River Lock And Retaining Walls To River Aire

The River Lock and retaining walls to the River Aire were built between 1770 and 1776 for the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company. The structure features wooden gates with cast-iron fittings and is constructed from coursed squared massive gritstone blocks. There are two pairs of gates, with the upper pair likely still having their original paddles, known as 'jack' cloughs. The walling extends beyond the lower gates and under a footbridge, which has stone steps and replaced handrails, forming the retaining walls along the River Aire, with an approximate length of 15 meters. This lock, designated as Lock No.1 on the canal, is one of only five sets of locks at the Yorkshire end of the canal that still retain original 'jack' cloughs. Historically, an opening ceremony was held here in 1777 to celebrate the completion of a 33-mile stretch of the canal from Leeds to Holmbridge, near Gargrave, attended by a crowd of 20,000 to 30,000 people, with a procession of boats passing through the lock.