 Woolhampton Lock lies on the stretch of the canal that was originally built between 1718 and 1723, under the supervision of the engineer John Hore of Newbury, as the "Kennet Navigation".This navigation is an improved river navigation rather than a true canal, and consists of sections of the natural riverbed of the River Kennet alternating with artificially created lock cuts and locks.Woolhampton Lock is at the downstream end of an artificial lock cut, and the river and lock cut rejoin at the foot of the lock.