You are standing at the edge of Mandeville Place, between the two arms of the Diamond Bridge
and looking down at Carpenters Road Lock below.
The lock is one of the few reminders of this area’s industrial past. In the 1940s and 50s, the giant
radial gates rose and fell to let barges through, laden with materials going to or from the factories
lining the Bow Back Rivers. This part of London was known for its smells, rubbish, cheap rents and
ability to survive, and gave much-needed working space for the manufacturing economy of the
day.
The factories have gone, and so have the smells. But the waterways called the Bow Back Rivers
remain in use, with the new Carpenters Road Lock allowing leisure cruisers and houseboats to
pass through. Over the coming years the area will change to meet the needs of the new London.
Go in any direction from here along these modern canals and instead of factories you will find
gardens, cafes, playgrounds, homes, schools and shops.
Thank you for joining us on this walking trip. You can return to your starting point by crossing over
Diamond Bridge and walking back to the London Aquatics Centre, which will take about five
minutes.
You are at the last stop on the audio tour of the Bow Back Rivers. Play the audio file below to hear the first track for this location.
This track gives a quick overview of the location, and where to go from here.
This page is part of Start the audio trail
