Glastonbury Canal

Glastonbury Canal
A bridge over the Cripps River, formerly part of the Glastonbury Canal
Specifications
Maximum boat length64 ft 0 in (19.51 m)
Maximum boat beam18 ft 0 in (5.49 m)
Locks2
StatusPart used for drainage
History
Original ownerGlastonbury Canal Company
Principal engineerJohn Rennie
Date of act1827
Date completed1833
Date closed1850
Geography
Start pointGlastonbury
End pointHighbridge
Glastonbury Canal
River Parrett estuary
Lower flood gates
Highbridge Wharf
Highbridge Lock
A38 Road bridge
Upper flood gates
Exeter - Bristol Railway
M5 motorway
B3141 Bason Bridge
River Huntspill
Old course of R Brue
Cripps River bridge
Cripps River
River Brue
South Drain
Edington Road bridge
The Nydon bridge
South Drain
Shapwick Lock
Shapwick Road bridge
Ashcott Road bridge
South Drain aqueduct
River Brue aqueduct and syphon
Glastonbury wharf

The Glastonbury Canal ran for approximately 14 miles (23 km) through two locks from Glastonbury to Highbridge in Somerset, England, where it entered the River Parrett and from there the Bristol Channel. The canal was authorised by Parliament in 1827 and opened in 1834.[1] It was operated by the Glastonbury Navigation and Canal Company.[2] Most of it was abandoned as a navigation in 1854, when a railway was built along the towpath.

An earlier canal had been built in the Middle Ages to supply Glastonbury Abbey and the town with stone and produce. In the early 19th century a new canal was proposed to improve commerce in Glastonbury and help with drainage of the surrounding area of the Somerset Levels. Several alternative routes were considered and costed before obtaining an Act of Parliament and issuing a prospectus to raise funds for the building of the canal. Construction commenced in the 1820s; however it was more expensive than envisaged and further funds had to be raised. It finally opened in 1833 but was only prosperous for a short period. The shortfall in income and engineering problems with water supply and waterlogged peat causing the clay puddling to fracture meant that it was sold to the Bristol and Exeter Railway. They used the canal to transport materials for the construction of the new Somerset Central Railway which opened in 1854.

  1. ^ Dunning 1983
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference body was invoked but never defined (see the help page).