 Kennet and Avon Canal |
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MILE 42
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Pewsey and Wilcot, Wiltshire : KAC42.00=KAC43.00 |
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KandAC mile 42
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KandAC mile 42 - OS 1inch map, early 19th century
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... surely something must happen on the canal, somewhen ...
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The Kennet and Avon Canal from mile 42 to 43 is part of the Fifteen
Mile Pound which roughly follows a contour line on the side of Pewsey
Vale. The towpath is on the south side up to Bristow Bridge where it
roves to the north side.
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Milepost 42; the post is a length of bridge rail, the wooden boards
and iron numbers are rarely found. These are not sturdy mileposts in
the cast iron canal tradition, presumably a late re-survey?
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Boats moored east of Pewsey Bridge, looking east.
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Shell of a swan mussel, Anodonta cygnea. These shells are not unusual
in the earth of the canal banks.
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KandAC culvert 42.13
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Ivy, Hedera helix, strangling a tree.
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KandAC winding point 42.15
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Boundary marker, at the edge of the canal wayleave, in the field at
the bottom of the embankment - outside the present canal fence.
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GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY Cos / BOUNDARY / 1917
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The Great Western Railway, GWR, owned the canal from the mid 19th
century, which didn't do the canal much good.
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Mallard duck and drake, Anas platyrhynchos.
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Parish boundary Pewsey - Wilcot: SU15116139
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KandAC culvert 42.25
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Approaching Bristow Bridge from the east.
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Bluebells, Endymion nonscriptus, in Lower Bristow Copse.
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Bristow Bridge, Wilcot
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On the north side is Upper Bristow Copse, on the south Lower Bristow
Copse.
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Pillbox on the edge of Stowell Park, polygonal, mixed brick and
concrete, facing south from the north side of the canal.
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Brickwork, somewhat decayed, in the pillbox wall. The bricks seem to
be cellular, why?
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KandAC culvert 42.44
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Just beyond the culvert there is a plug in the bed of the canal,
though I saw no sign of the winch for it last time I was there. Pull
the plug, or 'stop valve', and the water runs away - stanks, temporary
dams across the canal, should have been set before you do this.
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Stowell Park, Wilcot
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Stowell Park Suspension Bridge, Wilcot
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A converted wooden canal boat, moored near Wilcot.
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View eastwards towards Stowell Park Bridge. The trees along the
towpath are a planted avenue along the side of the parallel road.
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Speedwell, Veronica persica, by the towpath.
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Houses by the road alongside the north side of the canal, close to
Wilcot.
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View east from Wilcot Bridge, the mile section ends just to the east
of the bridge.
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Kennet and Avon Scrapbook 2000
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