Lock 2 At Tf 030990, Caistor Canal

Lock 2 at 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, designed to accommodate Humber Keels, which were the typical boats used on the waterways connecting with the Humber. The lock sides have 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 missing gates. Cast-iron brackets are located at the top of each lock pivot, embedded in the stonework, and some square iron surrounds for the tunnel entrances, where the paddles would have made contact, still remain. Minor displacement of the stonework has occurred due to sapling growth.

Historically, the Caistor Canal was constructed under an Act of Parliament in 1793, following a survey by engineer William Jessop in 1792. The canal was disused by 1877 and originally ran from the River Ancholme Navigation eastward toward the town of Caistor, although only about half of it was completed, reaching the village of Moortown over a distance of approximately 4.5 miles. 19th-century Ordnance Survey maps indicate the presence of six locks. 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, though they lack gates and paddle gear. This series of locks and bridges represents a significant example of 18th-century canal engineering, showcasing impressive construction quality.