Information for record number MWA4323:
Kingswood Junction, Lapworth

Summary Kingswood Junction, a canal junction between the Stratford on Avon Canal, and the Warwick and Birmingham Canal, dating from the Imperial period. It is located 300m southwest of Kingswood Bridge.
What Is It?  
Type: Canal
Period: Imperial - Industrial (1751 AD - 1913 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Lapworth
District: Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 18 70
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Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Kingswood junction marks the junction between the Stratford upon Avon Canal and the Warwick and Birmingham Canal. The orignal plan was for the connection to be one and three quarter miles long, with a quarter mile tunnel under the main street of Lapworth. This was evidently too difficult or expensive as in the event a short simple branch was made without recourse to tunnelling. However, due to temporary shortage of funds the Stratford Canal terminated here in a basin until 1812. As per its authorising act, the Canal was suitably locked to allow the passage of one lockful of water to the WBC when a boat passed in either direction. At the recommencement of cutting, however, the locking was changed so that in some circumstances the WBC could lose water. After much legal wrangling a new branch was built which met the Stratford Canal above, rather than below, lock 21. This was opened in December 1818.
3 History of negotiations between Warwick and Birmingham Canal Company and Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Company to link the two Canals at Kingswood. Dispute over the new arrangments of locks at Kingswood not delivering the Warwick and Birmingham Canal Co their "full lock of water" and they won a court case 1812-1816. Man paid for by the Stratford Co had to live at the junction to see that there was always at least 6ft fall in the mainline lock and water on Stratford side of stop gate never lower than the Warwick side. But the dispute continued and finally agreed to fill the short cutting from the lower basin and to build a new lock on the branch, above lock 21 rather than below it. New arrangement opened 1818.
 
Sources
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Canals of Rowington and Lapworth
Author/originator: Nick Holmes
Date: 2017
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Northern Stratford on Avon Canal
Author/originator: Ford R
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Waterways to Stratford
Author/originator: Hadfield C & Norris J
Date: 1984
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: p.79 and p.92
   
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
period Imperial 1751 AD to 1914 AD (end of the 18th century AD to the beginning of the 20th century AD)

This period comes after the Post Medieval period and before the modern period and starts with beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. It includes the second part of the Hannoverian period (1714 – 1836) and the Victorian period (1837 – 1901). The Imperial period ends with the start of the First World War in 1914.
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monument LOCK * A section of the water channel on a canal or river shut off above and below by lock gates provided with sluices to let the water out and in, and thus raise or lower boats from one level to another. Use more specific type where known. back
monument CANAL * An artificial navigable waterway used for the transportation of goods. Nowadays also used for recreational purposes. back
monument TUNNEL * An underground channel with a vaulted roof. Use specific type where known. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument BRIDGE * A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known. back
monument CANAL JUNCTION * A place where two artificial waterways meet each other. back
monument STOP GATE * Pairs of canal gates (also called Brindley gates) designed to rapidly shut off a section of a canal to prevent flooding back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record