For hundreds of years the River Lea or Lee has been a major means of transporting commodities up and down the valley. However, fisheries and mills for grinding corn or in more highly industrialised areas for tilt-hammers and for operating the bellows of a blast furnaces artificial cuts were made to bring water to a wheel so that a constant supply was maintained. Weirs were also constructed across the river to hold back the water which started to cause a problem as there was now insufficient water to float barges.
Therefore, to maintain the unrestricted movement of river traffic in 1190 navigation improvements were started. This was the start of the river Lea navigation system that we see today which runs from rural Hertfordshire into the heart of London with a series of many locks and a picturesque and unbroken walking and a cycling route that runs the entire length of the river.
