Medway navigation legislation

Manuscript transcript of an Act of Parliament (16 and 17 Charles II, c.11) for making the river Medway navigable in the Counties of Kent and Sussex, copied in c1740.

The River Medway is Kent's premier river, rising in the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex and flowing roughly in a north easterly direction for some 70 miles through Kent to its mouth in the Thames estuary at Sheerness. It is tidal up to the lock at Allington, near Maidstone, and is navigable as far as Tonbridge. The first Act Of Parliament enabling a navigation on the Medway was in 1664 and the last was in 1884, the purpose of the Navigation being to facilitate trade.

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Enclosed, as item 1, in a Goldsmiths' Library volume lettered 'Canal Acts, Bills & Surveys 1740 to 1774', (containing G.L. Cat. 10478, 10801, 10923, 11054, 13658, together with MS 489), which came from the library of John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield.

Collection level description.

12½" x 7¾"

Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

University of London MS 489 is bound in the same volume.