Marshall's Lock. (1)

The lock is recorded more than 30m long on the Ordnance Survey Map of 1900 map with a weir recorded a few metres to the north of it. (2)

Only a single archaeological feature was identified, located at the southeastern end of the flood storage channel, of a joined structure over of c. 12.75m in length orientated north-west to south east. Historic maps showed that this area of brick and stonework had been part of the former Marshall’s Lock and the remains align with the northern part of the western lock wall and part of the northern lock gate foundations. This structure predominantly comprised brickwork but with one internal place of stonework recovered, and two square buttresses abutting this brick and stone area on its western side, which presumably collectively was for strengthening. This lock gate would have had a complex and weighty mechanism on the ground surface which needed supporting below. This brick and stonework survived as a very truncated set of features, with no more than three courses recorded (though there were further courses, at least in parts, below where excavated level). The walls were found at c.60m aOD, with the ground level at this location being c. 61.6m aOD. (2)

The other parts of Marshall’s Lock and the brick walls of Cromford Canal in this area at this excavated level within the watching brief had presumably been machined removed in the 1970s/1980s without archaeological recording before this area had been backfilled with rubble. It is worth noting that the lowest deposit exposed across the watching brief (apart from the structure) was extensive at up to more than 1m deep and importantly it contained c. 20% brick fragments. No artefacts were collected from the watching brief. (2)

<1> OS, 1916, 1:2500, County Series 1916 (Map). SNT1025.

Other Refs: 32/13

<2> Rob Atkins and Erin Wheatley, 2025, Archaeological Watching Brief at Cromford Canal Beggarlee Extension, Langley Mill, Derbyshire And Eastwood, Nottinghamshire (Unpublished document). SNT6069.