Snakeholme Lock

Built during the construction of the Driffield Navigation after the act of parliament in 1767. It was the first lock reached on the new section of canal, and became the tidal limit on the navigation. A swing bridge reached over the bottom of the lock to allow the Yorkshire Keels to get through without lowering the mast. Once regular trade started to use the new navigation, problems with low water were noticed. The tide on the River Hull does not easily push up the river due to sharp bends, and narrow sections, and so there was regularly not enough depth over the bottom gate cill. To remedy this situation, a new chamber was built below the lock creating a staircase lock. Since the lock was…