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Historical Hillmorton


zenataomm

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Doing a current Satellite Map comparison side by side to the 1888 - 1913 OS map for Hillmorton Here.

I was interested to see that below the bottom locks there was what looks like a pier sticking out and to the right a canal arm marked "Basin". No longer in existence yet still visible in the contemporary version.

Any one know anything about it? It doesn't look like a basin, just an arm that curls away to the left at the top. Also curious is that it seems to pass under a large, strange shaped construction. A transshipment warehouse perhaps?

 

Anyone anything to add?

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Google maps : https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3654073,-1.208869,16.75z

 

If you get your bearings you can see the route (some missing) that is still in water,the canal appears to have run from just above the top lock and north of its existing line.

 

also below bottom lock (winding hole) the canal went straight ahead and not to the left.

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From here: http://www.waterwayroutes.co.uk/wr/routes-ox-modernisation.html

 

Modernisation

 

100919-1026-barby-straight-600.jpg

When built, the Oxford Canal north of Braunston Turn followed a long twisting route as it followed the contours with the minimum of earthworks to reduce construction costs but covering 43 miles to reach Hawkesbury Junction, just 16 miles away in a straight line.

With competition from newer canals the Oxford Canal's owners modernised the canal with straighter sections omitting many of the more tortuous loops and substantially shortening the journey. These are recognisable as the straight sections and are usually on embankments or in cuttings as these are no longer on the level contour following route. Most of the former loops are closed and filled in, with a few partially remaining as short arms and used for mooring.

in stock.

 

Ref: 130328 1615

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Another file that can be downloaded and used with Google Earth, that shows existing and previous routes of canals and those under restoration.

 

Strangely though it does not show the route we are discussing.

 

Link: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/gec-dynamic-data-layers/tLHfU8VSSzs

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Google maps : https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3654073,-1.208869,16.75z

 

If you get your bearings you can see the route (some missing) that is still in water,the canal appears to have run from just above the top lock and north of its existing line.

 

also below bottom lock (winding hole) the canal went straight ahead and not to the left.

 

If you're referring to the thinner blue line which parallels the existing canal though the 3 x 2 locks, it's not the original course of the canal. It's the feeder from the original back pumping system which was powered by either wind or steam (or perhaps both at some time, I'm sure someone will come in with the correct info) from a sump next to the dry dock in the boatyard under Granthams Bridge.

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If you zoom into The Oxford this map shows the original route in yellow:

 

http://canalmap.net/canalmap/map

 

It shows the Braunston Branch Canal as well which, when it existed, belonged to The Grand Junction Canal Co.

 

It's a very useful map but there's a little bit of 'yellow' missing from the Hillmorton/Rugby area. From a point roughly half way between Noel's Bridge and Bridge 69 (Kent Road/Clifton Road0 the original course of the canal headed almost due south, crossed the railway (which did not exist at the time) recrossed back north of the railway and rejoined the current route just to the west of bridge 69. The course can still be clearly seen in the field between the canal and the railway and is marked on the satellite view by a tree/hedge line and on the ground a shallow depression running along the east side of the tree line is clearly evident.

Personally I find the stretch of the North Oxford between Himmmorton and Clifton is particularly beautiful but is about to be ruined by the decision of Rugby Borough Council/Warwickshire County Council to build a new road paralling the canal to join the new town to be built on the Rugby Radio Station site to Clifton village and thence the M6. So instead of being disturbed by the occasional train and errant golf ball, you'll have (Ughh) road traffic assailing your eyes and ears along this currently tranquil stretch. Such is progress.

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It's a very useful map but there's a little bit of 'yellow' missing from the Hillmorton/Rugby area. From a point roughly half way between Noel's Bridge and Bridge 69 (Kent Road/Clifton Road0 the original course of the canal headed almost due south, crossed the railway (which did not exist at the time) recrossed back north of the railway and rejoined the current route just to the west of bridge 69. The course can still be clearly seen in the field between the canal and the railway and is marked on the satellite view by a tree/hedge line and on the ground a shallow depression running along the east side of the tree line is clearly evident.

Isn't there also a bit of yellow line missing where the Wyken Arm rejoined the main route? I'm pretty sure the arm was originally part of the main line.

post-7909-0-07286800-1437393070_thumb.png

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It's a very useful map but there's a little bit of 'yellow' missing from the Hillmorton/Rugby area. From a point roughly half way between Noel's Bridge and Bridge 69 (Kent Road/Clifton Road0 the original course of the canal headed almost due south, crossed the railway (which did not exist at the time) recrossed back north of the railway and rejoined the current route just to the west of bridge 69. The course can still be clearly seen in the field between the canal and the railway and is marked on the satellite view by a tree/hedge line and on the ground a shallow depression running along the east side of the tree line is clearly evident.

Personally I find the stretch of the North Oxford between Himmmorton and Clifton is particularly beautiful but is about to be ruined by the decision of Rugby Borough Council/Warwickshire County Council to build a new road paralling the canal to join the new town to be built on the Rugby Radio Station site to Clifton village and thence the M6. So instead of being disturbed by the occasional train and errant golf ball, you'll have (Ughh) road traffic assailing your eyes and ears along this currently tranquil stretch. Such is progress.

 

All is revealed here:

 

http://radiostationvision.com/documents-and-downloads/

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Thank goodness for that. Each time I tried to view, and enlarge, the previously linked map, I got a message informing me that Internet Explorer had stopped working, and the map returned to the size which it was before. So I saw no yellow route, a pity as I know the N/ Oxford fairly well and would have found it of interest.

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Isn't there also a bit of yellow line missing where the Wyken Arm rejoined the main route? I'm pretty sure the arm was originally part of the main line.

 

Have you anything else to make this one stand up, as those of us who are members of The Coventry Canal Society and moor in The Wyken Arm would be very interested.

I once queried if it had ever been a bigger arm, and everyone assured me no, so your suggestion that it was once part of the mainline is new to me.

I know the surrounding land has subsided due to mining, yet much of the land at the head of the basin is much higher than the canal.

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If you're referring to the thinner blue line which parallels the existing canal though the 3 x 2 locks, it's not the original course of the canal. It's the feeder from the original back pumping system which was powered by either wind or steam (or perhaps both at some time, I'm sure someone will come in with the correct info) from a sump next to the dry dock in the boatyard under Granthams Bridge.

 

Thanks that is interesting to know, in defence I did say ",the canal appears to have run from just above the top lock and north of its existing line." but now I know.

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It's a very useful map but there's a little bit of 'yellow' missing from the Hillmorton/Rugby area. From a point roughly half way between Noel's Bridge and Bridge 69 (Kent Road/Clifton Road0 the original course of the canal headed almost due south, crossed the railway (which did not exist at the time) recrossed back north of the railway and rejoined the current route just to the west of bridge 69. The course can still be clearly seen in the field between the canal and the railway and is marked on the satellite view by a tree/hedge line and on the ground a shallow depression running along the east side of the tree line is clearly evident.

Personally I find the stretch of the North Oxford between Himmmorton and Clifton is particularly beautiful but is about to be ruined by the decision of Rugby Borough Council/Warwickshire County Council to build a new road paralling the canal to join the new town to be built on the Rugby Radio Station site to Clifton village and thence the M6. So instead of being disturbed by the occasional train and errant golf ball, you'll have (Ughh) road traffic assailing your eyes and ears along this currently tranquil stretch. Such is progress.

I'm the author of that map and if you check now you should find that "little bit of yellow" is no longer missing. blush.png

 

You may need to clear your cache before it shows.

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Have you anything else to make this one stand up, as those of us who are members of The Coventry Canal Society and moor in The Wyken Arm would be very interested.

I once queried if it had ever been a bigger arm, and everyone assured me no, so your suggestion that it was once part of the mainline is new to me.

I know the surrounding land has subsided due to mining, yet much of the land at the head of the basin is much higher than the canal.

 

I'm sure I that a long time ago I saw a map showing the long straight section which runs roughly parallel to the M6 to be a shortening of a pair of loops, with the current Wyken arm forming the southern end of the northern loop. But I can't now find anything to support that view, and there is no evidence on the aerial photos.

 

But the 1:25,000 map extract below does show a contour which such a loop could reasonably have followed.

 

This extract doesn't show the arm extending west from Wyken basin towards Alderman's Green which is shown on canalmap.net, but it does show a branch from the southern loop to Alexandra Colliery.

post-7909-0-29385500-1437428721_thumb.png

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This extract doesn't show the arm extending west from Wyken basin towards Alderman's Green which is shown on canalmap.net, but it does show a branch from the southern loop to Alexandra Colliery.

 

 

I can't remember where I got the information for that extension. The map I'm looking at shows what appears to be a small embankment between the North West corner of the lake and the buildings. I'm wondering now if it was a tramway. Perhaps someone who has local knowledge of the area could help.

 

I'll add the Alexandra Colliery arm.

Edited by Richard West
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May be of interest? A part copy of one of one of original survey drawings of The Oxford Canal held by Coventry's Reference Library.

 

"A plan of the intended Navigable CANAL from the Coventry CANAL near the City of Coventry to the CITY of Oxford." Surveyed in 1768 Rob't Whitworth, delin.t

 

19853891666_285a8c13f4_b.jpgOxford Canal Survey1

 

Of note is the arm to Gosford Green which was never built and the then planned canal was to join the Coventry Canal closer to Bedworth and the Warwickshire coal fields.

Edited by Ray T
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I knew about the proposed link to Gosford Green but wasn't aware of where it connected with the main line.

I'd always thought it was from the basin at Stoke Heath, so thanks for that.

 

Interestingly if the Coventry Canal Basin had been built at Gosford Green it'd have made a superb destination for the city. Instead of ending up being perched leaning against the inner ring road with only a thin swaying foot bridge to access it.

After the war the plan was to fill it in in order to build the new cathedral on it!

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Doing a current Satellite Map comparison side by side to the 1888 - 1913 OS map for Hillmorton Here.

I was interested to see that below the bottom locks there was what looks like a pier sticking out and to the right a canal arm marked "Basin". No longer in existence yet still visible in the contemporary version.

Any one know anything about it? It doesn't look like a basin, just an arm that curls away to the left at the top. Also curious is that it seems to pass under a large, strange shaped construction. A transshipment warehouse perhaps?

 

Anyone anything to add?

Come to the Old Mortonians Canal Festival at Hillmorton on the 15th August to celebrate 175years of the duplicate locks and in the marquee you will be able to learn all about the housing development, the road AND the plan to restore the Basin which is the old canal cut off in the 1700s. You can still follow the bend round to where it meets the modern canal. Don't be confused by the line of the Clifton Brook which goes under the modern canal.

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Isn't there also a bit of yellow line missing where the Wyken Arm rejoined the main route? I'm pretty sure the arm was originally part of the main line.

Isn't that yellow line Clifton Brook which still flows that route?

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