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Canals have been a lifeline for British industry
and agriculture for far longer than many of us believe. Rather than
being a product of the Industrial Revolution, the use of British Waterways
and canals can be traced as far back as Roman times.
During roman times, canals were used for irrigation
purposes and to connect existing waterways with one another. Romans
built the Foss Dyke in Lincolnshire for drainage and navigation and
the Caer Dyke around AD50 shortly after the Roman invasion of Britain
in 43AD by the armies of Emperor Claudius.
By building a canal so soon after invading these
isles we can see the importance that canals must have had for Roman
infrastructure.
During the middle ages, goods were mainly transported
by sea and a network of muddy roads connected to the coast and main
towns. However, goods were at the mercy of the weather and piracy
at sea. On land, goods would often break in transit as pack horses
struggled along the muddy and pitted medieval road system.
Using existing British waterways, offered a favourable
alternative and allowed larger quantities of goods to be transported
safely. Canal boats and barges were towed by horse along navigable
rivers to carry supplies to sites where new castles, churches and
monasteries were being built.
At Windsor a cut was dug to bring the thames closer
to the castle and provide
During the Tudor reign, Britain grew as an economic
and political power. This led to a time of growth and prosperity with
increases in population and industry. Advances in canal engineering
were needed to cater for the expanding use of British Waterways to
support this growth. One of the earliest developments in the early
part of this period was the invention of the simple flash lock to
assist canal boats and barges in moving up stretches of rivers that
were stepped.
These early developments were soon inadequate and
further transformation and improvement was needed. A concerted effort
to improve and extend many rivers to create new channels for transporting
goods was undertaken during the 15th and 16th century. These new water
channels provided a means of transporting mass quantities at a lower
price than by road. They also created direct links to new and expanding
towns opening them up for trade.
The first waterways to benefit from this period
of growth were the River Great Stour in 1515 and the Exeter Shipping
Canal in 1566. The Exeter Canal also featured the first type of a
new lock, the pound lock, which is still in use today.
This expansion continued into the 17th Century as
industrialists identified canals as an economical means of transporting
goods with fewer breakages. But it was during the
the late 18th Century that canals really came into
their own. As Britain entered the industrial revolution canals became
the preferred means of transport. Most of what we know of as today’s
canal networks were built during the 18th and early 19th century to
keep up with the demand for an economical and reliable way of moving
goods.
During this era engineering of the existing waterways
became more sophisticated. Rather than build longer and longer cuts
to avoid long or difficult stretches of river, it was logical to instead
design and build artificial waterways. These new purpose built canals
would take goods directly to where they needed to go, avoiding long
and circuitous natural river routes. So started the construction of
an integrated canal network with the sole purpose of moving materials
and goods direct to factory and market.
The famous pottery owner, Josiah Wedgewood, was
one such industrialist who saw the advantage of using canal boats
to bring bulk quantities of raw material straight to the factory door
and then finished goods onto market.
The first of these purpose built canals were the
Sankey Canal and Bridgewater Canal, which were soon followed by others
like the Oxford Canal and the Trent and Mersey Canal.
During this golden age, the canal network expanded
to nearly 4000 miles (7000 km).
Engineers such as Thomas Telford lay claim to the
magnificent tunnels, aqueducts and structures that were essential
to the canal network and spanned the land that was originally seen
as impossible to traverse. As you cruise across aqueducts, through
tunnels and locks, spare a thought for those who built them- many
died in these pioneering projects and construction was often a slow
and laborious process using little more than picks and shovels
Britain's canals today are a long way from the functional
working canals of former centuries. The boats which will be your home
during your canal boat holiday are a far cry from the simplistic barges
of the past. Equipped with all the technology and facilities you'll
need throughout your break, our five star boats allow you to experience
the transportation mode of the past in full comfort.
Today, many of the boats which you'll pass on the
canal will be other holidaymakers. Britain still has many communities
who live on canal boats, and you'll soon spot the professionals: gliding
through the locks without a second thought, keeping their self decorated
boats in good nick and going about their daily lives.
Canal boat holidays give you a chance to experience
the beauty of Britain's waterways. Immersed in history and rich in
atmosphere, canal boat holidays are a tranquil way to travel some
of Britain's most serene and stunning locations. For information on
where you can begin your journey call Tillerman boats today. |
