Please note: Most of the canal passes through private land with no public right of access. We work hard to develop good relationships with landowners and tenants so please respect owners' rights and keep to public and permissive footpaths and do not trespass. Thank you.
Uffington
Arch Bridge (SU313897)
Completely
infilled.
Uffington
Gorse
Owned
by Woodland Trust and open to the public.
Uffington
Loop and Rosay Brook Aqueduct (SU310903)
This
very attractive section is still in good condition. Mundy's lift bridge and the aqueduct still remain. Good public
right of way from the village and along the canal.
Longcot
Bottom Lock (SU274893)
Some
remains of Longcot Bottom Lock can still be seen.
Longcot
Top Lock
Totally
buried, so the condition of this lock is completely unknown.
Longcot
Section
This
section is clear and in water. Some
restoration work has taken place here, but further work needs to be
carried out in the future. A
very attractive area with some public access.
Great
Western Community Forest
The
Community Forest project extends to Longcot and incorporates the restored
canal.
Tuckmill
Aqueduct and Spill Weir (SU249885)
There
is still a wide stream here, but the aqueduct
no longer exists. Scrub
clearing and general renovation work has taken place along the stretch
towards Stainswick Lane. It is an easy and pleasant walk. Plans for a new
culvert to replace the aqueduct are at an advanced stage. Drawings are
complete and have been approved in principle by the Environment Agency.
Immediately to the west of the aqueduct on the north side of the canal is the
remains of what is believed to be a spill weir. I stumbled across the remains a
couple of years ago and at first was repeatedly told that there was nothing
there! Eventually I persuaded some of the Work Party to have a look and we then
investigated further. There is a considerable amount of brickwork in situ,
albeit disturbed by tree roots, making up the bed of the weir leading towards
Tuckmill Brook. There are also a couple of dislodged coping stones, presumeably
from either side of weir. At present we have done nothing more than have a brief
look and until we can do a proper job the remains are best left as they are. I
hope to put some pictures up here in the near future.
Savernake Brake
Private. No public access.
Canalside
Park (SU243883)
The
canalside park is well on its way to completion. Saplings have been
planted; ditches and ponds cleared;
paths laid. The slipway has been
constructed and the car park is ready for use. In
2000 a newpath was laid between the CanalsideI Park and the public
footpath north of the cemetery.
Stainswick
Lane Lift Bridge
Adjacent
to the Canalside Park. Backing
in the form of a promise of a grant has been received from the District
Council for the design and planning stages of a new liftbridge to be
installed.
Stainswick
Lane
Our
very first restoration site. To the west the canal is in water to within
100 yards of the Shrivenham Arch Bridge. A retaining wall will have to be
constructed in this area before final dredging can take place. The towpath
is stone layered and an easy walk.
Shrivenham
Wharf
Shrivenham
Wharf was not only used for the transfer of cargoes but also contained
stables with fresh horses to pull the narrow boats. The largest of which
were seventy feet long, seven feet wide and carried up to thirty-four
tons. The stone wall by the road is the old back wall of the stable. The
towpath changed sides over the Arch Bridge so that it could pass the
Longcot Branch, which went to the north, without the need for a further
bridge. It
then crossed back at Longcot Top Lock to pass the Wantage Branch on the
south side.
Shrivenham
Arch Bridge (SU237879)
This
bridge on the B4000 (Station Road) is the only original arch bridge still in daily use.
It is also a Grade II listed building. 1978 saw the very first Amenity Group work party clearing rubbish
and debris from beneath the arch. Click here
for a picture of the bridge from the west.
Steppingstone
Lane Bridge (SU234880)
A
new bridge is required here. This is our first major structural restoration.
The preparatory work here began in 1999 - drawings submitted to local authority and
planning permission received. Click here
for progress reports.
Shrivenham
Arch
Bridge to Bourton Wharf section
This
section was heavily and irregularly silted up. Initial dredging work done
in 1995 was to enable this section to be drained so that Steppingstone
Bridge could be rebuilt. Currently
the section is in water held back by a dam near Bourton
Wharf. Further
dredging is to be done and the towpath stoned between the bridges.
Bourton
Wharf
A
dam has been built near here to control the water level in the restored
section. The Wharfinger's cottage
still exists. The canal is now crossed twice by roads. Unfortunately the
new culverts are much to small for navigation so the canal will need to be
realigned and a new bridge built. Click here
for more information about Bourton Wharf.
Acorn
Railway Bridge (SU218874)
The
canal once passed beneath the left-hand arch but now this stretch is part of
the A420. Major
re-routing will be needed here.
River
Cole Aqueduct (SU215873)
The
aqueduct no longer exists so major structural building work needs to be
carried out in this area.
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