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Droitwich Junction Canal

Hanbury Wharf Locks, Droitwich Junction Canal in Droitwich

The Droitwich Junction Canal was one of the last canals of the narrow canal age. This short waterway, linking the busy Worcester & Birmingham Canal with the town of Droitwich, has been derelict for many years.

The narrow Droitwich Junction Canal of 1854, one of the last canals of the narrow canal age, continued the route from Droitwich through to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Hanbury. (Hanbury is said to be the inspiration for Ambridge in Radio 4's The Archers, and indeed, keen listeners will occasionally hear references to a partly navigable canal on the programme.)

In 2003, the Droitwich Canals - the Junction Canal and the Barge Canal - were awarded a multi-million pound grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and as a result the Droitwich Canals are now completely restored.

The completion of the Junction Canal has created the final link in a new 22-mile continuous cruising ring, which takes in the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, the upper reaches of the Severn Navigation and the newly refurbished Droitwich Barge Canal.