A map of the Ashby Canal

A brief history of the Ashby Canal

The canal runs from Marston Junction near Bedworth to Wadlands Wharf near Overseal. The canal was opened in1804.

The canal is a contour canal and was originally intended to provide a connection between Coventry and Burton-On-Trent. The original plan had been forit to be a braod canal, as is evident by some of the wide bridges and also the Snareston Tunnel.

Today there are now 2 sections that are navigable:

• The main canal - Marston Junction to Snareston Tunnel
• The Moira section -Moira to Donisthorpe
  

Much of the trade on the canal was the transportation of coal from the coal fields around Moira and Measham. Ironically, the coal mines were to lead to the eventual closure of parts of the canal. In 1918 subsidence from the mining activities caused a breach in the canal at Moira. Continued subsidence lead to more closures at the northern end of the canal and finally the canal was closed just north of the Snareston Tunnel.

In 1990 the last coal mine closed and the subsidence ceased. It is hoped that this will lead to the canal being re-opened at some point in the future.

The restoration project is current blocked becuase a single land owner refuses to sell a patch of land. The Ashby Canal Trust was set up in 2000 and they are hoping to obtain the missing piece of land, if necessary by uisng a compulsory purcahse order.

For more detailed information, follow the links below:

• Wikipedia
• Canal & River Trust
• Inland Waterways Association

For more detailed information, follow the links below:

• Wikipedia
• Canal & River Trust