Warwickshire Canals

HEART-OF-ENGLAND
COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS
CANALS

There are 4 major canals in Warwickshire:

The Coventry Canal, 38 miles, opened in 1771, links Coventry, Bedworth, Nuneaton and Tamworth. It links the major sites of the North Warwickshire coalfield. (no pictures yet)

The Oxford Canal, 77 miles, opened in 1775, joins Coventry and Rugby, and South via Banbury to Oxford. It has a junction with the Coventry Canal just North of Coventry.

The Stratford-Upon-Avon Canal, opened in 1816, links Stratford (and Avon and Severn down to Bristol) to the Birmingham and Worcester Canal on the Southern outskirts of Birmingham.

The Grand Union Canal, opened around 1800, links Leicester, via Birmingham to London. It has a junction with the Stratford-Upon-Avon Canal near Lapworth, and with the Oxford Canal near Napton.

These canals were built for industrial transport, especially coal, and are now important recreational routes, both for boating holidays, and as footpaths for walkers.

Stratford-upon-Avon Canal

This is the Stratford-upon-Avon Basin at the Stratford end of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal. This is where the canal joins with the River Avon.

The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal near Preston Bagot. Stratford-upon-Avon canal at Preston Bagot

The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal between Preston Bagot and Yarningdale. Stratford-upon-Avon canal near Preston Bagot

On the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal at Lowsonford.
At the right is a barrel-roofed lockkeeper's cottage.
The boats moored in the background are moored opposite the Fleur de Lys canalside inn.

Looking across the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal at Lowsonford, towards the gardens of the Fleur de Lys canalside inn. Fleur de Lys at Lowsonford

Stratford-upon-Avon Canal at Lapworth Boats moored along the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, at Lapworth.

Stratford-upon-Avon Canal at Lapworth A holiday houseboat on the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, navigating locks at Lapworth.

Stratford-upon-Avon Canal at Wilmcote Feeding swans on the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, at Wilmcote, two hundred yards from Mary Arden's House.

Wootton Wawen The Wootton Wawen Basin on the Stratford-on-Avon Canal.
These ladies were on a "canal boat holiday" touring through Warwickshire, with the narrow boat as a floating hotel. Their boat had stopped overnight at moorings, and they had just visited the Saxon Church, and were now on their leisurely way through the Arden countryside in the direction of Stratford.

Wootton Wawen Aqueduct The same two boats in tow, navigating one of three aqueducts on the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, this one at Wootton Wawen. This aqueduct carries the Stratford canal over the Henley-on-Arden to Stratford road.

Scenes on The Grand Union Canal

Hatton Locks on the the Grand Union Canal, about 3 miles North-West of Warwick, show the confidence of Victorian engineers.
A series of 21 lock gates, over a distance of 2 miles, take the Grand Union Canal down a drop of 146 feet.
The church spire in the background is St Mary's Warwick.
Hatton Locks

At Hatton Locks on the the Grand Union Canal.
At the top of the hill in the background is the Waterman Inn.

This is the view from the garden of the Waterman Inn, looking down the Hatton Flight.
The church spire in the background is St Mary's Warwick. Also in this picture, to the right of St Mary's Church, can be seen the towers of Warwick Castle.
The building in the right foreground is the British Waterways Offices, at Hatton.
Hatton Locks

On the Grand Union Canal at Rowington

The Oxford Canal

Oxford Canal at Napton A holiday houseboat on the Oxford Canal, near Napton-on-the-Hill.
Napton Windmill can be seen on the horizon.

More countryside views:
Churches
Living Churchyards
Shakespeare's Warwickshire
Panoramas and Long Distance Views
Trees and Woods
Leafy Lanes
Rivers
Swans
Farmland and Farming
Village Greens
Country Cottages
Pubs and Inns
Index of Locations
Heart-of-England Main Page

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