Top Lock was a stone built pen river lock at the side of Hudd’s Mill.
Although technically the start of the canal, it wasn’t the head of the navigation. That was the warehouse and storage areas by the London road bridge at the foot of St Mary’s in Stamford.
The cut for the canal had come off just before the weir and the mill-stream and they had to build a wooden bridge over the bottom end of the lock to regain access to the mill.
The converted mill-house can still be seen down the lane on the right over the small bridge to the left near to Morrisons in Stamford.
Unfortunately the lock has been filled in and a garden built on top of it. The stone embankments could be seen a few years ago but access has been very difficult recently.
The canal went behind the allotments and across the back of what is now the sports field, heading towards the old toll bar cottage.
Photos to go here
< Back Lock 1 at Hudd’s Mill, Stamford
The Stamford Canal << The earliest proper canal in England? <<
