Dutton lock and The CHICA.

Ian Miller
Aug 3
2 min read

Dutton Locks is a historic and scenic spot on the River Weaver in Cheshire, England, known for its engineering heritage and tranquil beauty.

🏞️ What Is Dutton Locks?

Built in 1874 for the Weaver Navigation Company, Dutton Locks consists of two large locks designed to accommodate sea-going vessels.
The locks are Grade II listed for their historical significance, featuring Pelton turbines, semaphore signals, and cast-iron fittings from 19th-century foundries2.
They raise or lower boats by about 2.4 meters (8 feet) and are still operational today.

🚶‍♂️ A Destination for Walkers and Cyclists

Accessible only by footpath, Dutton Locks is a popular stop along the Weaver Way, a 40-mile trail between Audlem and Frodsham.
It’s also part of National Cycle Route 5, making it ideal for quiet exploration and nature photography.

🏡 The Hamlet and Holiday Retreats

Adjacent to the locks is a tiny hamlet of about six residences, including the Lock Keeper’s Cottage, which is available as a holiday rental.
The area offers shepherd’s huts, Victorian cottages, and wood-fired hot tubs, perfect for peaceful retreats in the Cheshire countryside.

🧱 Nearby Landmarks

Dutton Viaduct (Grade II*)
Dutton Horse Bridge and Dutton Sluice (both Grade II)
The wreck of the Chica, a historic vessel abandoned at the site

✍️ Closing Thought

Dutton Locks is more than a waypoint—it’s a place where engineering meets quiet beauty. Whether you're walking, photographing, or simply reflecting, it offers a rare kind of stillness shaped by history and water.

The Chica is one of the most fascinating and quietly tragic stories moored at Dutton Locks.

🚢 The Life and Times of Chica

🛠️ Origins and Early Years

Originally built in 1894 in Surendalen, Norway, the vessel was first named Flora.
She was a wooden sail-powered cargo boat, used to transport salt fish along the Norwegian coast.

⚔️ Wartime Service

During World War II, Flora was commandeered by the German Kriegsmarine and renamed Bjorg Haikus.
After the war, she was returned to her owners and later sold to smugglers who renamed her Lill Tove, after the owner's daughter.

🕵️‍♀️ Smuggling and Fishing

Under the name Lill Tove, she was used for gun-running and cigarette smuggling across the Straits of Gibraltar and the African coast.
By the 1950s, she had become part of the Liverpool Bay fishing fleet, bearing the hull number LL20.

🛳️ Cruise Ship Conversion

In 1981, businessman Tom Barlow bought her and renamed her Chica—a Spanish term of endearment meaning “girl” or “female friend”.
She was converted into a hotel boat, offering three-day cruises along the River Weaver between Runcorn and Northwich.

⚠️ Decline and Abandonment

By the early 1990s, Chica was docked at Weston Point, awaiting a refit.
Structural issues were discovered, including defects from her conversion.
In 1993, while moored at Dutton Locks, she took on water and sank.
Since then, she has remained derelict, slowly decaying between the locks and Dutton Horse Bridge