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Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation A Little History |
Some historical facts and figures of the canal:-
The same company that built the canal still maintains and owns the canal (The Company of The Proprietors of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation Limited).
Thought to be the only fully navigable canal in England still controlled by the original company that built it.
The canal was completed on 3rd June 1797 (205 years old on the Queens Golden Jubilee!!).
An Act of Parliament was passed on 17th June 1793, with constructional work starting in October 1793.
John Rene was the design engineer, who was also responsible for the Kennet and Avon Canal.
Many of the locks and bridges are of similar design to those on the Kennet and Avon Canal.
Richard Coats was the resident engineer and had day to day control of the construction.
The cost to build the canal was £52,000
The canal took 3 years to complete
The first inland gas works in Britain was built in Chelmsford, using coal barged up the navigation
Total length is 13.75 miles with 12 locks built to accommodate lighters 60feet long by 16feet wide
Fist ideas of a canal were discussed as early as 1677, a study in 1733 estimated that it would cost £9,355, but this was rejected due to the high costs!!!! In 1763 estimated costs were put at £13,000 but the funds could not be raised.
On completion of the Canal Richard Coats settled in Chelmsford, his nephew Brown took over Coat’s business and set up Brown and Son which developed into a large Builders Merchants.
All supplies of softwood to Brown & Son was bought up the canal in lighters until 1972
The canal was very busy and prosperous up to 1843 when the London to Colchester railway was completed. A slow decline in traffic set in after this date, generally in line with most other canals in the UK.
It busiest year was 1842 when 60,000 tons of cargo were transported along the canal (a good percentage for the construction of the new railway which were to be the cause of it’s demise!!!!!!)
Most commercial traffic remained horse drawn until around 1960
There remains just one purpose built wooden lighter surviving on the canal. Susan was built in the 1950’s to a traditional wooden design, she is now under the care of the Chelmsford Museum Service, and can sometimes be seen at the quay besides the old waterworks above Sandford lock or occasionally motoring along the canal.
There remains a number of the original 200 year old brick (humpback) bridges in good repair along the canal.
There remains another canal, connected to the C&B. Langford Cut was dug in 1793 (4 years prior to the C&B). It was used to transport wheat from a mill in Langford to the river. The last barge to use the canal was in 1881.
Alongside the canal just downstream of Hoe Mill was Britain's first Sugar factory. Sugar Baker's Holes are the last lingering reminder of the factory, established in 1832, including cottages canal side for the factory workers.
Paper Mill was the first place in Essex where paper was produced, in 1792 there were two mills here, one for grinding corn, the other for pulp rags. Paper Mill Lock is now the headquarters of C&BN company.
Essex Willow, famous around the world for the manufacture of some of the best 'test match standard' cricket bats, have been grown alongside the canal for many years, and still are today. Trees of 56 inch circumference (around 15 years old) are felled and new trees planted alongside old nearly every year.