Dobbs Weir

Photo 2007

By Nicholas Blatchley

This was a ford on the River Lea for many centuries, though not always a safe one - there are many records of carts and horses being swept away when the river flooded. The weir, with its V-drops illustrated here, was formerly a favourite site for watersports, since the manual gates (among the last in the country) could be adjusted to create whitewater conditions in the pool below the weir. However, the manual gates have been locked since 2003, since they were deemed to be in an advanced state of disrepair, requiring about £25,000 for restoration.

The Fish & Eels pub, seen in the background here, has a terrace overlooking the river. The pub has been there for about two hundred years, and has had a colourful history at times. One past landlord was a former vicar, who used to preach sermons to the drinkers.