Info - Just outside the town is a weir, although the naviable limit of the Shannon is at Jamestown Bridge. If you were to continue past the bridge and down the weir, you would come to Drumsna. Both of these picturesque villages were on a loop in the Shannon, which was bypassed by the Jamestown canal in the late eighteenth century.Jamestown is a pleasant mooring spot and is also popular with anglers due to the good fishing and excellent hospitality.

History - This is one of the most historic spots in County Leitrim and was named after King James I of England. A charter was granted by King James I to fortify the town, and a six metre high, two metre thick wall was erected around the town. There was also a castle in the town, but despite all the fortifications the town changed hands many times.

There are still many remnants of the fortifications around the little village, the most obvious of which is the gateway to the town. The top of the archway was removed to allow heavy goods vehicle access, but the town has since been bypassed, and there's hope that the original archway will be replaced.

Our bit - Jamestown lies just to the north of the Albert Lock, and is an ideal stopover if you miss the open times of the lock. There is however limited mooring just before the bridge and you might need to double moor if space is limited. The bridge is the limit of navigation for this section of the Shannon and you have to use the cutting via Albert Lock to proceed further south. The main town lies about a mile down the road leading directly from the mooring (not the one going over the bridge). The town is not particular well signed so make sure you pick the right road.