MONEYPENNY'S LOCKHOUSE
by Newry Canal

Capture the life of a lock keeper and the lightermen who operated the locks on the canal with a visit to a restored lockhouse, bothy and stables along the Newry Canal. Here, visitors can see the bothy where the lightermen would have lived and find out about the history of the canal and the wildlife in the locality.

The Newry Canal
The Newry Canal was the first major inland canal in the British Isles. It opened for traffic in March 1742. Eighteen miles in length, it extended through a series of locks from Newry to Whitecote Point, 2km south of Portadown. The last lock before the canal joins the River Bann is known as Moneypenny's Lock.

The Moneypenny's were lock keepers for 85 years and operated the lock gates. They also took note of the barges, which passed through the lock carrying a great variety of cargoes including linen cloth, farm produce, coal, grain and flax seed. However, with the growth of the railway network, the use of the Newry Canal began to decline and the last known commercial journey through lock was in 1936.

Moneypenney's is 4km from Portadown town centre via the Ulster Way footpath.

Exhibition area opens Saturdays and Sundays 2.00-5.00pm between April and September. Parties and groups by arrangement by telephoning 028 3832 2205.