View source for Blake's Lock

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
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{{Infobox waterlock
|lock_name   = Blake's Lock
|image       = Blakes Lock, Reading - geograph.org.uk - 1200776.jpg
|caption     =
|waterway    = [[River Kennet]]
|county      = [[Berkshire]]
|maint       = [[Environment Agency]]
|operation   = Manual
|first       = 1802
|latest      =
|length = {{convert|37.39|m|ftin|abbr=on}} <ref name="EnvAgency" >{{cite web |url=http://a0768b4a8a31e106d8b0-50dc802554eb38a24458b98ff72d550b.r19.cf3.rackcdn.com/geth0309bpgk-e-e.pdf |title=A User's Guide to the River Thames |pages=29–30 |date=2009 |work=PDF file |publisher=Environmental Agency |access-date=12 November 2012}} Dimensions given in metres</ref>
|width = {{convert|5.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name="EnvAgency" />
|fall = {{convert|1.07|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name="EnvAgency" />
|sealevel    = about {{convert|54|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businessccc.com/C33278_Blake-Lock-Museum-Gasworks-Rd-Reading-Berkshire-RG1-3DS/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118172700/http://www.businessccc.com/C33278_Blake-Lock-Museum-Gasworks-Rd-Reading-Berkshire-RG1-3DS/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 January 2013 |title=Blake's Lock Museum Profile |year=2011 |work=web page |publisher=UK Local Business |access-date=15 November 2012 }}</ref>
|enda        = [[Teddington Lock]]
|distenda    = {{convert|55|mi}}
|endb        = [[Bristol Harbour]]
|distendb    =  {{convert|87|mi}}
| map_image  =
| map_width  =
| coordinates=
| extra      =
}}
{{Blakes Lock map}}
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'''Blake's Lock''' is a [[Canal lock|lock]] situated on the [[River Kennet]] in [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]], [[Berkshire]], [[England]]. It is on the short reach of the River Kennet which is administered as if it were part of the [[River Thames]] and is hence owned and managed by the [[Environment Agency]].

==History==
The first mile of the Kennet from its junction with the River Thames has been navigable since the 13th century. Blake's Lock was originally a [[flash lock]] known as Brokenburglok. In 1404 the [[Abbot]] of [[Reading Abbey]], who had control of the River Kennet, made an agreement with the town's [[guild]] to allow craft to pass through the lock between sunrise and sunset on payment of a one [[Penny (British pre-decimal coin)|penny]] toll. By 1794, not much had changed, with [[John Rennie the Elder|John Rennie]], the engineer of the [[Kennet and Avon Canal]] describing it as "a very bad and inconvenient staunch lock".<ref name=krc9>{{cite book | first = Kenneth R | last = Clew | title = Wessex Waterway - A Guide to the Kennet & Avon Canal | publisher = Moonraker Press | year = 1978 | page = 9 }}</ref><ref name=krc14>{{cite book | first = Kenneth R | last = Clew | title = Wessex Waterway - A Guide to the Kennet & Avon Canal | publisher = Moonraker Press | year = 1978 | page = 14 }}</ref>

The lock was converted to a timber-constructed [[pound lock]] in 1802 to improve navigation from the Thames into the River Kennet enabling boats to travel all the way to the [[Bristol]] area. The lock retains its manual beams (not the originals, new beams were fitted in 2006), so far avoiding the progress towards hydraulic power.<ref name=krc14/><ref>{{cite web | title=Blake's Lock | work=River Thames Guide | url=http://www.riverthames.co.uk/about_thames/3687.htm | access-date=2006-09-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060926180425/http://www.riverthames.co.uk/about_thames/3687.htm | archive-date=26 September 2006 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Pearson |first=Michael |title=Kennet & Avon Middle Thames: Pearson's Canal Companion |publisher=Central Waterways Supplies |year=2003 }}</ref> The lock was closed during winter 2017-18 for work that included repairing and re-sheeting the lock gates and refurbishing the chamber walls.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/11582/blakes-lock-107-river-kennet-at-reading | title = Notices: Blakes Lock 107, River Kennet at Reading | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180526193548/https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/11582/blakes-lock-107-river-kennet-at-reading | archive-date = 2018-05-26 | date = 2018-03-16 | publisher = [[Canal & River Trust]] | access-date = 2018-05-26}}</ref>

==Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock==
{{Main|Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock}}
Next to the lock is the Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock which tells the story of Reading's two rivers — the Kennet and the Thames. The museum occupies two former industrial buildings, the Screen House and the Turbine House.<ref>{{cite web | title=Riverside Museum | work=Reading Library Service | url=http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/galleries/blakes.htm | access-date=2006-09-17 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060824063511/http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/galleries/blakes.htm |archive-date = 2006-08-24}}</ref>  Exhibits include a [[Romani people|gypsy]] caravan and information about the [[Romani people]], a medieval [[water wheel|mill wheel]], preserved [[turbine]] machinery, and seasonal art exhibits.

==See also==
{{Portal|United Kingdom|Transport}}
*[[Locks on the River Thames]]
*[[Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book | first = Kenneth R | last = Clew | title = Wessex Waterway - A Guide to the Kennet & Avon Canal | publisher = Moonraker Press | location = Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire | isbn = 0-239-00181-8 | year = 1978 }}
*{{cite book |last=Pearson |first=Michael |title=Kennet & Avon Middle Thames: Pearson's Canal Companion |year=2003 |publisher=Central Waterways Supplies|location=Rugby |isbn=0-907864-97-X}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/your-visit/permanent-galleries/riverside-museum-blakes-lock Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock]

{{S-start}}
{{River lock start|River=[[River Kennet]]}}
{{River lock line|upstream=[[County Lock]]|downstream=[[Sonning Lock]]<br />(on [[River Thames]])|location=SU727735}}
{{S-end}}

{{Kennet and Avon Canal}}

{{Coord|51.45582|N|0.95506|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SU727735)|display=title}}<!-- Note: WGS84 lat/long, converted from OSGB36 grid ref -->

[[Category:1802 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Locks of Reading, Berkshire]]
[[Category:Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1802]]