The waterways are full of quiet curiosities, and this week the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaigners found a particularly lovely one at Winsford Marina.
A lock gate that goes nowhere
As Shirley Sefton shared from the campaign trail, instead of separating two bodies of water, this decorative gate stands on the marina island and features an oak beam that points directly toward the Peckforton Hills, the source of the River Weaver. In May 2016 the acclaimed actor and passionate canal enthusiast Timothy West officially opened the revamped Winsford Marina by unveiling this highly unique feature: a commemorative, landlocked lock gate. It is exactly the sort of detail that rewards a slow journey along the water — a piece of heritage that celebrates the river even where no boat passes through.
Fittingly, the campaigners draped a Fund Britain’s Waterways banner across the old gate — the perfect place to remind everyone that these rivers and the structures along them are worth protecting. The photo came via the Fund Britain’s Waterways Facebook group.
Heritage worth funding
Fund Britain’s Waterways is a coalition speaking up for the hundreds of thousands of people who use and love Britain’s canals and rivers. Landmarks like this commemorative gate are part of the rich cultural fabric that makes our waterways special — but the living, working locks and sluices just up the river need real money to keep them operating. Sustainable, long-term government funding is what stands between that heritage thriving and slowly falling into disrepair.
Please sign the petition and share it on with #FundBritainsWaterways.
