Reluctantly we left our shady spot at Stratford and headed off – the
only good bit was that we had another boat to share with who we lost when we
stopped for lunch, but the boat moored behind us left so we joined them. It is so much easier with two boats and two
crews.
We usually head for Offenham Lock but there is no shade there and I
remembered that the mooring above Harvington Lock was shady. The mooring was free, so we quickly tied up
before anyone else appeared! It really
is a perfect place and is now my new favourite place! It was ideal for the planned BBQ and we sat
out eating, drinking and putting the world to rights!! I would add that Richard had a full watering
can beside the BBQ just in case a stray spark decided to ignite the grass.
Richard had to mend the T stud as I had managed to pull it off in a
lock! There are walkways across the Avon
locks gates which stick out and as I went into the lock it got hooked over the
walkway so, of course, as the water level went down something had to give, and
it was the T stud ☹
The Upper Avon locks all have two names
Stratford Trinity Lock (Colin P. Witter) – this was the most difficult
to build because of its unusual depth and the unstable nature of the ground
(silt pit), which accounts for the unusual girders used to stabilise the
structure. The work was done by men from
Gloucester Jail and other volunteers. Apparently, it was once famously described by
a lady councillor as "Mr Hutchings' monstrous erection in the park."
Weir Brake Lock (Gordon Gray) – is the biggest, best and last of the
new locks and was built in 38 days by boys from Hewell Grange Borstal and other
volunteers.
Luddington (Stan Clover) – was built by men from Gloucester Jail. 7-ton
piling hammers were needed to break through layers of stone.
Welford (W A Cadbury) – was paid for by the Cadbury family.
Bidford Grange (Pilgrim) – the money for this lock was donated by the
Pilgrim family and was hand built with thousands of steel-reinforced concrete
blocks by men from Gloucester Jail.
Barton (Elsie& Hiram Billington) – Elsie and Hiram Billington were
the parents of George Billington (Offenham Lock) and was built in 6 weeks by
boys for Hewell Grange Borstal.
Marlcliff (IWA) – the subsoil, marl, resembles diamond-hard rubber
which shrugs off huge machines and heavy explosive charges. Royal Engineers from Belfast eventually
blasted and gouged out the lock chamber.
Harvington (Robert Aickman) – is a national memorial to Robert Aickman
who was one of the modern canal pioneers - fighting to keep our canal system
open back in the 1940s and 50s alongside Tom Rolt. This lock was built later than the other new
locks during the restoration. The original attempt was on the site of the old
17th century lock but the foundations were impenetrable, and it was not
successful.
Offenham (George Billington) – George, knowing he didn’t have long to
live, donated the money to build Offenham Lock.
Again, volunteers from Gloucester Jail along with the Waterways Recovery
Group set to work and within 6 weeks the lock was completed. George sadly died a week later.
12.78 miles
7 locks
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