The National Trust's sign
The Wey navigations begin their story when wealthy landowner Sir Richard Weston of Sutton Place began to think of ways to improve agricultural and land management. Apparently (but see the notes later on) Weston had seen methods in use in Holland during his younger years and he decided to implement some measures on his own lands in Western Surrey. The work began in 1618, and the scheme included an experimental lock at Stoke. Clearly this was one of the earliest pound locks in England, though not the very first, and not the first on the Wey (there is evidence that a lock was built at New Haw at least a century before as part of a much earlier scheme to connect the Wey and the Thames.)
Water was ushered down channels into Weston's fields, maintaining moisture and also keeping ground tempertatures from freezing in the winter months. Stoke lock was simply at best a water control structure, however it is possible that Weston floated his produce to Guildford on perhaps rudimentary vessels which might have used this lock
The explanation for the length of time between the intital works and the grander scheme was the onset of the English Civil War. During those years the water management scheme remained was in use, and recent evidence shows that Weston's scheme was still in use 150 years AFTER the Wey Navigation had been completed. There are occasional traces of these channels around the Stoke area.
Weston met considerable opposition as well to his ideas of a navigation and it was only when attitudes began to soften that he gained royal backing from King Charles 1st. The history of Charles 1st as is well known is that he lost control of the country. His regal powers were forcibly handed over to Oliver Cromwell. This set back Weston's plans even more, and he fled the country in fear of persecution from Cromwell's puritians. This event enabled Weston to learn about drainage schemes and agricultural husbandry in Flanders and Brabant.
It wasnt until after the civil war that Weston returned to England and his plans were finally given the parlimentary go-ahead in June 1651. Unfortunately West died in 1652, before the navigation was completed. Perhaps this was somewhat fortunate as the costs for building the navigation totally bankrupted the Weston estate and his son George Weston was put in jail for bankruptcy
The present Stoke lock was a new build of the 1653 scheme which was designed to provide a route to the Thames and London. It was on a new site and was not related to the old Stoke lock of 1618. The claims that the younger Richard Weston travelled the low countries almost certainly never happened. Several noted scholars have pointed out the lack of credible evidence to support this and suggest that the earliest he did go to Europe was in the late 1640's
The actual building of the navigation was not a straightforward affair and the 1651 act was revoked as it was drawn up under the pretended parliament of Oliver Cromwell. Legal battles ensued and the navigation proprietors were forced to establish a new act in 1671 by which the Wey Navigation's legal status was finally established and recognised as having been established by a proper act of parliament
The prospectus for the Wey Navigation's 1671 act. Used with acknowledgement from Surrey History Centre, Woking.
After 1671, The Wey Navigation (and the later Godalming Navigation) were managed by various trustees. They eventually passed to the Stevens family of Guildford, and Harry Stevens bequeathed the navigations to the National Trust in 1964. The Wey navigations office was sited near the Town Wharf in Guildford, and many who visited the navigation offices say that the building was like something out of a Charles Dickens novel! Sadly this (and other buildings in the same street) were demolished to make way for the new road that runs between the town centre and river
A bit of history: William Stevens & Sons' barge 'Hope' en route to Guildford. Thames Lock 1950. Note the pairs of horses. The hefty tiller had a purpose - it could be lifted up to enable the rudder to be folded back out of the way. It was an ingenious way of enabling larger sized barges to be used on the navigations (Photo copyright of National Trust)