Marlow is probably best known for
its regatta, and the riverside landmark, the Compleat Angler. It is
now a five-star hotel, but in the 16th century it was a small inn
popular with fishermen. The name is also the title of the famous
book on fly fishing, written by Izaak Newton in 1653.
The hotel marks the finishing point for the famous Marlow
Regatta, said to be the most popular one-day regatta in the
country, held annually since 1866.
A mill probably existed by Marlow Lock before the Norman
Conquest. The last mill on the site was pulled down in 1965 to make
room for the inevitable town houses that now grace the site.
The ancient flash lock was said to be highly dangerous for
navigation, involving a sharp turn under the bridge and many
accidents, some fatal, have been documented over the years.
Marlow Lock was built as a timber pound lock in 1773 and
reconstructed in stone in 1825. In that same year, a new lock was
built alongside the old one which was filled in. A private house
now sits on the site of the original lock. The new lock was rebuilt
by the Thames Conservancy in 1927 and it is this lock we see here
today.
The lock is a favourite spot for many types of wildlife. There
is a pair of nesting swans by the lock gates, while the local area
is visited regularly by kingfishers, red kites and owls.