River Trent Navigation, Stop Lock,West Side Of Tamworth Road Bridge,Sawley

The Stop Lock on the River Trent, located on the west side of Tamworth Road Bridge in Sawley, dates from the late 18th century and is possibly the work of engineer John Jessop. It is constructed of dressed stone and features a chamfered ashlar low-sided chamber and coping. The chamber walls slope down from the gates to a lower level at the center of the lock. The lock has ashlar wing walls and coping, with pairs of top and bottom gates that include rack and pinion gate paddles and wooden balance beams. The only notable alteration is the later concreted lower quadrant, which has blue engineering heel grips. This stop lock was designed to control water flows and minimize water loss during low river levels, making it an unusual and well-preserved example. The bridge itself is not included in this listing.