Monkey Marsh Lock
Berkshire
A Scheduled Ancient Monument, and one of only two surviving turf-sided locks. This early lock design was most often used on river navigations in the early 1700s before the advent of canals.
The sides of the turf-lock are sloping so, when full, the lock is quite wide. Consequently, this type of lock needs more water to operate than the now more common brick or stone-sided variety.
Most of the locks of this type on the River Kennet were rebuilt with brick sides - and just this and Garston Lock at Theale remain in turf. Garston is the more authentic of the two.
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