The Wilts & Berks Canal

The Wilts & Berks Canal was opened in 1810 and ran about 52 miles from Semington to the Thames in Abingdon carrying mostly coal from the Somerset coalfields. The canal declined towards the end of the 19th century due to competition from the railways and was finally abandoned by an Act of Parliament in 1914. Much of the historic route has survived and was rediscovered by Jack Dalby whose book about the canal inspired others to consider restoration, leading eventually to the formation of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.
In South Abingdon remnants of the old canal can be seen by those who know where to look. Wharf Cottage in Wilsham Road is a former canal building and the iron bridge in Caldecott Road, erected by the Canal Company in 1824, spans the River Ock linking St Helen's Wharf and the Wilts & Berks Wharf.
We can only imagine the busy scenes when the canal traffic was at its height with boats moored and others disgorging their loads of coal. The canal terminal basin was in Caldecott Road between the Recreation Ground and the road itself. It is now possible to walk on the grass where once narrowboats were moored and the line of trees marks the line of the towpath. The canal route (under the wide grassy verge next to the road) is filled in all along Caldecott Road and the slight rise at the junction with Drayton Road is where a bridge used to carry the Drayton Road over the canal. In Byron Close they have the canal route in their back gardens and at the slightly elevated point in Mill Lane, the route of the canal can be seen to the right marked by overgrown twin hedges. Walking further along Mill Lane we come to New Cut Mill (also known as Bugg's Mill) which has the historic canal route to its left and the River Ock to its right. The canal route continues to a low bridge under the A34.

Anyone interested in the Canal and the work of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust will find their website www.wbct.org.uk very informative.