Oxford Canal

[Ray T]

I was having a ferrit around the Referency Library of Coventry's Herbert Art Gallery / Museum today and came across this:

 

 

It is a survey map of The Oxford Canal dated 1768. Full title "A PLAN of the intended Navigable CANAL from the Coventry CANAL near the City of Coventry to the CITY of Oxford".

 

Bottom right, J. Cole, sculp. Oxon. In the bottom left is Rob.t Whitworth, delin.t

 

Obviously the above is a photocopy of part of the original plan. What fascanated me is that there appears to two canals from Brinklow, one directly to Coventry, the other to the mines at Bedworth with a link to Coventry.

 

Also of interest Braunston is named "Brannston" on this map.

 

ETA one of the voices on the CD Narrow Boats, voices,sounds & songs of the canals also refers to Braunston as "Brannston", with a "long a".

Edited November 11, 2011 by Ray T

[Heartland]

I was having a ferrit around the Referency Library of Coventry's Herbert Art Gallery / Museum today and came across this:

 

 

It is a survey map of The Oxford Canal dated 1768. Full title "A PLAN of the intended Navigable CANAL from the Coventry CANAL near the City of Coventry to the CITY of Oxford".

 

Bottom right, J. Cole, sculp. Oxon. In the bottom left is Rob.t Whitworth, delin.t

 

Obviously the above is a photocopy of part of the original plan. What fascanated me is that there appears to two canals from Brinklow, one directly to Coventry, the other to the mines at Bedworth with a link to Coventry.

 

Also of interest Braunston is named "Brannston" on this map.

 

ETA one of the voices on the CD Narrow Boats, voices,sounds & songs of the canals also refers to Braunston as "Brannston", with a "long a".

 

 

Each canal enterprise often set out routes that came to be changed, and the Oxford Canal, had many changes of route with time. The Bedworth mines existed prior to the construction of both the Coventry and Oxford, and it is important to note that there was an earlier waterway from Bedworth to Hawkesbury, Parrott's Canal. Now the Coventry Canal act was January 29th 1768 with the Oxford Canal act was a year later.

 

It seems that this is the early plan for the Oxford Canal when the intention to link up with the Coventry was first considered.

I think I shall ask Hugh Compton, the author of the Oxford Canal book, to comment on this.

 

Ray Shill

[Ray T]

I would be interested to know his comments, thank you.

[Heartland]

I would be interested to know his comments, thank you.

 

I spoke to Hugh Compton, who I believe has no access to the internet. He confirmed that that the survey that formed the the basis for the 1769 had different proposed links both at Coventry and with the River Thames, at Oxford. He also added that there was also different map of the route for the subsequent extension from Banbury to Oxford.

 

The Robert Whitworth survey as copied by Ray T has points to note apart from the variation of the Braunston spelling. The link with the Coventry Canal at Gosford Green has a corresponding branch proposal from the main line to Coventry Canal Basin terminus at. Charles Hadfield in his book Canals of the East Midlands also mentions that this route to meet up with the Coventry Canal was the original intention. So this map is a very important to improving the understanding of this period.

 

The branch, or line, to Hawkesbury, was important as this provided an access to the coal mines. In my recent book Silent Highways which deals with midland navigation construction, I concentrate on the steps related to the making of the Oxford Canal in West Midlands p44-5. Space restriction limited this discussion to a minimum, yet there is much more to say on this area, which may be suitable material for a future article.

 

Returning to Whitworths map, the course to Rugby is perhaps more direct than what was finally built. Whilst James Brindley was responsible for deciding the route and the junction in the Hawkesbury/Longford area and also the relationship between the Coventry and Oxford was at times frosty and even perhaps hostile, which delayed the making of the junction at Longford. The construction of the Oxford Canal, as it progressed towards Rugby, led to further variations in the route. A particular variation was at Brownsover where the original canal was made to head north up alongside the valley of the Swift, where it crossed the river and then travelled south again.

 

A final point is that so much praise has been heaped on the shoulders of James Brindley, that others such as Robert Whitworth and Samuel Simcox, and particularly their contribution, deserves much wider publicity. This map at least demonstrates Whitworth's skill.

 

Ray Shill

 

[Ray T]

That is fascanating, many thanks.

[Laurence Hogg]

One thing I can really reccomend is spending a bit of time on Google earth following the traces of the original Oxford canal. Its simply amazing how much of the original course can be still be traced from the air, from the huge northward loop at Rugby to small deviations. A good hours entertainment for free.

[Ray T]

One thing I can really reccomend is spending a bit of time on Google earth following the traces of the original Oxford canal. Its simply amazing how much of the original course can be still be traced from the air, from the huge northward loop at Rugby to small deviations. A good hours entertainment for free.

 

 

I have already done that thanks Laurence.

 

There was up until recently, on the wall of Badsey's a hand drawn map showing the route today overlaid with the original route. The owner (of the map not Badsey's) died this year and the map has gone to his relatives.

 

I wish I had taken a photo, but c'est la vie!

 

I will have to revisit the Herbert and see what else they have.

[Telcan]

Do you know if any part of the canal continued underground like the Duke of Bridgwater's Canal in Manchester?

[carlt]

Do you know if any part of the canal continued underground like the Duke of Bridgwater's Canal in Manchester?

Apart from the old tunnel, which was opened up in 1868, no.