Saltford Lock

{{Short description|Canal lock on the River Avon, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2017}}

File:Kelstonbrassmill.JPG overlooking Saltford lock]]

Saltford Lock is a canal lock situated on the River Avon, at the village of Saltford, between Bristol and Bath, England.

The Bristol Avon Navigation, which runs the {{convert|15|mi}} from the Kennet and Avon Canal at Hanham Lock to the Bristol Channel at Avonmouth, was constructed between 1724 and 1727,{{cite web | url=https://www.waterways.org.uk/waterways/canals_rivers/bristol_avon/bristol_avon |publisher= Inland Waterways Association | title= Bristol Avon Navigation|accessdate=3 March 2013}} following legislation passed by Queen Anne,{{Cite web | title=Navigation of the river Avon | work=Bristol History.com | url=http://weldgen.tripod.com/bristol-history-com/id2.html | accessdate=22 September 2006| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070110214011/http://weldgen.tripod.com/bristol-history-com/id2.html| archivedate = 10 January 2007}}{{cite wikisource |plaintitle=Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers, Canals, and Railways, of Great Britain |chapter=Avon River, Gloucestershire |last=Priestley |first=Joseph |year=1831 |publisher=Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green}} by a company of proprietors and the engineer John Hore of Newbury. The first cargo of 'Deal boards, Pig-Lead and Meal' arrived in Bath in December 1727.{{cite book|last1=Allsop|first1=Niall|title=The Kennet & Avon Canal|date=1989|publisher=Millstream Books|isbn=9780948975158|edition=2|page=[https://archive.org/details/kennetavoncanalu0000alls/page/4 4]|url=https://archive.org/details/kennetavoncanalu0000alls/page/4}} The navigation is now administered by the Canal & River Trust.

The lock and weir are overlooked by the remains of the Kelston Brass Mill, which was working until 1925. It is a grade II listed building.{{NHLE | desc=Remains of 2 Annealing Ovens | num=1215014| accessdate=28 July 2019}} Alongside the lock is the Jolly Sailor pub, whose garden extends over the lock to the small island between the lock and weir. The lock was opened in 1727 and destroyed in 1738 (probably by rival coal dealers) to stop the use of the river for transportation.{{cite book|last1=Allsop|first1=Niall|title=The Kennet & Avon Canal|date=1989|publisher=Millstream Books|isbn=9780948975158|edition=2|page=[https://archive.org/details/kennetavoncanalu0000alls/page/17 17]|url=https://archive.org/details/kennetavoncanalu0000alls/page/17}}{{cite book|last=Wood |first=John |title=An Essay Towards a Description of Bath |year=1749 |publisher=James Bettenham |location=Bath }} The pub was built in 1726 for the bargees, when the navigation opened. The wooden fireplace has holes made by newly promoted barge captains using hot pokers.{{NHLE|desc=The Jolly Sailor Inn|num=1384668|accessdate=25 September 2016}}{{cite book|last1=Clew|first1=Kenneth R.|title=Wessex Waterway|date=1978|publisher=Moonraker Press|isbn=978-0239001818|page=59}}