Andover Canal

[magpie patrick]

Not general boating, more general canal bashing...

 

We went to see Val's sister in Southampton, and the girls humoured me for a short while looking for the Andover Canal. A few years ago I'd seen a bit in Romsey, and we looked to the South where Val remembers cycling alongside it some 25 years ago (when she knew nothing of canals, but had been told this was one).

 

All we saw was a narrow ditch that was in the right place but could have been anything. Are there any more substantial remains that I can drag the sisters round?

[Boatingbiker]

 

 

 

Not general boating, more general canal bashing...

 

We went to see Val's sister in Southampton, and the girls humoured me for a short while looking for the Andover Canal. A few years ago I'd seen a bit in Romsey, and we looked to the South where Val remembers cycling alongside it some 25 years ago (when she knew nothing of canals, but had been told this was one).

 

All we saw was a narrow ditch that was in the right place but could have been anything. Are there any more substantial remains that I can drag the sisters round?

 

A newbie here (in many ways!) but I can say that a short say 1 mile of the Southampton - Salisbury Canal still exists in water. The Andover Canal was a branch from a small village called Mottishead to the north of Romsey and was purchased and used by the Railway for a line to Stockbridge, this was removed I guess as part of the Beeching cuts.Therefore any trace of the canal and railway has disappeared and is now a (public?) pathway to stockbridge.

 

Next time you are in Romsey park by the Railway station and walk under the station, the canal will be found to the North of the station.

 

A very small section of canal in water of the Salisbury branch exists in the village of Alderbury (4 miles from Salisbury) where the main road though the village crosses the canal look out for ' Canal Lane'

 

One wall of a lock still exists at a village called Lockery between Romsey and Salisbury.

 

The route of this canal can be clearly seen on ordance survey maps of the area.

 

Hope this helps, Boatingbiker

Edited April 18, 2011 by Boatingbiker

[Guest User]

In water ....

 

There is a sad section in Romsey that follows the Bypass (A27) from the flats near Banning Street till it disappears under the road at the roundabout with Southampton Rd (junction of A27 and the A3057)

 

It then reappears from under a culvert just behind the Plaza theatre (on the roundabout that is the junction of WInchester Rd and Southampton Rd (A27).

 

There is then a footpath (old towpath) that follows the canal as it passes under the railway (just to the east of the station) and joins a single track "road" Canal Walk (motor vehicles prohibited) which follows right next to the canal till it terminates at the junction with Old Rd.

 

Then it's back to footpath out to Fishlake Meadows Rd (this section is all built up now but used to be open countryside). The next bit is countrysidethough, with the tow/footpath following next to the canal out to a small culverted bridge on the Greatbridge Rd (A3057) about halfway between the junctions of the B3084 and the Yokesford Hill Rd junction.

 

There's not much on the other side of the A3057 that I know of and the footpath terminates there too.

 

It is (or was) a very nice walk about 3-4 miles-ish. Most of it is very shallow but it carries a whole host of my mispent childhood memories so please be careful with it

 

(I think "Mottishead", mentioned by Bikingboater, is Mottisfont, with an Abbey (National Trust) and is home to the national rose collection, IRRC)

Edited April 18, 2011 by Graham!

[the grinch]

In water ....

 

There is a sad section in Romsey that follows the Bypass (A27) from the flats near Banning Street till it disappears under the road at the roundabout with Southampton Rd (junction of A27 and the A3057)

 

It then reappears from under a culvert just behind the Plaza theatre (on the roundabout that is the junction of WInchester Rd and Southampton Rd (A27).

 

 

no that isn't the canal but a drain from it.

 

the canal south of the plaza (which was built on top of the canal) went due south and was filled in to build the road to southampton, it then passed alongside the road (alongside the mile wall, Which isn't a mile long anymore)on the opposite side of the road to the wall. this section was filled in and trees planted. as the road climbs up to cross the railway there is a road on the right (Lee Lane)take this road, if you look along the lefthand side there is a dip in the field which is where the canal was, running diagonally to come alongside the road which it follows as a ditch for 300 yards, then it changes sides, now this section still resembles a canal, approx 1,000 yards remains and is full of water in the winter, the canal then swaps sides again and heads south east behind the cottages and heads across a field if you take the left hand road (that leads to the top end of the M271) approx 400 yards along it the canal bed can be seen crossing over at right angles, heading due south for approx 500 yards where it finally disappears under the railway (built on the canal line from Nursling to Redbridge.)

 

the only bit of the Southampton branch of the Southampton and Salisbury canal that remained was to the north of redbridge station, this finally disappeared in the 90's.

 

the 2 canals were The Romsey, Timsbury & Andover canal and the Southampton & Salisbury Canal which from my research used the RT&A for approx 2 miles.

 

the old sea lock is long gone and was where the Anchor pub now stands below the Redbridge Causeway as far as i can find out.

 

Southampton Canal Tunnel was partly filled in back in the 1980's when they rebuild the railway tunnel which is about 10 feet above and slightly to the north of it. although it is commonly believed to still be complete.

 

i have not looked into the Salisbury Branch

 

I live a mile from the southern end of the canal!

Edited April 18, 2011 by hamsterfan

[the grinch]

another bit remains further north, alongside the road between Leckford and fullerton.

[abloadescort]

Does anybody know if the Andover Canal ever joined onto the Basinstoke Canal in Basinstoke?

 

Rob

[Guest User]

Does anybody know if the Andover Canal ever joined onto the Basinstoke Canal in Basinstoke?

 

Rob

 

No as far as I can tell it didn't. There's a map of the navigable length as was ...

 

MAP CLICKY

 

I gather proposals were made (in 1794) for a junction of the Andover, Basingstoke and K&A but rejected about 1810/26-ish CLICKY

 

IRRC there are no significant canal structures on the stretch between Romsey and Timsbury (but it has been a LONG time since I was last there). Looking at the old map, there does seem to have been a lock on just the other side of what is now the A3057 but I've no recollection of having seen anything that looked like remanants of a lock chamber.

[the grinch]

correct graham, the bridges that cross the canal between romsey and timsbury are low modern affairs. as for locks i understand that at least 1 is still visible but haven't found it!

[Pluto]

Does anybody know if the Andover Canal ever joined onto the Basinstoke Canal in Basinstoke?

 

Rob

John Rennie's letter books in the Institution of Civil Engineers archive have quite a detailed section on his work on surveying the route.

[abloadescort]

Sorry that this has nothing to do with the Andover Canal, but does anybody know if there was a canal in Milford on Sea?? I have passed over, what looks like the remains of an old canal passing under High Street. Any idear what this canal was for or where it went? I have been looking up the remains of the Dorset & Somerset canal, although I understand that this canal never really took off so proberly no remains!

 

Rob

[billS]

Back on topic - there is a bridge over the canal in Chaurch Lane in Clatford near the original terminus. the road crosses the Test on a flat bridge, and then the canal by a hump back bridge, so I suppose that must be original.

[the grinch]

Sorry that this has nothing to do with the Andover Canal, but does anybody know if there was a canal in Milford on Sea?? I have passed over, what looks like the remains of an old canal passing under High Street. Any idear what this canal was for or where it went? I have been looking up the remains of the Dorset & Somerset canal, although I understand that this canal never really took off so proberly no remains!

 

Rob

 

as far as i know the answer is no. there is a river that passes under Sea Road and then Park Lane (B3057)but i don't think it was canalised.

[magpie patrick]

Sorry that this has nothing to do with the Andover Canal, but does anybody know if there was a canal in Milford on Sea?? I have passed over, what looks like the remains of an old canal passing under High Street. Any idear what this canal was for or where it went? I have been looking up the remains of the Dorset & Somerset canal, although I understand that this canal never really took off so proberly no remains!

 

Rob

 

The D and S opens a whole new can of worms, quick answer, no, what you have seen isn't it, long answer, another post...

[PeterO]

On the subject of the Andover Canal and the Southampton and Salisbury Canal, members might be interested in the Southampton Canal Society website at http://www.sotoncs.org.uk/local/local_ind.htm of which I am web site manager. I'm afraid a update to the S&S Canal part of the site a couple of years ago has not been completed but hopefully you'll still find it informative.

 

No link was ever built from either the Itchen Navigation or the Andover Canal to the Basingstoke Canal although both had surveys done and in the case of the former was actively promoted as the London and Southampton Ports Junction Canal. No construction was ever done.

 

As Magpie Patrick says the Dorset & Somerset is a whole new can of worms. No construction work was ever done south of Frome. It was not intended to ever build it (or any other canal) via Milford on Sea. Try this link for more information.

 

Peter

 

Edit to give full link to Local Waterway pages on SCS website

Edited April 20, 2011 by PeterO

[GSer]

There is a short stretch of the canal still filled with water about a mile north of the Mayfly pub near Stockbridge, it's being used as a fishery perhaps 100 yrds or so remains. It shouldn't be too hard to trace the canals past either side of the fishery at least for a while.

 

Paul

 

Edited to add that the fishery is at Fullerton and you can see the lake and it appears that you can follow the old canal route for a while by viewing on google earth

Edited April 21, 2011 by GSer

[abloadescort]

Thanks for the answears guys. What was the main trade of the Andover Canal? I presume it was general cargo unloaded in Southampton Docks? or was it more specific.

 

Rob

[pearley]

My brother worked for Henlys in Andover in the early 70s. As the on-call mechanic he lived in the Henlys owned old wharfingers house. Haven't been there for years so don't know if it is still standing. Given the amount of town redevelopment everywhere I doubt it.

[magpie patrick]

Thanks for the answears guys. What was the main trade of the Andover Canal? I presume it was general cargo unloaded in Southampton Docks? or was it more specific.

 

Rob

 

According to Hadfield Coal and Building materials from Southampton, with back loads of agricultural produce. The Canal suffered from terminating above Redbridge Bridge, which was, and still is, too small for seagoing vessels to negotiate, while canal vessels were not suited to the tideway> The Salisbury and Southampton Canal proposed to rectify this with a canal from Redbridge to Southampton (as well as the main bit from Salisbury to Romsey. A poem was written ridiculing this idea

 

Southamptons wise sons find their river too large

though twill carry a ship, twill not carry a barge

But soon, this defecet, their sage nodles supplied

For the cut a canal for to run by it's side

 

Like the man, who contriving a hole through his wall

to admit his two cats, one great tother small

where a great hole was made, for great puss to pass through

had a little hole cut, for his little cat too

 

unStable Bar regulars will recall that Magpie and the Flames massacred this one...

 

My brother worked for Henlys in Andover in the early 70s. As the on-call mechanic he lived in the Henlys owned old wharfingers house. Haven't been there for years so don't know if it is still standing. Given the amount of town redevelopment everywhere I doubt it.

 

No idea, but I'll try and find out

[magpie patrick]

My brother worked for Henlys in Andover in the early 70s. As the on-call mechanic he lived in the Henlys owned old wharfingers house. Haven't been there for years so don't know if it is still standing. Given the amount of town redevelopment everywhere I doubt it.

 

Checking between an 1859 map, and 1896 map, and Google Earth suggests Sainsbury now occupy the site