History of the Kennet & Avon Canal

The Kennet & Avon Canal is England's most southerly cross-country broad-beam canal, and weaves its way through spectacular scenery on its journey from the Thames at Reading to the Bristol Avon. Providing a direct link between London and the Bristol Channel, it also affords access to Birmingham and beyond via Oxford and the Thames.

The Wilts & Berks Canal connects at Semington and the Somersetshire Coal Canal joins at Dundas. Neither of these is currently navigable, but restorers are working hard to bring the Wilts & Berks back into life.

The route of the Kennet & Avon is an eclectic mix of outstanding natural beauty and rolling landscapes, interspersed with the urbanity of modern Reading and the World Heritage Site attractions of Bath. A wealth of classic architectural heritage accompanies the line as it wends past picturesque market towns and villages including Marlborough, Bradford-on-Avon and medieval Devizes - site of the breathtaking Caen Hill Lock Flight.

Opened in stages between 1723 and 1810, the K&A was navigable only with difficulty during much of the 20th century. The vigorous restoration campaign that followed the final end-to-end traffic in 1951 was undoubtedly a major catalyst for the entire waterways restoration movement.

The canal was reopened by HM The Queen in 1990, and has since undergone continuing improvements, aided by a £25m Heritage Lottery Fund grant and other funding. Substantial restoration works have been matched by the development of canalside resources, including wildlife habitats and moorings.

There are two dramatic aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas, the latter regarded as a tour de force by engineer John Rennie. Other engineers included John Hoare, responsible for canalising sections of the river navigations at either end; and William Jessop, who contributed modifications to the summit pound. But many of the more inspiring artefacts are by Rennie. His Claverton Pumping Station, built in 1812 and still working today, elegantly solved problems of water supply at the western end utilising a beam engine powered by the flow of the Avon. The Crofton beam engines, at Wilton, are amongst the world's oldest working steam engines.