28/05/2026
Foxton Locks – A Little Slice of Canal History
Foxton Locks is one of the most impressive pieces of canal engineering in the country. It features the longest flight of locks in the UK — a staircase of 10 locks lifting boats 75ft up the hillside on the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line.
Built between 1810 and 1814, the locks played a key role in moving goods between the Midlands and London. Beside the flight once stood the remarkable Inclined Plane Boat Lift, a Victorian engineering marvel that could move boats up the hill in just a few minutes. Although it only operated for a short time, parts of it remain today along with a museum that tells its story.
Foxton Locks is now a brilliant place for watching boats work through the flight, enjoying canal side walks, spotting wildlife, and exploring a unique part of Britain’s industrial heritage.
