Prescott Channel

The Prescott Channel was built in 1930–35 as part of a flood relief scheme for the River Lee Navigation in the East End of London, and was named after Sir William Prescott, the then chairman of the Lee Conservancy Board. [http://www.glias.org.uk/news/229news.html "Notes and News"] (April 2007) (Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society)] Rubble from the demolished Euston Arch was used in 1962 to improve the channel. ["Euston Arch found at bottom of river", "The Times" (4 June 1994).] [ [http://www.eustonarch.org/questions.html#12 "Where are the remains of the arch?"] (Euston Arch Trust) accessed 16 July 2008] __TOC__In March 2007, work began to build the Three Mills Lock, a lock in the channel to allow passage of freight for the London 2012 Olympics by a process of canalisation (with the result of stopping the tidal flow) on the channel and the River Lee northwards. The work is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2008. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6401527.stm "East End rivers set for upgrade"] (BBC News)] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7307252.stm BBC NEWS | UK | Waterways face new Olympian task ] ] The project will also offer other benefits:-

"As well as helping barges carrying construction materials and recyclables between Stratford and the River Thames, the lock will also create new opportunities for leisure boats, water taxis, trip boats and floating restaurants."

The new lock will be 62 metres long, 8 metres wide and 2.4 metres deep, and will be able to hold two 350 tonne barges (the present locks on the Lower Lee limit barges to about 120 tonnes). It has been designed by Tony Gee and Partners and built by Volker Stevin.

On 2 June 2008, work on the channel brought up a convert|2200|lb|t|0|lk=on "Hermann" war time bomb. Residents were evacuated, tube and rail services were disrupted, and flights from London City Airport were curtailed during the emergency. The 67-year old, booby-trapped bomb was finally made safe, after five days, in a controlled explosion that threw 400 tonnes of sand into the air. Major Matt Davies, of the Army Bomb disposal unit said “If it had gone off in wartime there would have been large fragments up to a mile away which could have destroyed buildings and sewers". He added "This is the biggest unexploded bomb we have found in central London." [ [http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/content/towerhamlets/advertiser/news/story.aspx?brand=ELAOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsela&itemid=WeED06%20Jun%202008%2022%3A31%3A52%3A950 "Hermann" the German bomb says farewell with a bang—after 67 years"] (East London Advertiser, 6 June 2008) accessed 9 June 2008]

References

Other sources

* East London Record. No. 18 (1996)

External links

* [http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/olympics/prescott/ Prescott Lock] on [http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/ British Waterways ] wesbite
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/prescottchannel/ Prescott Channel FLICKR group]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/08/npresc108.xml&pPage=/core/Matt/pcMatt.jhtml £15m sluice system is Prescott's watergate]
* [http://www.mike-stevens.co.uk/metrocuts/bowbacks/prescottsluice.htm Prescott Sluice]
* [http://society.guardian.co.uk/gall/0,,1817219,00.html Lea Valley Regeneration]
* [http://mike-stevens.co.uk/metrocuts/bowbacks/threemillswall1.htm Three Mills Wall River]
* [http://www.mail-archive.com/[e-mail]/msg01778.html Prescott's Watergate] from the Canals-List

Geo Links for Prescott Channel

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