Canals in Coventry

The history of Canals in Coventry

Coventry Canal Basin was opened in 1769 and expanded in 1788. It is situated just north of Coventry City Centre and just outside the city's inner ring road. Many of the buildings and the site were restored between 1993 and 1995. The Canal Bridge, Canal House and the warehouses are grade II listed buildings.

All boats going in and out of Coventry Canal Basin have to pass through the Canal Bridge.

Coventry Canal Basin

The Coventry Canal Company was formed in 1768. James Brindley was commissioned to build the canal, and work started on it in December that year. Due to the high standards of construction demanded by Brindley, the canal company ran out of money by the time the canal had reached Atherstone in 1769, and Brindley was replaced by Thomas Yeoman.

Thomas Dadford advised on the Canal's aqueduct over the River Tame (now known as Tame Aqueduct) in 1784 and in June 1785, Thomas Sheasby was awarded the contract to connect the Coventry Canal to the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

The canal remained half finished for another seventeen years, but was finally completed and opened in 1789, part of the missing link being constructed by the Birmingham and Fazely company, and part by the Trent and Mersey company. Later the Coventry Canal company bought back the section built by the T&M company, but the middle section remained part of the Birmingham and Fazely Canal. The T&M section is nowadays referred to as Coventry Canal (detached portion).

The canal was for many years an important artery of trade, and was nationalised in 1948, and taken over by British Waterways. In 1957, Coventry Canal Society was established to promote the proper use and maintenance of the canal, and to protect its interests. The canal acts as a base to Mercia Canoe Club, which is part of Coventry Canal Society. This text is from the Wikipedia Pages on Coventgry Canal Basin and can be inked to from here...