Bray Lock - History

History

There was a mill recorded here in Domesday book and 1328 there is a reference to "Richard atte Lock of Bray" occupying a weir called Braibrok. Fifty years later in 1377 there are records of travellers complaining of the excessive tolls at a flash lock on the site called Hameldon Lock. Both the lock and the weirs were removed in 1510 by order of the Commissioner of Sewers.

In 1622 a new flash lock was built by Thomas Manfield and presence of water pens is noted in 1632. Navigation may in earlier times have used York Stream which went on the other side of Bray to Maidenhead. A pound lock and weir were first proposed in 1833 for the "improvement of navigation two or three miles above". The fall between Maidenhead and Boveney was large, leading to shallows and a strong current. The towpath was on the Buckinghamshire bank, and navigation on the Berkshire side, so tow ropes had to pass across the island. The suggestion of a lock was made again in 1843 and a lock house built on Parting Eyot with an open-sided lock the following year. The miller contributed to the cost of the weir. The lock was often left open except when river levels were low and no tolls were collected. Sides were added before 1877 and the lock and weir were rebuilt in 1885. Prior to the rebuilding Charles Dickens had described Bray Lock as a "rotten and dangerous structure".