The purpose of these two hand cranked steel gates was to hold back the waters of the Forth and Clyde Canal to prevent serious flooding in Glasgow in the event of bombing destroying the Stockingfield Aqueduct.

At the end of the nineteenth century a ferry operated here for the convenience of pedestrians wishing to cross over to the other towpath to Bowling or to Port Dundas.

[4] A permanent, three-way footbridge suspended from the outstretched arms of a 'Big Man' designed by sculptor Andy Scott was proposed for installation at Stockingfield Junction in the 2000s before being shelved then revived in mid-2010s,[10][11] but did not proceed due to economic circumstances.

A cheaper, less ambitious crossing on the site, named simply Stockingfield Bridge, was completed in 2022 to connect the communities of Ruchill, Gilshochill and central Maryhill and improve the canal path network.

Two locks and 2 miles 6+1⁄2 furlongs (4.5 kilometres) south is the Port Dundas Basin, which was also the terminus of the Monkland Canal.