The lock was built by the City of London Corporation in 1815 and was rebuilt by the Thames Conservancy in 1906. It is the second longest on the river at 81.78m (268ft 4in); it is the second lowest of the non-tidal river and third-lowest including Richmond Lock on the Tideway. Upstream of the lock are moorings for small boats, specifically skiff, paddleboard, small speedboat and open kayak hire, a tour boat pier, a kiosk and van parking space for ice cream and soft drinks. A few metres upstream is a combined side weir and front weir followed by an attached ait, Ash Island. A low backwater against the opposite bank which forms the waterside to homes sometimes called the Hampton Riviera continues to a small upper weir.
The lock's proximity to Hampton Court and boat hire at the site made it a popular venue for spectators in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, the tree-lined lock attracts large numbers of visitors for nine months of the year. Hire boat companies and ice cream sales attract visitors in all months apart from winter.
History
A lock was first proposed in 1802 because of then-shallows upstream at "Kenton Hedge and Sundbury Flatts above" — nothing came of the suggestion.[2] In 1809 the proposal was resubmitted Parliament passed the Act for construction of the lock in 1812.[2] Building began in 1814 and it opened in 1815 with an Italianate lockhouse.[2] The first lock keeper was killed in a horse race at Moulsey Hurst and his successor discharged after incidents of stealing from barges.[2] In 1853 changes were made to the lock in anticipation of lower water levels caused by the extraction of water upstream. Fish ladders were added to the weir in 1864 and the boat slide built in 1871.[2] Such was the popularity of boating that in 1877 the navigation commission stationed a boat and crew in busy days above the weir in case of accidents.[2] The lock was rebuilt in 1906.[2] On the small lock island is a plaque commemorating Michael J Bulleid whose work for salmon conservancy allows them to scale the river.
Access to the lock
The lock is 220 metres (720ft) upstream of Hampton Court Bridge on the right bank, which is here the south side. It is immediately accessible from Hurst Road/Riverbank (A3050) with pavements and a sloped approach and is 330 metres (1,080ft) from the platform at Hampton Court railway station terminus on the same bank.
Reach above the lock
After the lock cut is Tagg's Island which provides mooring for houseboats some of which are three storeys high. On the Surrey bank here is the "Eights Tree" a tall metal sculpture outside Molesey Boat Club. The left bank here is sometimes marked as the Hampton Riviera featuring the Swiss Cottage, the Astoria Houseboat and an array of period buildings at Hampton such as Rotary Court. Garrick's Ait similar in size to Ash Island, is residential, by the Hampton-Molesey Hurst Ferry, which runs in the summer between Hampton and Moulsey Hurst park on the right bank.
On the right bank is the large stretch of open ground at Moulsey Hurst, which has a heritage marker and an information panel opposite Platt's Eyot. Beyond the Eyot on this bank are the Molesey Reservoirs behind the towpath to Walton-on-Thames, trees, high brick walls and a patch of meadow before Sunbury Lock.
Sports and public regattas
The stretch is home to two sailing and three rowing clubs, one of which is skiffing and one for two large independent schools. Molesey Regatta takes place from Platts Eyot in July and Sunbury Amateur Regatta is held alongside Rivermead Island in August.
The Thames Path stays on the Surrey bank (right bank) to Sunbury Lock. The next bridge is half-way along the long reach upstream, Walton Bridge. A large tank trap from World War II is visible beside the right-bank reservoirs.
Literature and the Media
Jerome K. Jerome wrote in the 1880s "I have stood and watched it sometimes when you could not see any water at all, but only a brilliant triangle of bright blazers and gay caps, and saucy hats, and many-coloured parasols, and silken rugs and cloaks and streaming ribbons..."[5]
The lock featured in an edition of the gardening make-over programme Ground Force
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Molesey_Lock, and is written by contributors.
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