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Our guide to the waterways of the UK in detail.

The history of the Oxford Canal.

This was one of the first canals to be built, part of the 'Grand Cross' design to connect the Rivers Thames, Mersey, Trent and Severn. It was authorised in 1769 and specifically designed to carry coal from the Warwickshire coalfield down to Banbury and Oxford although a clause in its Act forbad carrying onto the River Thames.

James Brindley, the engineer spent very little time on the canal so the company complained, he then resigned, they apologised so he returned by his assistant Samuel Simcock did most of the work.

The canal was designed a winding contour canal 91 miles long from a junction with the Coventry canal near Coventry down to Oxford. With on the summit a tunnel 1,188 long yards to be built. Speed of travel then being of no consideration when the ease of movement was contrasted to the roads.

Started in 1769 by 1771 the first ten miles from Coventry were open. When Brindley died in 1772 Simcock succeed him Opened to Napton by 1774. The canal was completed to Banbury by 1778, but it had cost £200,00 (it's original estimate for the whole length was just £150,000!) Finance was sort due to the American War of Independence so here it ended for a time.

In 1777 the Coventry was joined to the Oxford by a stop lock at Langford, involving over a mile of parallel running. In 1785 the junction was moved to Hawkesbury.

A new Act was obtained in 1786, giving a further £60,000 and removing the prohibition of trading onto the River Thames. The canal reached Aynho in 1788. Finally the canal reached Oxford in 1790 having cost £307,000 to build.

At Oxford there was at first no direct connection the canal ended in New Road Basin in 1790. In 1789 the Duke of Marlborough had built and opened Dukes Cut a short branch which connected the Oxford canal to the River Thames above ?? lock. This enabled cheap coal to be taken directly to his property and to be traded on the river. Then in 1796 connection to the Thames was made near the terminus at New Road basin through Isis Lock and Sheepwash canal. This was a broad lock to allow barges to come up off the river to tranship cargoes as at first narrowboats were not regarded as suitable for the river Thames, however in the 1850's it was rebuilt as a narrow lock. In 1798 then the canal leased Duke's cut.

A coal trade developed on the middle Thames from the Oxford however after 1810 competition came from the Kennett & Avon and the Wilts & Berks.

However it soon began to be outdated by straighter, and hence faster canals. In 1805 the Grand Junction canal opened and with the Warwick and Napton and Warwick and Birmingham created a new shorter route from London to Birmingham. The use of the 5 mile stretch of the Oxford between Braunston and Napton, with high tolls, still enabled the Oxford canal to remain in profit.

The canal was soon prosperous with in 1812 a dividend of 30%!

By the late 1820's threats of schemes for big new canals, which could render the Oxford redundant, were suggested so finally in 1829 an Act was obtained for major improvements to the Northern section from Coventry to Napton with a capital of £130,000.

These were carried out between 1829 and 1833. Which with a new tunnel at Newbold, an embankment to widen Brinklow aqueduct, a new iron aqueduct at Rugby and numerous other cuttings and embankments to cut 14 miles off the route, reducing the 36 miles between Braunston and Coventry to 22. Although many of these cut off loops are now abandoned the entrances to them can still be seen with the new towpath bridges, over them.

In 1836 improvements were made at Hawkesbury Junction.

In 1838 the middle of the summit tunnel was opened out to create a passing place, although not on the Northern section it was probably inspired by the improvements elsewhere.

In 1840 the locks at Hillmorton were duplicated.

This modernisation enabled, despite increasing competition from the Railways, the canals to keep a profit from 1828 to 1868 it carried nearly 500,000 tons a year. In 1842 nearly 21,000 boats passed through Hilmorton locks and 10,00 boats over Claydon summit.

The opening of the GWR from Didcott to Reading in 1844 effected the river trade, then in 1850 the GWR reached Bunbury and in 1852 Birmingham. Then the LNWR reached Bunbury in 1850 and Ashby in 1851.

With this competition the maintenance of traffic was only achieved by reduction of tolls and income from tolls fell from £93,000 in 1828 to £23,000 in 1868. Also by 1868 there was a change with the long haul traffic had falling away, much of the traffic was now local.

In 1868 to 1870 both remaining parts of the summit tunnel were opened out to reduce delays.

In 1912 the company purchased a grab dredger, which started to work south and by the start of World War I forced a halt it had worked south to Braunston. After the war work resumed and Oxford up to Duke's cut was dredged.

In 1931 attempts were made by the Grand Union as part of its creating of through routes under its control to buy the Oxford canal but to no avail, possibly due to problems with property in Oxford. But in its act the Grand Union was empowered to carry out improvements between Braunston and Napton at their own expense.

In 1937 the New Road and Warwick Street Wharves were closed and sold to Lord Nutfield for £133,000. Nuffield College was built on the site of the New Road Wharves and the site of Worcester Road wharves became car park.

By 1955 traffic had virtually ceased South of Bunbury. The only regular traffic being the Skinner's Friendship which finished in 1958. In 1955 the IWA rally was held at Bunbury to demonstrate reports in the face of council attempts to seek abandonment. They succeeded.

In 1964 came the end of the last regular runs, the Thomas Clayton tar boats from Banbury Gas Works.

The only trade on this canal is now boats selling coal locally. However it has become a very popular canal for leisure use.

Sources.

Nicholson Guides to the Waterways.

Roots & Routes, Peter Hardcastle's Website
http://www.canals.btinternet.co.uk/index.htm

Canal Companion, South Midlands J.M. Pearson. Published by Central Waterways Supplies of Rugby in 2004. ISBN 0-9545383-8-2

Some pictures of this canal?

Oxford to Napton / Napton to Braunston / Braunston to Hawkesbury.

General information on the canal.

Find our information about other canals on the canal index page.

If you have any questions then do ring us on 07977 229103
or email us at martinreed@reedboats.co.uk