Schutsluis, West Havendijk bij 63

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction

Outside the core of Dirksland, situated between the Westhavendijk and Oosthavendijk, a substantial LOCK AND DRAINAGE SLUICE with a swing bridge and lanterns, called "Dirkslandse Sas", originally built to improve drainage towards the Haringvliet and to provide vessel access to the harbour of Dirksland. The double-acting lock dates originally from 1790-1791 and was designed and built by Teunis Blanken Jansz. Over the centuries the lock has been repaired and improved; thus in 1886-87 the coping stones on the walls were renewed in hardstone and in 1888 and 1912 the flood gates were renewed. The lock originally functioned as the main water barrier, now only as a secondary water barrier.

Description

Masonry lock and drainage sluice of a total length of 37.80 metres situated between the inner and outer harbour of Dirksland, consisting of two lock heads each originally with two sets of wooden mitre gates. Between the lock heads a lock chamber. The walls of the lock heads are terminated with front walls perpendicular to the lock axis. The inner and outer head walls curve slightly in the direction of the inner and outer front walls. Strike timbers, strike and yoke sills, floor covering and coping stones of the lock are of hardstone. The higher built northern outer head is situated in the dike that formerly functioned as a fixed water barrier, and has flood gates which according to the dating were renewed in 1912. The ebb gates have disappeared. On the east and west side of the lock run stairs with masonry steps and simple railings, at the location of the inner dike slope. On the north side the outer lock head is closed off by front walls perpendicular to the lock axis in which are two large natural stone commemorative reliefs decorated with coats of arms. Inner lock head with ebb gates; the flood gates have disappeared. On the lock chamber walls are situated the operating mechanisms of the gates consisting of a set of four gear boxes with push rods. In the western lock wall two vaulted sluice outlets each closable with a wooden sluice, with operating mechanisms on the coping stones. In the quay walls also pumping sumps. Over the lock chamber spans a narrow iron, unequal-arm foot swing bridge with wooden bridge deck and the pivot point on the western lock wall, provided with simple iron railings, a passage arch and wrought ironwork, on the south side with decorated balusters. At both lock heads stands on the west side a cast iron lantern. To the northern outer front walls two wooden palisades are connected, longer on the east side than on the west side, above which the slopes of the banks of the outer harbour are provided with basalt stone sloping.

Valuation

The lock "Dirkslandse Sas" dating from 1790-1791 is of general importance because of its cultural-historical, typological and architectural-historical values as a typical example of a lock and drainage sluice with masonry lock heads and lock chamber with hardstone components, and with later swing bridge and lantern lighting. The lock is of importance because of its characteristic design for the time of origin and because of its water management significance, and has landscape value because of its striking location and the functional-spatial relationship with the surrounding landscape. The lock has meanwhile acquired rarity value.