Kennet and Avon Canal

BACKGROUND
The River Avon Navigation from Hanham Mills, between Bath and Bristol, to Bath was opened 1727. It was purchased by the Kennet and Avon Canal Co, 1796.
The River Kennet Navigation from High Bridge, Reading to Newbury, Berkshire, was completed about 1723. The Kennet and Avon Canal Co purchased this in 1812.
The Kennet and Avon Canal Navigation was to link these navigations. It was authorised 1794, and completed, after several other acts enabling the raising of funds and alterations to the route, in 1810. The principal engineer was John Rennie.
John Rennie, was born 1761 into a family of civil engineers. He studied at Edinburgh University, worked for James Watt and Matthew Boulton from 1784, set up on his own account 1791. John Rennie made a great reputation as a canal engineer. He died in 1821.
The first dividend was paid 1814 and the canal was prospered until 1840. Traffic and receipts fell alarmingly after the London to Bristol railway line opened, 1841. The Great Western Railway bought the canal in 1852, and ran it down, and by 1926 were trying to close it, against opposition. Interest in restoration dates from 1950. The Kennet and Avon Canal Trust was formed in 1951.
OS 1st edition 1inch map, KandAC miles 30 to 31
OS 1st edition 1inch map, KandAC miles 32 to 39
OS 1st edition 1 inch map, KandAC miles 40 to 48
OS 1st edition 1 inch map, KandAC miles 49 to 56
OS 1st edition 1 inch map, KandAC miles 57 to 64
OS 1st edition 1 inch map, KandAC miles 65 to 70

To follow the Wiltshire part of the canal you need OS Landranger '1inch' maps 172, 173 and 174.

The pictures in this small collection are just snapshots taken from the canal towpath; not the exact view you would get from a canal boat. You see more from the towpath.

References:-
: 1811: Authentic Description of the Kennet and Avon Canal: (London)
: 1984: Claverton Pumping Station; a definitive study: Kennet and Avon Canal Trust
Allsop, Niall: 1999 (4th edn): Kennet and Avon Canal: Millstream Books (Bath, Avon):: ISBN 0 94875 28 8
Boucher, Cyril T G: 1963: John Rennie 1761-1821: Manchester University Press
Clew, Kenneth R: 1968: Kennet and Avon Canal: David and Charles
Hammond, Nicholas: 1975: Kennet and Avon Waterway, the Complete Chart: Imray, Laurie, Norie and Wilson Ltd (St Ives, Huntingdonshire): 2 parts
GEOProjects: 1997 (3rd edn): Kennet and Avon Canal (map): GEOProjects (Reading, Berkshire)
Piersenne, Andrew: 1985: Kennet and Avon Canal Towpath Guide: Kennet and Avon Canal Trust: 12 parts
Russell, John: 1997: Kennet and Avon Canal; a Journey from Newbury to Bath 1964: Millstream Books (Bath, Avon):: ISBN 0 948975 46 6
Quinlan, Ray: 1991: Kennet and Avon Walk: Cicerone Press:: ISBN 1 85284 090 0

Kennet and Avon Scrapbook 2000