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Our guide to the waterways of the UK in detail.

Pictures of the Staff & Worcs Canal.

Stourton to Autherley.

The Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal was built to connect the Trent and Mersey canal with the River Severn as part of the Grand Cross idea to connect the four main rivers of the UK, the rivers Severn, Trent, Mersey and Thames. It travels from Stourport for forty-six miles passing the outskirts of Wolverhampton to join the Trent & Mersey canal at Great Haywood near to Stafford.

Leaving Stourton junction the canal crosses back over the River Stour on a very solid typical aqueduct for this early date with a lake alongside and a curious boat house, the devil's den, cut into the rock alongside the aqueduct. The canal then continues to climb up to the summit level through another sixteen locks, all narrow and all varied they include the unusual three at Bratch and the two tier staircase at Botterham. For the last three miles the canal starts to pass through the outskirts of Wolverhampton. On the summit level first is Aldersely junction on the East where the Birmingham Canal Navigations climb up through twenty one locks to the centre of Wolverhampton and then Autherley Junction to the West where the Shropshire Union goes off to Chester and eventually the Mersey.

Autherly junction	Well kept lock and former lock keepers house.	Thickly wooded section of canal.
A circular by-pass weir.	Awbridge lock	Botterham staircaase locks
Bratch locks.	Bumblehole lock	Stour aqueduct
Quiet canal	Canal spreads out into a lake at this point.	Swindon lock

More pictures of this canal?

Stourport to Stourton / Autherly to Great Haywood.

A history of this canal. / General information on the canal.

Find our information about other canals and rivers 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