Feilde's Weir Lock

FEILDE’S WEIR LOCK

Lock	State	Date	Length	Length - Working Distance	Width	Fall	Removed or bypassed
Mr Field's Lower Weir	Extant	1725	~	~		3' 6''	1767
Mr Archer's Weir	Extant	1725	~	~		1' 0''	1767
Feildes Weir Lock	Built	1767			13' 5''	3' 8''	1922
Feildes Weir Lock	Report	1917			13' 5''
Feildes Weir Lock	Rebuilt	1922	90' 0''	87' 0''	16' 0''	3' 7''

The lock was built to replace the falls of both Mr Field’s Weir and Mr Archer’s Weir following the 1767 Act of Parliament which started the upgrading of the Lee Navigation.

William Whittenbury’s map of 1741 records the spelling as F.I.E.L.D, and this spelling was still in place as late as 1904 when it is shown on the official Lee Conservancy Map signed by Charles Tween, the Conservancy Engineer. However, in 1917, Mr Tween put his signature to a document listing the Lee locks and showing F.E.I.L.D.E’S Weir Lock. But just to confuse matters, when a detailed survey of the Lee was carried out in 1849, it was shown as F.E.I.L.D.E’S. Take your pick. (Just to add to the confusion, Rennie in 1804 recorded it as Crook’s Lock and a map of 1838 shows Crane's Lock - the name of the, then, lock keeper)

In the surveys from 1792 it is recorded as Fields, Field’s, Fielde’s and Feildes – all within the first eight years.

So who was/were the doubly eponymous Mr Field/Feilde? Mr Field was a local landowner whose name recurs on the early maps.

William Feilde is recorded as the owner of Stanstead Mill between 1739 and 1762 and he was one of the original Trustees of the river when it was administered by the River Lee Trust between 1739 and 1868. He died in 1762.

Paul ffielde is recorded in the Minute Book on 7.2.1771 as the owner of the Weir, but he appears as Paul ffeilde in a later entry on 1.7. 1782. (The "ff" was the old way of writing a capital "f".)

Field’s/Feilde’s Weir Lock was also “unofficially” known as Rattie’s Lock, named after Samuel Rattee, the Lock keeper there for 37 years from 1841 until he died on 8^th November 1878. His name is phonetically perpetuated in the name of the road which leads from Hoddesdon to the lock – Ratty’s Lane.

LMA ACC 2423/P853

The plan to the left, drawn in 1855, shows the old lock house. On 26.10.1877, it was considered that “the house, though kept very clean, is damp and unfit for habitation and they recommend that a new house be built facing the lock, and the present structure be pulled down” (NA Rail 845/21)

LMA ACC 2423/P343

20.4.1883 The new lock house was insured for £250 (NA Rail 845/23)

The "present structure" was not pulled down, as can be seen from the postcard below,

The survey taken in 1878, shows the layout of Feildes Weir. The Stort enters top centre. The long loop between the Lock and Weir and the Great Eastern Railway bridge, carrying the London to Cambridge line, was filled in and replaced with a straighter channel in the 1970s. The old towpath is still marked by the line of the fence.

LMA ACC 2423/P343

The postcard to the left shows Feilde’s Weir Lock in about 1920, with the old lock house still standing!

The Conservancy lock house remains today, the fabric very much the same as when it was built, except for the addition of modern facilities. However, on 4th September 2011, it was for sale at £259,950 requiring "complete modernisation"

The lock chamber was rebuilt in 1922, to widen it from 13’ 5” to its present 16’. The site plan is below.

LMA ACC 2423/P1892

Feilde’s Weir Lock

Census/Date	Name	Title	Wife	Location given by enumerator/Comments	Source Reference
1987 - 2011	Bill White	Lock & Weir Keeper	moved from Stanstead Lock. (until retirement)		Carol Byatt
5.1976 - 1987	Danny Ford	Lock & Weir Keeper	ex South Mill Lock, moved to Ponders End Lock
1968- 5.1976	Bill White	Lock and Weir keeper	Appointed 1968. Moved to South Mill Lock		Carol Byatt
13.4.1957	A R P Sherwood	Lock and weir keeper	£7.19.11 plus 5/- on call allowance		LCB Records
Period late 40s and early 50s	Frank Sutton/Southern	Resident	Known to have lived in the cottage next to the lock house - helped at lock unofficially		Des Devlin/Carol Byatt
31.3.1957	Alfred Field	Lock keeper	Transferred to South Mill Lock		M. Welsh
1951	Alfred Field	Lock keeper	£7.14.11. Also "On call allowance of 5/- per week"		LCB Records
9.6.1948	Alfred Field	Lock keeper	£5.2.6.		LCB Records
4.10.1947	Alfred Field	Lock keeper	Appointed ex Aqueduct Lock at £4.10.6		NA Rail 845/128
4.10.1947	W J Major	Lock keeper	Transferred to Enfield Lock		NA Rail 845/128
1939	William James Major (b. 4.8.1890)	Lock keeper	Alice E. b 5.8.1889		1939 Register
1.4.1938	W J Major	Lock keeper	£1.15.0 to £1.17.0		NA Rail 845/122
1.4.1937	W J Major	Lock keeper	£1.14s to £1.15s (inc house and garden)		NA Rail 845/121
23.6.1933	William James Major (42)	Lock keeper	Appointed at £1 14s per week with house and uniform ex Enfield		NA Rail 845
21.6.1933	S J Collett	Lock keeper	Transferred to Enfield		LCB Records
24.6.1932	S J Collett	Lock keeper	Appointed ex Dredger hand at £1.14.0		LCB Records
27.5.1932	E. M. Weald (67)	Lock keeper	Died suddenly on 26.5.1932, after 35 years service. Left a widow and one son, who is tending the weir until a new man is appointed		NA Rail 845
31.10.1930	E M Weald (65)	Lock keeper	34 years service , 32/- per week and house. Wife has no pension		NA Rail 845/114
16.2.1923	E M Weald	Lock keeper	Appointed ex Brick Lock		NA Rail 845/107
16.2.1923	Thomas Martin (72)	Lock keeper	Resignation due to ill health. 23 years service. Pension 8/- per week 16.2.1934 Died		NA Rail 845/107 NA Rail 845/118
27.3.1920	T Martin	Lock keeper	Plus 5/- per week for looking after weir as well as lock		NA Rail 845/47
14.11.1919	T Martin	Lock keeper	27/- + house, garden, and uniform		NA Rail 845/46
15.2.1918	T Martin	Lock keeper	22/- per week		NA Rail 845/66
1.12.1916	T Martin	Lock keeper	£2 war bonus		NA Rail 845/43
4.3.1915	T Martin	Lock keeper	+2/- per week		NA Rail 845/42
28.2.1913	T Martin	Lock keeper	Wages increased by 1/- per week		NA Rail 845/40
17.1.1913	T Martin	Lock keeper	Slipped and broke small bone in ankle on 24.10.1912, hopes to resume duty next week. Paid full wages during off duty time.		NA Rail 845/40
2.4.1911	Thomas Martin (60)	Lock keeper	Hannah	Fields Weir Lock House, Hoddesdon	RG14PN7468 RG78PN361 RD133 SD1 ED6 SN294
4.12.1903	Thomas Martin	Lock keeper	Paid £9 per annum for recording gaugings every 8 hours		NA Rail 845/31
31.3.1901	Thomas Martin (50)	Lock keeper	Hannah	Fieldes Weir Lock, Essex Road	Hoddesdon/4/
15.9.1899	Thomas Martin	Lock keeper	Appointed - see below		NA Rail 845/29
15.9.1899...I have found a suitable man to fill the vacancy in Thomas Martin, who has been employed for the past 20 years a Barge Builder at Ware Barge Docks, he is 47 years of age and a good scholar. He has been used to the management of Ware Weir, and also thoroughly understands the working of Locks &c., He will take duty on Monday next, when I shall instruct him as to gauging water etc. - C Tween (LMA ACC 2423/006)
15.9.1899	Thomas Bradfield	Lock keeper	Deceased. Widow be allowed 7/- per week		NA Rail 845/29
15.9.1899 ...to have to report the death of Thomas Bradfield, who has been lock keeper and water gauger ...for the last 19 years and was an excellent servant. He leaves a widow aged 52 years and two sons who are apprenticed to us, one as a Carpenter and the other Blacksmith; she asks if the Board will kindly consider her case. I may mention that in similar cases the widow has been granted 7/- per week during the pleasure of the Board...- C Tween (LMA ACC 2423/006)
5.4.1891	Thomas Bradfield (41)	Lock keeper	Annie	Lock house Essex Rd (nr Railway Junction House)	Hoddesdon/5/1
20.4.1883	T J Bradfield	Lock keeper	4 years service, 16/- per week		NA Rail 845/23
4.4.1881	Thomas J Bradfield (32)	Lock keeper	Annie	Lock house (Ratteys Lock in summary)	Broxbourne/4/55
18.7.1879	Thomas Bradfield	Lock keeper	Appointed at 16/- per week		NA Rail 845/21
20.12.1878 A Bill for the funeral of Samuel Rattee, late Lock keeper at Fielde’s Weir was laid before the meeting, and, it was resolved, that the board cannot pay such an account (NA Rail 845/21)
Nov. 1878	Samuel Rattee (70)	Lock keeper	Died after 37 years at the lock (Appointed 1841). Pension of 7/- a week to his wife (who died 25.4.1890)		NA Rail 845/21 NA Rail 845/25
2.4.1871	Samuel Rattee (63)	Lock keeper	Jane	Fields Weir Lock House (Ratteys Lock in summary)	Broxbourne/4/38
8.3.1871 Motion of Mr Hunt as to the conduct of the Lock keeper of Feilde’s Weir: “That the conduct of Ratty (sic) the Lockman at Feilde’s Weir be inquired into” and “reading a letter from Mr Teale of Rye House dated the 18^th instant stating that Ratty was continually annoying his fishing customers by preventing them from fishing off the piece of land there the property of the Board, and by giving permission to strangers to trespass on his fishing rights” It was resolved that the Engineer make inquiries into the conduct of Ratty and report thereon to the Board. It transpired that Ratty was acting under the Engineer’s instructions and had now been advised of the correct situation. (NA Rail 845/18)
8.4.1861	Samuel Rattee (52)	Lock keeper	Jane	Lock House Fields Weir (Rattys Lock in summary)	Broxbourne/4f/
19.4.1860	Samuel Rattee	Lock keeper	2/- less wages per week due to provision of garden		NA Rail 845/15
21.11.1855	Samuel Rattee	Lock keeper	16/- per week		NA Rail 845/14
21.10.1854	Samuel Rattee	Lock keeper	16/- per week		NA Rail 845/14
30.3.1851	Samuel Rattee(42)	Lock keeper	Jane	Lockhouse on River Lee (nr Rye Common)	Hoddesdon/3b/42
21.9.1841	Samuel Ratty	Lock keeper	Appointed in place of Jno Crane		NA Rail 845/12
17.8.1841	Jno. Crane	Lock keeper	Deceased		NA Rail 845/12
7.6.1841	John Crane (50)	Lock keeper	Pamela	Millers Lock (nr Rye Common)	Great Amwell/2/16
20.6.1826	John Crane*	Lock keeper			NA Rail 845/10
* 20.6.1826 Minute recording “It appearing unto this meeting that John Crane has for the last twenty two years acted as Lock keeper at the lock below Stanstead but has never been regularly appointed. It is ordered that he be appointed Lock keeper at the said lock and have the benefit of the Superannuation Fund to which he has all along contributed”
1804	John Crane	Lock keeper	Appointed		see above
25.11.1795	Amos Sheppard	Lock keeper	Appointed		NA Rail 845/7
25.11.1795	John Coleman	Lock keeper	“Left for a place on the Stort River”		NA Rail 845/7

This site was last updated 03-Mar-2021