River Colne Stockers

River Colne
The Colne flows westwards

Post to the west Stockers Lake
Post to the east Batchworth
Post to the north Rickmansworth
Post to the south Woodcock Hill

Aquadrome.
The Aquadrome is two lakes, Batchworth and Bury, resulting from the extraction of the gravel used for the construction of the Empire Exhibition and the original Wembley Stadium. Gravel extraction ended in the 1920s and the pits filled with water from natural springs. The Aquadrome was set up at the area rapidly grew in the 1920s as part of ‘Metroland’. The Aquadrome Company was a group of London businessmen was set up in 1928 for profit until 1941 when it was requisitioned by the War Department for army use. Rickmansworth Urban District Council bought it in 1960 and it is now managed by Three Rivers District Council and was declared a local nature reserve in 2007
Rickmansworth Sailing Club. This began here in 1930 but moved to Troy Lake in 1959
Boathouse. The Aquadrome included a club-house, and it would be packed with sunbathers, swimmers and teas served on the lawn. There were diving boards and a veranda –very typical of the 1930s. A boathouse remains of the original buildings and this is now used by the school.
The Camping Club of Great Britain had a own tented site, opposite the original boathouse

Batchworth Lake
Aquadrome.  Batchworth Lake is fished and is used by a water-skiing club
Rickmansworth Water Ski Club. This club and the sport began here and at Ruislip Lido in the 1950s.
Nomad Kayak Club. The club dates from 1973

Bury Farm
Gravel extraction started on Bury Farm by farmer Daniel Bone, Rickmansworth Sand and Gravel Co. When the Aquadrome opened teas were served in the barn. This later became a boathouse and has now been replaced by a modern building backing on to the main car park.

Bury Lake
The lake is an old gravel working.
Aquadrome. The lake is used for sailing, windsurfing and canoeing. It is and managed by Three Rivers District Council.  Original jetties were old army pontoons but in 1965 work was carried out to clear the lake, built proper jetties and infill with waste from Cape Asbestos.
Bury Lake Young Mariners.  In 1960 Hertfordshire County Council Education Department set up a schools sailing base at Bury Lake. Public expenditure cuts of 1982 meant that Council support was withdrawn. A group of supporters formed a voluntary organisation to take over and became Bury Lake Young Mariners
CVSS – Colne Valley Special Sailors. Sailing for people with Disabilities. This Club dates from 2001.
Chess Sailing Club. This opened here in 1960 and worked with the local authority and other clubs to build up the facilities around the lakes. In the 1980s membership began to fall and the club was wound up in 1988

Grand Union canal
Mill End Bridge
Stocker's Lock
. Early 19th lock with brick and timber lock gates. Some iron cast 1896 by the London and Lancashire Engineering Co.
Stockers Lock cottage. 19th whitewashed brick
Stockers House- house built by the City of London for their inspector of coal traffic on the Grand Junction Canal. 
Two coal posts outside Stockers House – these were moved to Rickmansworth Historical Society’s care
Stockers Farm Bridge. Accommodation bridge over the Grand Union Canal. This is 19th in brick with a humpback over a single round arch.

Harefield Road
Juniper Hill. This lies between Harefield Road and Batchworth Park Golf Course. It is a wooden nature area and hill, said to be a medieval earthwork

Stockers Farm Road
St.Mary’s Church of England Primary School
Pillbox
. Second World War defence structure near the farm buildings,
Stockers Pumping Station. Built in 1962 by the Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water
Stockers Farm. Farm House. This is probably 17th, rebuilt, cased and extended later. Barn. Timber framed weather boarded barn probably 18th. Granary 17th with a timber frame and steddle stones. Two barns joined by a link building which are probably 18th. They are timber framed and weather boarded.  There is also a 20th brick range with weatherboarding


Sources
British Listed Buildings. Web site
Broadwaters Sailing Club. Web site
Bury Lake Young Mariners. Web site
CVSS. Web site
London Transport. Country walks
Nomad Kayak Club. Web site
Rickmansworth Sailing Club. Web site
Rickmansworth Water Ski Club. Web site
Stevenson. Middlesex
Three Rivers Council. Web site.
Watford Observer. Web site

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