Bell Weir Lock
Telephone: +44 (0)1784 432333
Postcode: TW20 0AA
This lock is named after its very first lock keeper, Charles Bell, who was employed by the Thames Navigation Commissioners in 1817. He earned a good wage of £4 per month, but for this he had to provide his own residence. He already owned a house close by, so he had no problems. Charles fought in the first World War but didn't return. His wife was believed to have taken over the job.
Despite its location by a giant hotel and near Heathrow Airport, Bell Weir attracts a good spread of wildlife. Regularly seen are woodpeckers, parakeets, kingfishers, sparrowhawks and kestrels, plus the occasional buzzard. On the ground are foxes, badgers and muntjac deer.
Several years ago a rare bald eagle was sighted here. At the same time an Irish landowner had lost one! He travelled to Bell Weir, caught the bird and took it home to Ireland.
Lock Keeper
The Lock Keeper here is Dave Andrews, who has lived in the lock cottage with his wife Shirley for 21 years. Daughter Stephanie lives with them. Now 48, Dave came to lock keeping via his dad and uncle who for many years were working locks along the Thames. His father, James, was lock keeper at Cookham for about 30 years
An interesting fact
Dave, the lock keeper, once found a bunch of papers in a bag of rubbish bobbing in the river by the lock. Retrieving them, the papers turned out to be a full set of floor plans for the Bank of England. How they got there was a mystery. Police collected them very soon after!
Location and facilities
For a map and a list of all the facilities at the lock visit...
> Location and facilities at Bell Weir lock