Apsley Marina, also referred to as Apsley Lock Marina, is a basin used for mooring narrowboats on the east side of the Grand Union Canal at Apsley, Hertfordshire, England.
| Apsley Marina | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Apsley Marina | |
  Apsley Marina Location within Hertfordshire | |
| OS grid reference | TL0505 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HEMEL HEMPSTEAD |
| Postcode district | HP3 |
| Dialling code | 01442 |
| Police | Hertfordshire |
| Fire | Hertfordshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
History
editThis former greenfield site is on the east side of the Grand Union Canal,[1][2] immediately opposite to the former location of Apsley Mill.[3] This was a flour mill on the west side of the canal, which was converted into a paper making factory in 1778, and then acquired by the papermaking inventor, John Dickinson, in 1809.[4][5] Following a change in ownership, Apsley Mill ceased the manufacture of stationery in 1999.[6]
The site was acquired by Fairview Homes in the late 1990s, as part of a project to redevelop both sides of the canal for housing.[7] After much of the housing had been built and sold to householders, British Waterways took over ownership and management of the remaining land on the east side of the canal in November 2002.[8] Following the completion of extensive excavation, earth-moving and civil engineering activities, the new marina opened to boats in 2003.[9][10] A new public house named "The Paper Mill" was erected on the west side of the canal,[11][12][13] and a footbridge, designed by Mark Lovell Design Engineers, was installed to connect the public house, on the west side of the canal, to the marina on the east side of the canal.[14]
Operations
editThe marina has 44 leisure berths for short-term customers and 20 residential berths for long-term customers.[15] It is operated by Aquavista,[16] formerly British Waterways Marinas Limited (BWML).[17] Boat access to the Grand Union Canal is on the southwest side of the marina, through a lift bridge:[18] a residential street, known as Dickinson Quay, runs along the other three sides of the marina.[19]
References
edit- ^ "EPW015685 England (1926). The Apsley Paper Mills and the Grand Union Canal, Apsley, 1926". Britain from Above. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Ordnance Survey Map". 1913. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "The Grand Junction Canal: A Highway Laid With Water". Tring Local History and Museum Society. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Apsley Mill". Frogmore Paper Mill. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Hassell, John (1819). Tour of the Grand Junction.
- ^ "Timeline". Apsley Paper Trail. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Ovaltine factory, Kings Langley". Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Annual Report and Accounts. British Waterways. 2001.
In November 2002, we took over ownership of Apsley Marina, a new 65 - berth mooring basin, from Fairview Homes
- ^ Davis, Eve (2011). Hemel Hempstead Through Time. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1848686069.
- ^ "Apsley Marina (BWML)". Marina Insurance. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Good Beer Guide. The Campaign for Real Ale. 2012. ISBN 978-1852493073.
- ^ Cooper, John (2015). Hertfordshire's Historic Inland Waterway Batchworth to Berkhamsted. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1445652986.
- ^ "The Paper Mill, Apsley". Fuller's Pubs. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Apsley Mill Bridge". Mark Lovell Design Engineers. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Apsley Waterside Marina". Aquavista. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "BWML becomes Aquavista". Harbour Assist. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Jones, Tony (2019). The Liveaboard Guide Living Afloat on the Inland Waterways. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1472963680.
- ^ "Apsley" (PDF). Canbal and River Trust. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Dickinson Quay". Street List. Retrieved 11 November 2023.