Skip to content
  • home
  • map
  • search
Capturing Cambridge
  • search
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • Home
  • /
  • Projects
  • /
  • Chesterton
  • Back Forward
Sepia postcard view of a lattice-style metal footbridge over a canal lock in Cambridge with a large tree in the foreground.

The Foot Bridge, Jesus Lock

Jesus Lock / The Foot Bridge

History of Jesus Lock

Sluice crossing that predated the lock, 1814 (GPJ)

The lock was built in 1836.

People stand on a lattice-truss footbridge over a river near a low brick building with a bridge and chimney at Jesus Lock.

Jesus Lock 1879

Jesus Lock

A newspaper clipping showing a wooden footbridge over Jesus Green locks with a small building in the background.

Old bridge at Jesus Green Locks (MoC)

Jesus Green footbridge ?1870s

The picture above shows the August 1879 flood.  Water reached to within fifty yards of Maids’ Causeway. More than three inches of rain fell in six hours and the river rose eight feet in two or three hours. The low level footbridge and the high-back bridge over the lock were erected in 1863. The lock-keeper’s residence was a single storey building.

A wooden footbridge crosses a weir and lock with a small brick cottage set in an open field against a backdrop of trees.

Jesus Lock and the Footbridge

Conservators of the River Cam, 1887, about to set off on inspection (J Palmer Clarke)

A new bridge was built in 1892 which was presumably the one still used at the beginning of the 21st century.

Seven people stand in shallow water beside Jesus Lock, with a two-storey keeper's house and arched footbridge in background.

Jesus Lock in 1890 when the keeper’s house had been enlarged to two storeys

Jesus Green Lock, Cambridge 1890.

Licensed Victuallers Association’s outing on the steamboat Otter.

A steam launch with smoke rising from a funnel travels on a river with men in suits and caps on deck and houses in background.

Steam launch, Jesus Lock 1894 (Cambridgeshire Collection)

A wooden footbridge arches over a lock on the River Cam, next to a brick building with a central chimney and tall trees.

Jesus Lock c.1905

Information about Jesus Lock can be found here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Lock

K6 telephone kiosks are listed buildings

The bridge shown in the cartoon below appears to be the same and the second version of the bridge still used in the 21st century.

Black-and-white ink drawing showing men in academic gowns and caps interacting with uniformed police on a bridge.

Cambridge Undergraduates celebrating 5th November Storming the Bridge

Jesus Lock bridge, Cambridge

Jesus Lock bridge

A black-and-white view of Jesus Locks, showing water flowing over a weir beneath a long metal footbridge with lattice railings.

Jesus Locks c. 1928 (Cambridgeshire Collection)

A tree-lined road in Cambridge with a horse-drawn carriage and scattered pedestrians along the sidewalks in 1926.

Chesterton Road near Jesus Locks in 1926 (Cambs Collection)

A metal lattice footbridge crosses the River Cam over Jesus Lock, with a small building standing amongst trees in the background.

Jesus lock from Chesterton Road 1971 (MoC119.7)

A large group of men in suits and top hats posing on the roof of a river barge near a bridge with buildings in the background.

Jesus Green Lock, Lion Hotel staff outing C.1895 (MoC187.83)

Jesus Lock

Jesus Lock and footbridge c.1892

Tags

  • Listed building

Projects

  • Chesterton

Share this article

Share onFacebook Share onBluesky

Contribute

Do you have any information about the people or places in this article? If so, then please let us know using the Contact page or by emailing capturingcambridge@museumofcambridge.org.uk.

Licence

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 not including content on external links as indicated byexternal link.

Chesterton

22 Mill Street, Blue Ball, Gamlingay

38 High Street, Willingham

Lower farmhouse, Long Lane, Fowlmere

20 Green’s Road

199 Victoria Road, Cambridge

44 Searle Street

14 Victoria Road, Cambridge

2 Hurst Park Avenue

20 Albert Street, Chesterton

39 Herbert Street

3 Orchard Avenue

62, Barton Cottage, Hertford Street

1 Victoria Road, Cambridge