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The Rickmansworth Waterways Trust Canal Centre, Batchworth Lock, Grand Union Canal,
Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 1JD

Batchworth Lock Centre, Batchworth Lock
at Rickmansworth still remains as a thriving section of the Grand Union Canal with many boats passing through on their steady progress along.

Entrance charges apply.

Within this historic setting is the Batchworth Lock Visitor Centre, located to the side of the two locks just above Batchworth Bridge.

The Batchworth 'Ferry' carries fare paying passengers to and from Stocker's Lock to the south-west, a quiet half hour canal round-trip.

Batchworth Lock was an important stopping point on the Grand Union Canal, which was the main waterway for trade between the Industrial Midlands and London and its ports. Almost 100 miles long, the GUC originally called the Grand Junction Canal was an mind-boggling feat of engineering. A gang of 100 men took almost a month to dig out a mile stretch of canal with only pickaxe, shovel and wheelbarrow at their disposal!

The Rickmansworth Waterways Trust Canal Centre at Batchworth Lock is a modern education and recreational facility, attracting around 15,000 visitors each year. With some financial assistance and guidance from the local Three Valleys Water Company, a comprehensive educational programme has been developed, with a series of worksheets for children that are geared towards the National Curriculum.

This new programme embraces: the history of the canals, literacy, and numeracy and of course the waterways environment. Since the launch in June 2000 it has been extremely well received by the many schools who have visited the Batchworth Lock Canal Centre. The programme is run mainly by volunteers.

Narrowboat 'Roger' situated at the centre was probably the last wooden motorised narrowboat to trade on the Grand Union Canal and has been restored by the Trust, with the help of lottery funding. Roger is the sole surviving example of a narrowboat built by Bushell Brothers of Tring, who constructed wooden boats between 1850 and 1950. NB Roger was built to transport coal, towing a non-motorised butty boat and was operated by the Bray family. Roger is also probably the most photographed historic narrowboat in existence!

The information centre (and shop) is housed in former stables where draw-horses were rested overnight, whilst the canal boatmen refreshed themselves in the Boat Inn public house.

The centre is open on Saturday and Sunday and visitors are welcome to browse and gain more detailed information on the Lock from one of the many volunteers.

Tel: 01923 778382
Fax: 01923 710903

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