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River Derwent – Yorkshire

The River Derwent in Yorkshire is currently navigable from Sutton (also known as Elvington) Lock to Barmby Barrage at Barmby-on-the-Marsh at its junction with the Yorkshire Ouse.

Things to do nearby

Facts & Stats

15.5 miles

(24.9km)

The current length of the Yorkshire Derwent that is navigable.

38 miles

(61.2km)

The length that was once navigable

5 locks

The number of locks that were once in operation on the Navigation

From the Yorkshire Ouse to Malton

The Derwent was first made navigable under powers granted by an Act 0f 1701.  Though popular for boat, navigation rights above Sutton (also known as Elvington) Lock were revoked in 1935 by London and North-Eastern Railway, which controlled the Navigation, along with the Pocklington Canal and part of the Yorkshire Ouse.  There were originally five locks, at Sutton, Stamford Bridge, Buttercrambe, Howsham and Kirkby Abbey, with the navigation reaching Malton 38 miles (61.2 km) later.  The Navigation was originally tidal up to Sutton Lock, but in the early 1970s a barrage was constructed at Barmby-on-the-Marsh, by the junction with the Ouse to prevent tidal water from the Ouse going up the Derwent.  This was to protect water supplies abstracted at Loftsome Bridge water treatment works by Yorkshire Water.  The water company originally controlled the barrage, but it was passed to the Environment Agency’s predecessors at privatisation.  Navigation through the Barrage is via a lock with radial gates, and is now the only functioning lock on the Navigation.

[The photo shows Sutton (Elvington) Lock, now out of use – by Adrian Kosta]

 

The rise and fall of restoration works

By the late 1960s, navigation was still possible to Stamford Bridge, and there was even some boating activity in sections of the river up to Malton, and proposals to restore the whole navigation were launched.  The Yorkshire Derwent Trust Ltd was formed in September 1970, with IWA founder Robert Aickman amongst its leading proponents.  Initially, Yorkshire Water was very supportive and some structural works commenced with support from WRG.  However, some local landowners, focussed through Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, opposed restoration works, and riparian interests wished to keep the river for private use.  Eventually, the matter went to court, with Yorkshire Derwent Trust and IWA, backed by Malton Town Council asserting that there remained a common law right of navigation, and that a right of way over land covered by water had not been extinguished.  The matter went to appeal (navigation interests victorious) and then to the House of Lords, where the right of way over land covered by water was ruled not to exist.  By that time, with costs being awarded against them, navigation interests had run out of funds and the common law right of navigation was not proven either way.  Land and structures owned by Yorkshire Derwent Trust, including the lower gates of Sutton Lock passed to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust as part of the costs settlement.  Sutton Lock remained in use, but when the gates failed in February 2014, negotiations with the Environment Agency and the Wildlife Trust to replace the gates and manage the lock site commenced, but fizzled out in 2018.  Yorkshire Derwent Trust still exists and has sufficient funds to cover the cost of gate replacements at Sutton Lock.

[The photo shows a boat having reached Stamford Lock in April 2002 – by John Revell]

Waterway notes

Maximum boat sizes

  • Length: 60′ 0″ (18.3 metres) – Barmby Barrage
  • Beam: 14′ 9″ (4.5 metres) – Barmby Barrage
  • Height: 10′ 6″ (3.2 metres) – Bridges above Barmby-in-the-Marsh
  • 4′ 0″ (1.2 metres) – depth of the river can vary

Navigation authority

There is no navigation authority for the river, but the Environment Agency control Barmby Barrage

Tel: 01757 638579  VHF channel 74

Passage is available at any time, but skippers are advised to book lock operations 24 hours in advance of arrival wherever possible.

Branch

IWA East Yorkshire Branch

Waterway underfunding

Hundreds of miles of waterways – along with their unique heritage and habitats – are currently starved of funding and rely on constant lobbying by us to safeguard their future.

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