Limehouse Cut

Limehouse Cut
Looking North East along the Limehouse Cut
Limehouse Cut is located in London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Limehouse Cut
Location in Tower Hamlets
Specifications
StatusOpen
Navigation authorityCanal and River Trust
History
Original ownerTrustees of the Lee Navigation
Principal engineer
  • John Smeaton
  • Thomas Yeoman
Other engineer(s)
  • James Meadows Rendel
  • Nathaniel Beardmore
Date of act1766
Date of first use1769
Geography
Start pointBow Locks
End pointLimehouse Basin
Connects to(part of) Lee Navigation
Limehouse Cut
Lee Navigation
Hertford Union Canal
Bow Back Rivers
Old Ford Lock
Regent's Canal
Bow Locks
site of Bromley Stop Lock
 A12  Tunnel N Approach
Bow Back Rivers
Morris Road
Docklands Light Railway
Upper North Street
Limehouse Cut
Regent's Canal
 A1205  Burdett Road
 A13  Limehouse
site of Britannia Stop Lock
Limehouse station
Docklands Light Railway
Limehouse Basin
Limehouse Basin Lock
Limehouse Lock
River Thames

The Limehouse Cut is a largely straight, broad canal in the East End of London which links the lower reaches of the Lee Navigation to the River Thames. Opening on 17 September 1770, and widened for two-way traffic by 1777, it is the oldest canal in the London area. Although short, it has a diverse social and industrial history. Formerly discharging directly into the Thames, since 1968 it has done so indirectly by a connection through Limehouse Basin.

The Cut is about 1.4 miles (2.2 km) long.[1] It turns in a broad curve from Bow Locks, where the Lee Navigation meets Bow Creek; it then proceeds directly south-west through the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, finally making a short hook to connect to Limehouse Basin.

  1. ^ Edwards 1972, p. 134