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Tennant Canal
The Tennant Canal was the brainchild of George Tennant who wanted to link the River Neath with the River Tawe. He started work on the canal in 1821 without first securing the backing of Parliament – a risky business as no compulsory land purchases could be made.
However, his gamble eventually paid off and the Tennant Canal ran from the mouth of the River Tawe, near Swansea to Aberdulais Basin where it met the Neath Canal. Just before reaching Aberdulais Basin the canal had to cross the River Neath, which it did via the still spectacular Aberdulais Aqueduct.
Boats have not navigated the Tennant Canal since 1934 and yet it has survived more-or-less intact. This is largely down to the fact that the Tennant Canal (along with the Neath Canal) is used as a water source for local industries.
