The free-to-access event is taking place at Lock 40 on the Caen Hill Lock Flight on Saturday 8 February between 10:30am and 4pm. we will be showcasing the vital conservation work that is needed to keep the Scheduled Ancient Monument on the Kennet & Avon Canal in working order.
Meet the experts
The lock is one of two on the lock flight undergoing important maintenance this winter. Because the water has been drained so that repairs can take place, we're offering the public the unique opportunity to go down into the two-century old structure to see inside the brick chamber. Our specialists are repairing the bottom gates as part of our annual winter maintenance programme.
Visitors will meet our experts on site to discover more about the work and, as well as being able to go down into the lock, can enjoy a guided walk of Caen Hill, take part in orienteering at Jubilee Woodland, participate in educational activities and games for children, and step aboard the 'Admiral' - our narrowboat and welcome station.
With thousands of bridges, locks, aqueducts, tunnels and embankments that date back centuries, it is a massive task to keep the Kennet & Avon and national canal network in working order for boats, for local communities, and for the benefit of wildlife. The year-round effort involves the Trust’s passionate team of specialists aided by thousands of dedicated volunteers, donors and partners.
A unique opportunity
Anna Finn, our community development & attractions manager, said: “We are delighted to offer the public the unique opportunity to go down into one of the locks on the famous Caen Hill lock flight. Designed by famed engineer John Rennie, it is one of the longest continuous flight of locks in the country and one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.
“It’s really important that the Trust carries out this essential maintenance to our historic canal network, and this free open day is an opportunity for people to see our working industrial heritage up close and to discover more from the teams involved in how they keep this important part of the nation’s history flowing.”
Our canals date back to the first days of the Industrial Revolution. They were the first transport network of the industrial age and, today, are still used and navigated by boats as they have been for hundreds of years.
