The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) is the primary index of the physical remains of past human activity in the unitary authority of West Berkshire Council. Limited elements of the West Berkshire HER are available online via the Heritage Gateway, therefore it is not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes, and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 194 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021: 56). Please read
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The Kennet Navigation from Reading to Newbury was constructed between 1718 and 1723; west of Newbury to Bath the canal was built between 1794 and 1810, by John Rennie, to join the Avon Navigation
The Kennet and Avon Canal is an important inland waterway running east-west for 87 miles across southern England. It was made up of two lengths of navigable river, the Kennet Navigation and the Avon Navigation, joined by a man-made canal section. Its 26 mile (c42km) route across West Berkshire largely follows the Kennet Valley, though west of Hungerford it runs parallel to the River Dun.
The Kennet Navigation Bill to improve the route of the river from Reading to Newbury received Royal Assent on 21st September 1715, and construction was mostly the work of the surveyor John Hore of Newbury between 1718 and 1723. The Kennet Navigation was fully open to traffic on 1st June 1723 though the horse towing path was finished a year later. Francis Page of Goldwell House bought the Navigation in the 1760s and enlarged the locks.
The Avon Navigation, opened in 1727, allowed cargo transport from Bristol to Bath. The concept of linking the Avon and the Kennet by a canal was considered in the later 18th century, and several surveys were undertaken to find a route. In 1794 the Kennet and Avon Canal Act received Royal Assent, and engineer John Rennie was appointed to oversee the works. The stretches of canal from Newbury to the Wiltshire border were built by 1799, and the whole route to Bath was opened in 1810.
The canal was initially a commercial success, bringing prosperity to the areas through which it passed. However with the coming of the railways in the 1840s, competition started to affect trade. In 1852 the Great Western Railway gained Parliamentary approval to take over the canal, and despite obligations to keep the canal in good repair, the railway company began to run it down. A long slow decline followed with stretches of the canal being neglected and the number of traders falling. Though it was still just navigable into the 1950s, a 1955 review recommended that the then owners the British Transport Commission should be relieved on their responsibilities for economically unviable canals. The Transport Commission then announced they intended to abandon the canal section between Reading and Bath.
After considerable campaigning by interest groups, the Kennet and Avon Canal Association (later the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust) was formed. One of the key individuals involved in the fight to keep the canal open was Newbury waterman John Gould (1913-1999). The Transport Act of 1962 transferred the waterways to a new organisation, The British Waterways Board and this was a turning point, with a later White Paper accepting that the nation's waterway network should be retained. However the task of restoring the canal was enormous involving decades of fund-raising by the Trust and the work of many volunteers and staff. The canal was made navigable again by 1990, when it was reopened by Queen Elizabeth. Further investment and improvements in the canal infrastructure have created a popular tourist destination and widely used amenity in the early 21st century, though one little employed in the transportation of goods.
Lock numbering along the Kennet and Avon Canal starts with 1 at Hanham near Bristol and ends in Reading at Lock 106. Bridges however were numbered the other way, from No 1 in Reading to 215 in Hanham.
The canal is represented in GIS records as several lines for each stretch between the locks.
<01> | Clew, K R & The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Ltd. 1974. The Kennet & Avon Canal Guide. Number One - Historical Background. [Unpublished document / SWB14604] |
<02> | Pattray Publications. 1974. Map of the Kennet & Avon Canal - Reading to Hungerford. One inch to the mile. [Map / SWB14605] |
<03> | The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Ltd. c1980. The Kennet & Avon Canal and its Trust. [Unpublished document / SWB14606] |
<04> | The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Ltd. 1980. The Kennet & Avon Canal in Pictures - from Bath to Reading. [Monograph / SWB14607] |
<05> | Dalby, L J. 1973. The Kennet Navigation. [Unpublished document / SWB14602] |
<06> | Money, W. 1905 & 1972. A Popular History of Newbury (also Walter Money's History of Newbury). p86. [Monograph / SWB11278] |
<07> | Clew, K R. 1973. The Kennet & Avon Canal. [Monograph / SWB6828] |
<08> | Berkshire Archaeological Society. 1936. Berkshire Archaeological Journal 1936 40. 40. In ADS Journals. 10.5284/1000017. p151-6 in The Navigation of the Thames and Kennet 1600-1750 by T S Willan. [Article in serial / SWB10457] http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/berks_bas_2007/journal.cfm?volume=40 (Accessed 26/04/2016) |
<09> | Great Western Railway Series. Pre 1827. Plans of Kennet and Avon Canal and River east of Newbury. [Map / SWB13494] |
<10> | 1795. Specification of the Cutting, Embanking, Lining and Puddling on the Kennett (sic) and Avon Canal between Oak Hill Mill and Newbury. [Unpublished document / SWB13488] |
<11> | Various. 1925-50. John Gould Photograph Collection. Not aerial photo. [Photograph / SWB13186] |
<12> | ?. 1863. Newbury Drainage. [Graphic material / SWB13183] |
<13> | Gould, J. Unknown. Plan of Kennet and Avon canal and Kennet River east of Newbury. [Map / SWB13495] |
<14> | Newbury Weekly News. 1967. Wharf House. [Article in serial / SWB13182] |
<15> | Newbury Weekly News. 1980. Filling of the Kennet basins. [Article in serial / SWB13181] |
<16> | ?. 1844. Deeds. [Unpublished document / SWB13185] |
<17> | Museum curator (?). 1980. The Basins. [Graphic material / SWB13184] |
<18> | Gould, J. 1990. Tumbling Bays and Pen-stocks. [Unpublished document / SWB13487] |
<19> | Cannon, P. 1998. Letter about a stone wall at the Wharf (Newbury?). [Unpublished document / SWB13187] |
<20> | Merriman, T. 1973. Exploring the Kennet & Avon Canal. [Unpublished document / SWB14603] |
<21> | Dalby, J. 1989. Waterways World June 1989. p76-8 by Jack Dalby. [Article in serial / SWB13179] |
<22> | The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Ltd. 1990. The Kennet & Avon Canal (Pictorial Journey). [Monograph / SWB14608] |
<23> | Sept 1989. The Butty. No 125. p14-17 Newbury Wharf by L J D. [Article in serial / SWB147505] |
<24> | Newbury District Museum. 1994. Newbury Emergency Bridge. [Unpublished document / SWB13188] |
<25> | Dils, J (ed). 1998. An Historical Atlas of Berkshire. p70-1 Berkshire rivers and canals by Brian Boulter. [Monograph / SWB13916] |
<26> | Russell, J. 1997. The Kennet & Avon Canal - A journey from Newbury to Bath in 1964. [Monograph / SWB14609] |
<27> | West Berkshire Heritage Service. 1999. Working Waterway - The Kennet & Avon Canal through West Berkshire. [Monograph / SWB148278] |
<28> | Lindley-Jones, P. 2002. Restoring the Kennet & Avon Canal. [Monograph / SWB147997] |
<29> | Berry, W. 2009. The Kennet and Avon Navigation - A History. [Monograph / SWB147998] |
<30> | Greenaway, D and Dunlop, L. 2011. Around the Three Valleys. p69. [Monograph / SWB148275] |
<31> | Dils, J and Yates, M (ed). 2012. An Historical Atlas of Berkshire (2nd Edition). p90-91 Berkshire rivers and canals. [Monograph / SWB148708] |
<32> | Page and Ditchfield (eds). 1924. Victoria County History (VCH) Berks IV 1924. Vol 4. p145-6. [Monograph / SWB10281] http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol4 (Accessed 24/09/2015) |
<33> | Ditchfield and Page (eds). 1906. Victoria County History (VCH) Berks I 1906. Vol 1. p377. [Monograph / SWB10017] https://archive.org/details/victoriahistoryo01ditcuoft (Accessed on 22/12/2021) |
<34> | Thacker, F S. 1932. Kennet Country. p305-24, 325-50. [Monograph / SWB149205] |
<35> | Rennie, J. 1793. Plan of proposed canal between the River Kennet at Newbury and the River Avon at Bath. 1.5" to 1 mile. [Map / SWB149703] |
MWB5805 | ALDERMASTON LOCK (Lock 95) (Monument) |
MWB5857 | BENHAM BRIDGE LOCK/ Benham Lock (Lock 82) (Monument) |
MWB5854 | BENHAM LOCK/HIGGS LOCK (Lock 83) (Monument) |
MWB18042 | Bridge Cottage, Station Road, Woolhampton (Building) |
MWB5878 | BRUNSDON'S LOCK (Lock 77) (Monument) |
MWB5831 | Bull's Lock (Lock 88), Greenham (Monument) |
MWB20637 | Bull's Swingbridge (Bridge 48), Greenham (Monument) |
MWB5778 | BURGHFIELD LOCK (Lock 103) (Monument) |
MWB17896 | Coal Yard Canal Basin, Newbury Wharf (Monument) |
MWB5900 | Cobblers Lock (Lock 72) (Monument) |
MWB5823 | COLTHROP LOCK (Lock 91) (Monument) |
MWB5864 | COPP'S LOCK or Copse Lock (Lock 80), Hamstead Marshall (Monument) |
MWB5866 | DREWEAT'S LOCK (Lock 79) (Monument) |
MWB5884 | DUN MILL LOCK (Lock 75) (Monument) |
MWB5852 | ENBORNE LOCK/GUYERS LOCK (Lock 84) (Monument) |
MWB5780 | Garston Lock (Lock 102) (Monument) |
MWB5836 | GREENHAM LOCK (Lock 86) (Monument) |
MWB5834 | Ham Mill Lock (Lock 87), Newbury (Monument) |
MWB5862 | HAMSTEAD LOCK (Lock 81) (Monument) |
MWB5818 | HEALES LOCK (Lock 93) (Monument) |
MWB5892 | HUNGERFORD LOCK (Lock 74) (Monument) |
MWB5895 | Hungerford Marsh Lock (Lock 73) (Monument) |
MWB20638 | Hungerford Marsh Swing Bridge (Monument) |
MWB5807 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - ALDERMASTON TO WOOLHAMPTON (Monument) |
MWB5858 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - BENHAM BRIDGE/BENHAM TO HAMSTEAD LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5855 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - BENHAM/HIGGS TO BENHAM BRIDGE LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5879 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - BRUNSDON'S TO WIRE LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5832 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - BULL'S LOCK TO HAM MILL LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5779 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - BURGHFIELD TO GARSTON LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5901 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - COBBLERS TO PICKETFIELD LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5824 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - COLTHROP TO MONKEY MARSH LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5865 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - COPP'S/COPSE TO DREWEATS LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5869 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - DREWEATS TO KINTBURY LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5885 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - DUN MILL TO HUNGERFORD LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5853 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - ENBORNE/GUYERS TO BENHAM/HIGGS LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5782 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - GARSTON TO SHEFFIELD LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5837 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - GREENHAM TO NEWBURY LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5835 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - HAM MILL TO GREENHAM (Monument) |
MWB5863 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - HAMSTEAD TO COPP'S/COPSE LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5898 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - HUNGERFORD MARSH TO COBBLERS LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5893 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - HUNGERFORD TO HUNGERFORD MARSH (Monument) |
MWB5874 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - KINTBURY TO BRUNSDON'S LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5822 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - MIDGHAM TO COLTHROP LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5827 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - MONKEY MARSH TO WIDMEAD LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5849 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - NEWBURY TO ENBORNE/GUYERS LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5802 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - PADWORTH TO ALDERMASTON LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5905 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - PICKETFIELD LOCK TO WILTS (Monument) |
MWB5785 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - SHEFFIELD LOCK TO SULHAMSTEAD (Monument) |
MWB5773 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - SOUTHCOTE TO BURGHFIELD LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5788 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - SULHAMSTEAD TO TYLEMILL LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5799 | Kennet & Avon Canal - Towney to Padworth Lock (Monument) |
MWB5793 | Kennet & Avon Canal - Tylemill Lock to Ufton Lock (Monument) |
MWB5796 | Kennet & Avon Canal - Ufton Lock to Towney Lock (Monument) |
MWB5830 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - WIDMEAD LOCK TO BULL'S LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5882 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - WIRE TO DUNMILL LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5815 | KENNET & AVON CANAL - WOOLHAMPTON TO HEALES LOCK (Monument) |
MWB5872 | KINTBURY LOCK (Lock 78) (Monument) |
MWB6688 | Lock Island, Newbury - NEEDS EDITING (Monument) |
MWB5821 | MIDGHAM LOCK (Lock 92) (Monument) |
MWB1502 | Monkey Marsh Lock (Lock 90) (Monument) |
MWB5847 | NEWBURY LOCK (Lock 85) (Monument) |
MWB5801 | PADWORTH LOCK (Lock 96) (Monument) |
MWB5904 | Picketfield Lock (Lock 71) (Monument) |
MWB5783 | Sheffield Lock (Lock 101) (Monument) |
MWB5787 | SULHAMSTEAD LOCK (Lock 100) (Monument) |
MWB5798 | Towney Lock (Lock 97) (Monument) |
MWB5792 | TYLEMILL LOCK (Lock 99) (Monument) |
MWB5795 | UFTON LOCK (Lock 98) (Monument) |
MWB20639 | West Mills Swing Bridge, Newbury (Bridge 62) (Monument) |
MWB5829 | Widmead Lock (Lock 89) (Monument) |
MWB5881 | WIRE LOCK (Lock 76) (Monument) |
MWB5814 | WOOLHAMPTON LOCK (Lock 94) (Monument) |
MWB15508 | Canal Basin, Newbury Wharf (Monument) |
MWB18841 | Goldwell House, Old Bath Road, Newbury (Building) |
MWB15750 | The Wharf, Newbury - medieval (Monument) |