Medway Navigation Company's work at Wateringbury (1741-48)

Post date: Apr 25, 2014 4:40:50 PM

Held at Medway Archives, reference S/MN/FL/FL/01 are the account books of Medway Navigation Company (MNC) which show on

Page 105

"Foord at Watringbury Bow"

21 payments made totalling £33 5s. 8d between July 1741 and June 1744, covering payments for timber, drink for workmen, sundry, spikes and nails, stones, sundry iron, carrying stones, hewing posts, carpenter’s work.

Includes payment of £2 to Mr. Francis Austen “for taking off an indictment”.

Other recipients recorded are Thomas Miles (stones-£1- 15s), John Fowle (stones-£2 -14s and 9s for carrying stones), Wm. Cheesman (3 days work-7s.), John Beard (carrying stones- 8s), Wm. Cronk (hewing posts- 7s 6d.), Geo. Summertun (sundry iron- £1 15s 8d), James Norris (carpentry work- £2 8s), Thos. Andrews (carrying stones- £1 4s).

and on Page 252

"Bridge at Wateringbury Bow"

45 payments totalling £207 18s 11d between April 1747 and June 1748, covering payments for stones, labourers, sawing, iron smiths, timber.

One interpretation would be that a ford was constructed/repaired by MNC at Wateringbury in 1741/4 as they worked on making the river navigable followed by a new bridge in 1747/8. But evidence of an earlier bridge exists -see Wateringbury Bridge (1702) and how a ford was compatible with a navigable river is not clear.