The first canal scheme in London
The Limehouse Cut was the first navigable artifical waterway (the much earlier New River was built as a water supply aqueduct and not intended for navigation)
The Limehouse Cut changed in two ways - its link to the Thames and its level, were changed when the old lock with its unusual supporting trusses were done away with and a new cut made into the Regents Canal's Limehouse Basin. This view shows the short cut in its entirety between the old cut and Limehouse Basin. The point where the photograph is taken from is where the Limehouse Cut originally carried on to the left to the old lock
Looking towards Limehouse Church along the new 'short-cut'. The bend is where the old canal and lock diverged to the right
By the Thames the entrance to the old Limehouse lock is still discernible. There are mooring bollards of various kinds that serve as a reminder of this inlet's previous function
The site of the old Limehouse Lock looking towards the Narrow Street bridge, which still exists. On the right are the former lock houses
A view of the old Limehouse lock from Northey Street. This is a clip from the film 'Together' made in 1954 about the trials and tribulations of two deaf London dockland residents. Its an excellent view of the lock's setting. The wooden structure over the lock chamber is clearly seen - the building on the other side of Narrow Street still exists.
It doesnt look as if there is an exit from the lock area but the canal actually takes a sharp bend immediately to the left of the picture and passes under Northey Street. The steel sides of the Narrow Street bridge are recognisable in both old and modern views
A view looking to Limehouse basin (the pointy building in the middle distance is on the basin perimeter) The old Limehouse cut left the lock where the next bridge (in Northey Street) is and after a short bend it went on to meet the current alingment
The Northey Street bridge and the lockhouses seen in the distance. This present arrangement doesnt help to explain the old alignment of the Limehouse Cut as it went the other way after curving slightly to pass under Northey Street
. However the angle between the lock area and the bridge itself is obvious
Back at square one! We began this feature with a viewpoint at the intersection of the old and new Limehouse Cuts. This view from the adjacent footbridge shows the edging of the old cut (where the blue fencing is) as it went straight on towards the old lock. The flats in the picture blocks the view from here to Northey Street bridge
Boats coming out of the old Limehouse Cut would have been greeted with a similar view. Of course the difference back then was that these new flats wern't there (they were constructed in 2001) and the bridge hadnt had any trains for many years. The Docklands Light Railway's construction began in 1984 and it opened in 1987, 19 years after the old lock closed
This BW map of the Limehouse Cut must be missed out by many visitors to Limehouse. The map's not sited in Limehouse Basin nor is it found on the Limehouse Cut! Despite its potential usefulness, its in Northey Street, well away from the canal. As the map shows, the Limehouse Cut runs straight as an arrow from Commercial Road to Bow Locks and it is this section we will explore next
But before that, for more information on the Old cut and its lock, go to:
Eastendtalking and
London Thames Gateway Forum Especially with the LTGF pages, look at photograph numer six, and you will see the same bollard as in my picture of the former entrance to the lock. Also in other pictures on both sites the lock houses are easily seen
NEXT: Limehouse Cut Part Two
Follow the Lee Navigation from
Bow Locks to Old Ford and northwards to
Hertford
