Picketts Lock
| Pickett's Lock | |
|---|---|
 Pickett's Lock
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| Pickett's Lock shown within Greater London | |
| OS grid reference | TQ362937 |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | N9 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
Pickett's Lock or Picketts Lock is an area of Edmonton, in the London Borough of Enfield. It is bordered by River Lee Navigation to the east, Pickett's Lock Lane to the south, Meridian Way A1055 to the west and the Ponders End industrial area to the north. The area takes its name from Pickett's Lock, a lock on the nearby River Lee Navigation.
Historically the land was marshland and the hamlet here was known as Marshside. During the twentieth century the land was used for sand and gravel extraction which helped to form the waters known as the Blue Lakes.
The area was used by local people for outdoor pursuits such as shooting,angling, and ferreting, and is described in Terry Webb's book An Edmonton Boy: "My playground, the River Lea has now been changed into part of the Lee Valley Regional Park; it's been changed into an official playground but it's not the same with things being done for you."
After World War II the lakes were used for landfill. The former gravel workings were a key site for investigation of interglacial deposits.
During the late 1960s the area was acquired by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) to form part of the Lee Valley Park. The Pickett's Lock Sports Centre designed by the Williamson Partnership with J.V.M Bishop of the (LVRPA) It was described in the Buildings of England as being "three large white functional boxes arranged around a central swimming pool, linked by generous circulation areas. Made a little less bleak by additions of 1993-4: restaurant, cafe and cinema, and an entrance block by Fitzroy Robinson & Partners". Also included were a nine-hole golf course and outdoor sports facilities and was completed by 1973 as the largest centre of its kind in Europe. One of the earliest International Events held at the centre was the first World Age Group Trampoline Championships which were organised by Ted Blake. In later years, land including a disused sewage farm to the north of the centre was used to extend the golf course, and includes a man-made water known as Ponders End lake 51°38′07″N 0°02′00″W / 51.6352°N 0.0333°W.
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Wikipedia