West Lock To Royal Dock Including Railings And Bollards

This is a sea lock built between 1849 and 1852 by James Rendel, with Adam Smith of Brigg as resident engineer, and Hutchins, Brown and White as contractors, for the Grimsby Dock Company. The lock, measuring 300 feet by 70 feet, with a 27-foot water depth on the sill at spring tides, is located on the west side of the island pier. It is larger than the parallel lock on the east side. The lock walls are constructed of York stone ashlar, with recesses for two sets of lock gates and the outer flood gates, with the water depth inscribed alongside in Roman numerals. The gates are 20th-century replacements.

Adjacent to the lock are small areas of York stone paving incorporating channels for hydraulic gear, along with twin and single cast-iron mooring bollards and iron railings. The railings include some 19th-century sections with column principals and ball finials.

The Royal Dock, of which this lock is part, opened in 1852 and was primarily used for trade with Europe and the Baltic. The foundation stone was laid in 1849 by Prince Albert, an event commemorated by the Statue of Prince Albert located in front of the Dock Offices. The gates were originally operated by water hydraulic power provided by the low-pressure hydraulic Dock Tower and later by the high-pressure accumulator tower to the west; they are now powered by oil hydraulics.

The Royal Dock and its two entrance locks represent technical innovations in dock structure and significant early use of hydraulic power, believed to be the only low-pressure system of this type to have been built.