Dobbs Weir

Photo 2007

By Nicholas Blatchley

Dobbs Weir, V-drops
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.

This page was added on 03/08/2010.

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  • My late husband Len Byatt was leading lock keeper at Dobbs Weir and from 1969 until 2011 we lived at the lockhouse. Len had to retire through ill health. We moved into old fashioned lock house at first and BWB build a new house for use around 6 years later. Lots of memories as Len was known has local character.

    By Carol Byatt (17/07/2021)
  • The boat hire business at the Fish & Eels was revived by George Austin in the early 1960’s and ran until the mid 70’s.There were then still many Chalet/Cabins lining both sides of the river from Broxbourne up to Glen Faber.The Landlords of the pub during the 60’s were Bill & Glad Langmead .

    By RICHARD AUSTIN (24/02/2021)
  • Back in the 1950’s Dobbs Weir was, for me, a perfect place for fishing, with specimen fish of all sorts due to the varied conditions there. The power station outfall particularly favoured dace, which on a sunny day I could sometimes catch using a fly. I have seen photographs of the 1920s/30s when river carnivals were held on the wide section above the weir. Perhaps somebody has information on this.

    By Terry Askew (28/02/2011)