Lock 4 At Tf 050988, Caistor Canal

Lock 4 at TF 050988 on the Caistor Canal is a canal lock built around 1793 to 1795. It is constructed from fine large blocks of ashlar and features cast-iron fittings. The lock chamber measures approximately 14 feet wide and 60 feet long, likely designed to accommodate Humber Keels, which were the typical boats used on waterways connecting to the Humber.

The lock sides contain recesses for paddles within the upper gate recesses, with tunnels that direct water around the gates into the chamber. There are no corresponding tunnels at the lower end, suggesting that the paddles were likely part of the missing gates. Cast-iron brackets are located at the top of each lock pivot, integrated into the stonework. Some square iron surrounds remain at the tunnel entrances, where the paddles would have made contact. A 20th-century vehicle bridge crosses the chamber, but it is not of special architectural interest.

Historically, the Caistor Canal was constructed following an Act of Parliament in 1793, based on a survey by engineer William Jessop in 1792. The canal was disused by 1877 and was intended to run from the River Ancholme Navigation eastward towards Caistor, although only about half was completed, reaching the village of Moortown, approximately 4.5 miles away. 19th-century Ordnance Survey maps indicate six locks along the canal. By the 1960s, the highest lock near the basin at Moortown had completely vanished, along with any remnants of a wharf, basin, or associated buildings. However, the other five locks remain intact, albeit without gates and paddle gear. This series of locks and the bridge represent a significant example of 18th-century canal engineering, showcasing impressive construction quality.