West
Vale Branch |
Please note: Nearly all of the property the canal passes through is privately owned and has no Public Rights of Way. This article is solely intended to describe the route of the canal through the Branch's area. To help us maintain good relations with landowners please do not enter private property without prior permission from the owner.
On entering Shrivenham, take the B4000 to Lambourn (Station Road). This road crosses the canal over a brick bridge before coming to the old Station Hotel, now called The Victoria Tavern, at the site of the now defunct Shrivenham Station. The pub not only provides a safe car park but also does provide food and drink to those investigating the canal. Returning to the bridge (SU237879), investigation shows that this is an original structure known as Shrivenham Arch Bridge. It is the oldest arch bridge structure still in daily use on the whole of the Wilts & Berks Canal. It may be the only original bridge to survive from the building of the canal.
From the bridge, heading back towards Swindon, the canal is in a shallow cutting until just before Bourton Wharf and is in water throughout the year, albeit heavily reed infested. There are many land drains feeding the canal from both sides, which can be heard running beneath the cover of dense vegetation most of the year. This section was dredged in 1995 when a new path was put in between the Arch Bridge and Steppingstone Lane Bridge (SU237879). It is worth noting that this path is to the south of the canal but the original towpath was to the north, which may be restored in due course. Shrivenham Parish have incorporated this path within the Millennium Circular Walk route so is well used in the drier months but not so in the winter when it is very boggy.
The site of Steppingstone Lane Bridge is to become the centre for much volunteer work over the coming years with Planning Permission already granted for the restoration of the bridge. The original bridge was culverted before being collapsed by the Faringdon Rural District Council in the 1950s on the grounds of safety. At the time of writing, scrub has been cleared back and dams have been positioned either side of the bridge in preparation for pumping out the water from the work area. Before work can start however, the bridle path needs to be re-routed off the bridge over the western dam. This is now scheduled for summer 2001. Preferred access to this site should be via the path from Station Road, but pedestrian access is permissible from Bourton (SU232873) via Steppingstone Lane but please note that this longer route is a bridle path only and as such, no motor vehicles are to use it and cars must be parked in Bourton.
Back at the Arch Bridge, looking east, the site of Shrivenham Wharf can be seen to the northern side of the canal. The stone wall by the road is the old back wall of the original wharf stable with the yard still being used by the equestrian community. 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. The canal has not been dredged alongside the wharf or under the Arch Bridge but does hold water throughout the year. It will need dredging and restoring to correct profile in the future.
Going eastwards from just beyond the wharf, a power distribution pole is found erected in the centre of the canal which is currently a nuisance, but positive discussions with the electricity supplier indicate that it may be removed in the near future when additional electricity capacity is required by the new military college in Watchfield. This pole also marks the end of the canal section from Stainswick Lane that was dredged in 1995. This dredging greatly improved the canal but due to the lack of boat traffic is slowly being re-captured by reeds. It does however, remain in water throughout the year. This towpath is stone layered providing an easy walk. and is also included within the Millennium Circular Walk. The towpath was re-laid at the same time as the section was dredged but is suffering minor subsidence in a few places.
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