Mutford lock divided the original Lake Lothing into two great bodies of water, freshwater (now known as Oulton Broad) and Saltside (Lake Lothing). Saltside was a capacious harbour and much frequented port, till the beginning of the fourteenth century when the charter of Edward III having included it within the jurisdiction of Yarmouth it was neglected and gradually silted up at its mouth. This forced much of the east coasts shipping trade to go via Yarmouth and soon the cartels where prospering from exclusive access to and from the city of Norwich.

However a group of entrepreneurs formed the Lowestoft and Norwich Navigation Company to build a direct link to Norwich by cutting out Oulton Dyke. This formed a direct route to Norwich saving vessels much travelling time via Yarmouth and avoiding the powerful cartels, which had a monopoly on Norwich’s trade.

After a considerable struggle the Great Yarmouth Cartels had Mutford lock built after claiming that without the flow of the Waveney, Yare and Bure with all their tributaries, Great Yarmouth would silt up. This effectively stopped the direct link to Norwich from Lowestoft and forced the Navigation Company that built the dyke to go bust.

It was Sir Morton Peto who bought out the company with other ideas…. the introduction of railways.

Mutford Lock in the 1830’s

This etching (opposite) by Norwich artist James Stark shows the newly built Mutford lock from Saltside. The ships are waiting on the freshwater side, where today the Wherry Hotel stands. The lock was 23 feet wide and the chamber of water from gate to gate was 90 feet long, so as to be able to accommodate sea borne vessels. It was crossed by a swing bridge 15 feet in width and was furnished with double gates at each end to regulate the height of the waters in Oulton Broad (freshwater side), and kept them above those of the harbour of Lothing, whenever the latter are reduced to low a level by the influence of the neap tides. The houses to the right of the etching can be seen still standing nearly 70 years later in one of the first ever photographs of Oulton Broad (see below). This building is in fact the original Wherry Hotel before today’s Victorian masterpiece was rebuilt.

The etching clearly shows the bridge able to carry horse drawn traffic. Another sixty years would pass before the invention of the internal combustion engine and hence the horseless carriage…the car.

Photography comes to Oulton Broad

Along with the wait for the car, we also see the wait for photography to come to Oulton |Broad. This photograph was taken around the 1900’s, and shows much the same seen from the Saltside of the Mutford lock as Stark’s etching. There is a conical kiln visible on the shore near the boat sheds. Harrison’s Mill (otherwise known as the Oulton Mill) can be seen towards the right of the picture. The white building of the original Wherry Hotel still exists in the left of the picture. This is the same building as that drawn by James Stark some 70 years earlier before photography existed.

The Island of Lothingland

Authentic records of East Anglia prior to the 1066 Norman Conquest are very limited and imperfect. Saxon chronicles state that in the year 1047 two Danish leaders Lothern and Irling made their appearance on the eastern coast with 25 ships. They plundered Sandwich and invaded Essex after which we lose their trail. It is believed from these chieftains the Lothingland name gains its origins. In turn the estuary before you was named Lake Lothing. Oulton Broad didn’t exist for nearly another 800 years.

Lake Lothing was a capacious harbour and much used port used by the Saxons, Romans and the Icenian tribes before them. Indeed this crossing point was used as none existed where the Lowestoft seafront is today.

Joseph Hodskinson’s famous map of Suffolk is dated 1783 and we can see the extent of Lake Lothing

The Domesday Book, (1085-6) Compiled for the Norman King William I to show what was in this land he'd conquered stated Lowestoft as a small agricultural village of 20 families. That makes a population of about 100 people. Rent, paid to landowner Hugh de Montford in herrings, show locals were using fishing to supplement farming.

Lake Lothing

This is an etching from James Stark’s book of fine engravings of Norfolk river scenery, with text from J.W. Robberds produced in 1840. Stark was to achieve fame as a leading light from the Norwich art circle. It should be remembered that these etchings where originally no larger than 10cm by 15cm and took between 5 – 6 months to complete each one. This is one of the earliest drawings ever of Lake Lothing.

This image (below) shows sea-going vessels moored in Lake Lothing, and was clearly drawn before the Harbour was built. The view looks eastward towards the sea and a small amount of development around the harbour with two windmills south of the harbour. The mill closest to the harbour stood in what is now Mill Road and was owned by the Cleveland family.

Lowestoft Beach

This etching shows Lowestoft Beach in the early 19th Century. Pakefield church overlooking the Pakefield flats on top of the Kirkley cliffs in the background. We are told that the sea bottom drops away so sharply that it allowed boats to be built on the beach, which could be launched with some ease. The Herring industry experienced a real boom during the 19th century especially with the introduction of the railway to Lowestoft.

Ann Boleyn and the 7 bridges of Oulton Broad

Oulton Broads has had many bridges built at the historic crossing from mainland Suffolk to the island of Lothingland. But long before bridges or causeways provided a more comfortable crossing this was the site of Mud-ford, hence the name Mutford which it still bears.

Roman legionnaires may have used this ford on their way from the fortress at Burgh Castle, indeed 19th century investigations turned up signs of a ford thought to be of roman origin in the North bay of Oulton Dyke where it joins the river opposite to Whetaker Burgh,at the entrance to the broad where the creek is narrow and winding.

Anne Boleyn, the ill-fated wife of Henry VIII, is said to have crossed here on her way to Blickling hall. On one such journey she got her feet wet at the notorious mud-ford and, it is claimed that she ordered a tax to be raised to improve it. She may not have been the first to complain about the crossing, but was certainly the most illustrious!

Whether her complaint, or the imposition of a new tax, improved matters is not known.

The first hard evidence of work of a first crossing at the mud ford comes in 1659 when a local philanthropist Katherine Mayde, paid for an embankment to be constructed so that travellers could cross dry shod.

A year later it was swept away by seas which burst over the narrow isthmus at Lowestoft. Further attempts at a permanent causeway similarly failed and finally after another a slender imperfect wooden bridge was built this second bridge was swept away on the 14th December 1717 during a violent storm, the tide rushed in and swept away the causeway which divided the two lakes.

It was not until 1760 that the passage was restored again the third bridge (see left) being built of brick with a spacious arch. This etching by Norwich artist James Stark shows the opening day of 1760. We can clearly see the Wherries are moored up at the free quay awaiting to pass under the bridge. The tall ships had to wait for the tide to pass under into the Lake Lothing and what is now known as Saltside.

After 67 years service this bridge was demolished in 1826 and was followed by the building of Mutford Lock and a new forth bridge on the 4th September 1827 during the creation of Lowestoft Harbour.

In 1894 yet another new fifth bridge was built Pictures of the time show very little in the way of traffic jams in those days, but demand soon became too great for the single carriage way and a new sixth swing bridge was opened in 1939.

So now Oulton broad has its seventh bridge built in August 1992. It may not be the 8th wonder of the world, but has been warmly welcomed by those who use the traffic jammed roads in this popular broads holiday resort.