
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The lock itself is also Grade II listed and has gates that are
traditionally made of oak or elm with metal reinforced balance
beams and metal handrails. As with many other locks this one
has concrete semi-circles with stepping stones inserted to aid
with opening the lock gates.
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The fourth Grade II listed building around Sandiacre Lock is
the Lock Keeper's Cottage which is now the headquarters of the
Erewash
Canal Preservation and Development Association,
members of which organisation saved the cottage from demolition
and turned it into a museum.
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Opposite the cottage seats have been installed overlooking the
lock and when the water level is lowered they provide an ideal
spot to view the original ashlared stonework of the lock wall
on the western side. The seats were originally part of a five
year programme of improvements (starting in 1992) undertaken
by Erewash Borough Council in conjunction with British Waterways
and Groundwork Erewash Valley. The project also included resurfacing
the towpath, installing litter bins and information panels and
generally improving the area.
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The Erewash Canal continues from the lock on its way northwards
towards Sandiacre town centre and eventually Langley Mill. It
seems incredible today to realise that the whole length of the
almost 12 mile canal was constructed in less than two years.
Work started in May 1778 and tolls were being collected at the
lower end just three months later. Work was completed and the
whole canal was navigable by the end of 1779!
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Today an inlet off the Erewash just beyond Sandiacre Lock on
the north side leads to a bridge on Lock Lane. This was where
the Derby Canal joined the Erewash and it's just beyond the bridge
where Bottom Lock has been excavated. For more images from this
area also including some from inside the museum see this page from when we last visited in 2017.
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