Hurley Lock
Telephone: 01628 824334
Postcode: SL6 5ND
Hurley is quite unique among locks along the Thames, for here the river splits into a number of channels. In the early days these were difficult to navigate due to their shallows and bends. The problem was made worse by the mills, who built dams to provide themselves with power supplies.
There is documentary evidence mentioning a ford at Hurley in 450AD at the start of the Saxon invasion. This ford was probably by the nearby Harleyford Manor.
Hurley village itself predates the Norman Conquest and was known by the Danes as Herlei. Many buildings close to the river here were part of a Benedictine Monastery mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1086.
Lock keeper
The Lock keeper here is Mr Giles Robinson, who lives at the lock house with his wife and two children. He became a lockkeeper after serving 24 years in the armed forces. He started his lock-keeping career as an area relief keeper at Goring, Whitchurch and Mapledurham.
An interesting fact
A Hurley boy was put on trial for starting the 1666 Great Fire of London.
Location and facilities
For a map and a list of all the facilities at the lock visit...
> Location and facilities at Hurley Lock