Geograph - photograph every grid square

The original River Lea flowed 70 miles from Leagrove Marsh near Luton to the River Thames at Bow Creek. The River Lee Act of 1766 provided for the construction of 15 new cuts to straighten the course of the river by eliminating loops which made it difficult to navigate. This is one of those cuts and hence it is a navigation rather than a river. The Lea passes a little further to the east here. Historically the river is spelled Lea while the navigation is Lee.

This is the view from Ferry Lane. Tottenham Lock is a paired lock, and like other locks as far as Ponders End it is large enough to take barges of up to 130 tons. The primary lock on the right here has been upgraded to mechanical operation, but the secondary west lock on the left is operated manually.