The Ouse Washes Website

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Hermitage Lock, Earith


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Introduction
Hermitage Lock
 


Introduction



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page last updated
06 November 2012

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Hermitage Lock

A lock was first built here in 1651 by Sir Cornelious Vermuyden to divert the Great Ouse, the Bedford Ouse as its is known here, northwards along his newly dug cut, the Hundred Foot Drain or New Bedford River, to create what is now known as the Ouse Washes..

The next lock was built in 1826 during a periood of intense works on virtually all the major water control features of the Washes.

The current lock bears a wall plaque Great Ouse River Authority, 1968, and is said to have been refurbished in 1997.

Slackers in the lock doors allow  some water to flow through into the Old West River to maintain water quality.

The lock allows navigation between the Bedford Ouse and the Old West River, and a lock-keeper is generally on site during daylight hours.
 
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Acknowledgements.
Text and photos except where noted © Eddy Edwards, 2010-11

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Related pages on this website
Earith - the area
Earith Sluice
Earith railway station
Related pages on external websites
Earith Parish Council
Earith Community Site
Earith Marina