To the east of Ryeford is Double Lock, which has two chambers sharing a middle pair of gates. Unfortunately, soon after the canal opened, it was found that one of the lock walls was 'coming in' due to pressure in the bank behind. A dispute over who was responsible rumbled on for ten years until the wall was rebuilt by the experienced engineer Josiah Clowes. He formed three big holes in the wall to relieve the pressure, and this finally solved the problem.
Two hundred years later, the lock was badly damaged by a freak accident in 1987. Failure of a water main in the road above caused water to cascade down the hill, eventually pushing the wall into the lock. Restoration of the wall, paid for by insurance, included re-forming Josiah Clowes's three holes.
Adjoining the lock is a cottage for a lock keeper, built in 1784 and little altered - it has never had proper road access. Under the upper-right window, a board of rules for passing the locks is just visible.
Each lock keeper was responsible for looking after one or more locks and an associated length of towpath, and they were also required to join in with any other maintenance work along the canal when needed. Working a vessel through the locks was done by members of the vessel's crew.
Tragedy struck the Burbidge family when they were living here in November 1838. Four young children aged between nine and two died within a few days of one another and were buried at Cainscross. There were many serious childhood illnesses around at that time, and it seems that even such an awful event as four deaths did not warrant any notice in the local newspaper. However, the Stroudwater Committee did notice, and they ordered 'that our servant John Burbidge be paid £10 above what is due to him for salary'.
From the towpath below Double Lock, can be seen the former Haywardsfield Inn, which was known by locals as ‘Nowhere’. This name had come about because in ancient times the land associated with the building was classed as ‘extra-parochial’ – not belonging to any parish.
This anomaly was corrected in 1884 when it was amalgamated into Stonehouse parish, but the old name was remembered because when a man arriving home late was asked by his wife where he had been, he could honestly answer ‘nowhere’.
Dispute concerning the building of Double Lock recorded in minute books D1180/1/1 & 2.
Freak accident in 1987 recorded in D1180/Acc12710/box1-2.
Deaths of four children were recorded in the Cainscross parish register.
Payment to John Burbidge recorded in D1180/1/4 p158.
Amalgamation of Hawardsfield into Stonehouse recorded in 1891 Census returns.
