Monument record 442/1 - Route of The Grand Junction Canal (Later Incorporated Into The Grand Union Canal)

The Grand Junction Canal was authorised in 1793 to connect the River Thames at Brentford with the Oxford Canal at Braunston and hence to Coventry and Birmingham, shortening the London-Midlands route considerably compared with that using the whole length of the Oxford Canal. Great difficulty was encountered in constructing the tunnel at Blisworth and the canal was not fully navigable along its whole length until 1805. The canal incorporates the routes of the Grand Trunk Canal, the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal, the Warwick and Birmingham Canal, and the Warwick and Napton Canal, these being united as the Grand Union Canal in 1929. The Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal, and the old Grand Union Canal (Buckley-Gumley) had been amalgamated in 1894.

{1} The Grand Junction Canal was built in the 1790's. A canal-based settlement was established at Long Buckby Wharf, to the south west of Long Buckby.

{3} The Grand Union Canal was authorised in 1793 to connect the River Thames at Brentford with the Oxford Canal at Braunston and hence to Coventry and Birmingham, shortening the London-Midlands route considerably compared with that using the whole length of the Oxford Canal. Great difficulty was encountered in constructing the tunnel at Blisworth and the canal was not fully navigable along its whole length until 1805.

{5} Letter regarding features of canal to be seen at Braunston.

{6} Article on the dating of the First Survey of the Oxford Canal plans relating to Braunston.

{10} The present Grand Union Canal is the 1929 union of older, separate waterways linking London and Birmingham. These included the Grand Junction Canal built in 1805 by William Jessop.

{11} The Grand Junction Canal was erected in 1793-1815 and at the time was a great civil engineering undertaking with two tunnels, three flights of locks, four high embankments and an aqueduct. In total the canal was 111 miles long and cost over £1.5 million.

{12} The Grand Junction Canal was built to join London to Birmingham and the northern canal system. This was an ambitious project, 137 miles in length, with 166 locks and a number of lengthy tunnels. Part of the original plan was to provide a side arm to link the main canal with Northampton and the navigable River Nene.

<1> BALLINGER J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Long Buckby (Industrial), (part checked) (Digital archive). SNN100506.

<2> Foard G.; Ballinger J., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Long Buckby, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101574.

<3> Blagrove D., 1969, The Canal at Stoke Bruerne, (unchecked) (Book). SNN104875.

<4> Blagrove D., 1990, Waterways of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN104876.

<5> Mees A., 2000, Correspondence, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN100775.

<6> Mees A., 2001, Assigning a Precise Date to the Oxford Canal First Survey (Braunston section), (unchecked) (Notes). SNN106753.

<7> 1853, Estate Map of Dodmore Farm, (checked) (Map). SNN109226.

<8> Freeston G.; Bunker J., 1997, The Great Blisworth Countractor; Richard Dunkley and His Building Projects, p.259-64 (unchecked) (Article). SNN104880.

<9> Rouse, C. & Hunn, J., 2005, Archaeological Desk-based Assessment: Monksmoor Farm, Daventry, p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN107189.

<10> CROWE N., 1994, Canals, p.122 (part checked) (Book). SNN76963.

<11> BALLINGER J., 1995?, East Midlands Regional Research Frameworks: Northamptonshire, Industrial Period, "Canals" (part checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN104881.

<12> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 1996-2013, Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Newsletter, Issue 108 p.1 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN55360.

<13> Starmer G.H., 1996, Some Transport Features Between Weedon and Junction 18 On The M1, (unchecked) (Report). SNN3582.

<14> Hadfield C., 1966, The Canals of The East Midlands, (unchecked) (Book). SNN104879.

<15> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 1970, Industrial Archaeology In Northamptonshire, p.23 (checked) (Article). SNN103317.

<16> Blagrove D., 1995, Braunston, A Canal History, (unchecked) (Book). SNN104877.

<17> Starmer G.H., 1982, National Register of Industrial Monuments (Catalogue). SNN563.

<18> Historic England, Undated, National Record of Industrial Monuments (NRIM): Index Cards, NRI01 (Archive). SNN113469.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:14PM