River Ouse (Sussex)

The Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust has changed its focus slightly to concentrate more on preservation of the navigation’s structures so they are not lost to future generations. Restoration will always be in the trust’s minds but its original objective to reopen the whole navigation is not now possible due to the loss of some weirs, installation of sluices and many current attitudes towards ‘renaturalisation’ of the waterway.

Isfield Lock and its immediate surroundings are looking smart and tidy and will be kept this way by the trust. Uncovering Henfield Wood Lock from a mass of scrub and fallen timber has been making good progress so the trust can see what might be needed to preserve the lock’s structure and perhaps even restore it.

Development work on information boards continues and recently the trust achieved full charitable status by having its application accepted by the Charity Commission.

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