West
Vale Branch |
Introduction to the Wilts & Berks Canal
The Wilts & Berks Canal! “What’s that then?” I hear you say. You are probably aware of that other canal that crosses Berkshire, the Kennet & Avon Canal going from Reading to Bristol, but this is another completely different one that went from the River Thames at Abingdon to meet the Kennet & Avon at Semington via Swindon. It also connected to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade via the North Wilts Canal. The main line from Abingdon to Semington took 15 years to complete; the official opening being in 1810 with the North Wilts opening nine years later. By the early 1901, traffic on the canal had all but ceased, then nature, aided by years of minimal maintenance, pre-empted the inevitable closure. The Stanley Aqueduct carried the canal over the River Marden and, one stormy night, a 4-foot square section of one of the arches collapsed. The water simply ran out of the canal, leaving the section above Lacock high and dry. Since the canal was beyond economic repair, and thus virtually useless, various parties attempted officially to abandon it, and thus absolve themselves of their obligations and liabilities, but another 13 years passed before Parliament passed the Act of Abandonment and the land on which the canal had been built was returned or sold to adjoining landowners.
With the success of other canal restorations in mind the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust are working to restore this canal back to full navigation. Detailed (and expensive) studies have shown that this is feasible and would provide many local benefits. The Trust is divided into ten branches, nine of which are responsible for restoration within their own local area. Our branch – West Vale Branch – is centred on Shrivenham and is very active. Over the past six years we have dredged and re-watered 700m of canal, constructed a canalside park open to the public, opened up and maintained 2 miles of towpath as an amenity, constructed a completely new 200m footpath linking the canalside park into the Public Footpath system and have just begun work on restoring a bridleway bridge near Bourton. We have other projects that have already gained Planning Consent, including building a new culvert (aqueduct) and installing a new lift bridge.
The Branch always welcomes anyone interested in all aspects of restoring the canal and is also active in promoting social events with other branches which are held regularly. We don’t expect everyone to be a “born-again Navvy” or an expert in canal history. All abilities are needed, ranging from cutting grass, building walls, driving mechanical diggers, planting shrubs and writing letters, or why not just join in socially. For more information or to volunteer assistance please come along to one of our meetings held in the Shrivenham Bowls Club, Martens Road, on the second Wednesday of every month at 8 p.m. You will be made very welcome. For those with a computer and Internet access please visit our Branch Web Site at www.westvalecanal.fsnet.co.uk.
Orph Mable - Branch Project Co-ordinator
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