Woolsthorpe canal pool looking towards Muston

Looking northwards along the Grantham Canal, over the partly dismantled lower Woolsthorpe lock by the Rutland Arms.

Dr Michael Honeybone

Lincolnshire, Woolsthorpe, Grantham Canal, Rutland Arms

Bottesford Local History Society

BOT/013/298

This catalogue record comes from: Bottesford Local History Archive

Reply
The lock gates were removed in the mid late fifty’s from all the locks along the canal and wind up doors fitted ,one of them can be seen in the centre of canal.
On the right of the picture there is a stretch of mowed grass and l can remember whippet racing taking place over the summertime. As for a date the old gray matter is not sure but you can see there are wooden railing on either side of the lock and they were put up in the sixtys .
To the left of this picture (not showing) there was a long shed with tiled roof which was open to the canal.Inside was a saw pit where wood was cut one man down the pit and one on top l expect using a cross cut saw.It was not being used then but l do remember myself and Colin Tinkler having a look on one of our fishing trips and climbing down the pit.
By Tony Gammage (03/01/2019)
Reply
Hi Tony, Thanks again for your comments on pictures in the archive. This is one of the photos Michael Honeybone left with the village when he and Diana moved to Norwich some years ago, and was probably taken in the late 70s. When I came to Bottesford in 1999 I remember walking up the towpath for the first time on a Sunday and coming across the whippet racing just as you describe it. I was very surprised. I felt I had really arrived in Old England after years in the surburban sprawl of the southeast. I have never seen the whippets since and assume that the racing at Woolsthorpe has ceased. A shame, really. Neil
By Neil Fortey (05/01/2019)