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Molesey Lock
The lock after the release of 160,000 Rubber ducks at the start of the Great British Duck Race in September 2007
Waterway	River Thames
County	Surrey
Maintained by	Environment Agency
First built	1815
Length	268' 4" (81.78m)
Width	24' 10" (7.56m)
Fall	6' 1" (1.85m)
Above sea level	20'
Distance to Teddington Lock	4.8 miles

Molesey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in East Molesey, Surrey near Hampton Court Palace on the western edge of London, England.

The bill for the construction of Molesey Lock was passed by Parliament in 1812. The lock is one of the longest on the river at over 268 ft (81.78 metres). Beside the lock there are rollers for the portage of small boats. There is a small lock island on which is a plaque commemorating Michael J Bulleid whose work for salmon conservancy has allowed these fish to travel up the river. On the other side of the large weir sits Ash Island, with a backwater behind it continuing to a smaller weir upstream.

Access to the lock

The lock's proximity to Hampton Court and easy access made it a popular venue for spectators in the Victorian era, and the tree-lined lock still attracts large numbers of visitors.

The lock is about 100 yards upstream of Hampton Court Bridge on the South side. It is immediately accessible from the main Hurst Road/Riverbank (A3050).

Reach above the lock

After the lock cut, the river passes Tagg's Island and Garrick's Ait, with the original "Eights Tree" sculpture outside Molesey Rowing Club on the Surrey bank. The Middlesex bank presents an array of period buildings at Hampton, with other features like the Swiss Cottage and the Astoria Houseboat. This gives way to a long stretch beside a reservoir before reaching the riverside houses at Sunbury and Sunbury Court Island. Beyond these is Rivermead Island an expanse of open space before the weir pool and Creek backwater. This area is used for kayaking from the weir and the River Ash joins the Thames here. On the Surrey bank there is an extent of open ground at Moulsey Hurst, with its interesting heritage marker, and then another reservoir until Sunbury Lock is reached. In the centre of the river by Moulsey Hurst is Platts Eyot where Motor Torpedo Boats were built during World War II. The stretch is home to several sailing and rowing clubs.

The Thames Path stays on the Surrey bank all the way to Sunbury Lock. There are no bridges that cross the full width of the river on this reach, but the Hampton Ferry runs in the summer between Hampton and Moulsey Hurst just below Platts Eyot.

Literature and the Media

• Jerome K. Jerome wrote in the 1880's "I have stood and watched it sometimes when you could not see any water at all, but only a brilliant tringle of bright blazers and gay caps, and saucy hats, and many-coloured parasols, and silken rugs and cloaks and streaming ribbons..."

• The lock featured in an edition of the gardening make-over programme Ground Force

See also

• Locks on the River Thames

External links

• Photographs of Molesey Lock from the Francis Frith Collection
• Memoryscape — Drifting: Molesey Lock

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