Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/401



This is a very useful navigation, and beneficial to the agriculturists of the district about Bury, as besides the advantageous mode it affords of conveying their produce down to Lynn, by its junction with the Ouse near Littleport, it conveys to them in return, and at a much lower rate than by land carriage, fuel and other articles of home consumption which their own neighbourhood cannot supply.

LEA RIVER.
3 Hen. VI. C. 5, R. A. - - - - - 1425.

9 Hen. VI. C. 9, R. A. - - - - - 1430.

13 Eliz. C. - - R. A. - - - - - 1561.

13 Geo. II. C. 32, R. A. 14th June, 1739.

7 Geo. III. C. 51, R. A. 29th June, 1767.

19 Geo. III. C. 58, R. A. 31st May, 1779.

45 Geo. III. C. 69, R. A. 27th June, 1805.

5 Geo. IV. C. 47, R. A. 17th May, 1824.

THE Lea or Lee Navigation commences at the county town of Hertford, at 111 feet 3 inches above the level of the sea; passing thence in an easterly direction by a bending course and leaving Ware Park on its northern bank, it arrives at Ware; from this town it proceeds in a south-easterly direction to its junction with the Stort River Navigation at no great distance from Hoddesden. From the junction, verging a little to the west, it directs its way southerly to Waltham Abbey; the line is now nearly straight in the same direction to Oil Mill; here again diverging to the east, it comes to Temple Mills, passing on its way Wanstead and Aldersbrook; a little above Temple Mills there is a cut, making a communication between this navigation and the Regent's Canal; from Temple Mills it proceeds to its fall into the Thames at Bow Creek, not far from the East India Docks; at Bromley there is a cut from this navigation into the Thames at Limehouse, which is about a mile and a half in length, with a fall of 17½ feet. This cut, by avoiding the circuit of the Isle of Dogs, makes a ready communication with the port of London. It was cut at the expense of the city of London, and is known by the name of the Lea Cut or Limehouse Canal.

The first parliamentary enactment having reference to the Lea or Lee, bears date in 1425, under the title of 'An Act for the Preservation of the River Lea;' another act was passed in 1430,