Information for record number MWA4399:
The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

Summary The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, which was built during the Imperial period.
What Is It?  
Type: Canal
Period: Imperial - Industrial (1751 AD - 1913 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Curdworth
District: North Warwickshire, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 19 94
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 The Birmingham to Fazeley Canal projected from Birmingham to Fazeley on that part of the Coventry Canal which had not yet been built, to break the Birmingham Canal Company's monopoly of the carriage of coal from the Wednesbury collieries. After a strenuous fight, the Birmingham company gained control of its rival and amalgamated with it. The Coventry Company raised only enough money to extend their Canal from Atherstone to Fazeley, and not the remaining 11 miles to the Trent and Mersey Canal at Fradley (this work was therefore carried on by the wealthy Birmingham and Trent and Mersey Canal companies).
2 The idea of a Canal link between Birmingham and the Oxford Canal had been around for 20 years before the act was granted to join the two via the Coventry. The main factor in this delay was the fear of the Birmingham company's monopoly of the Canal trade routes in the area. This led to heavy rivalry in the fight to link the two, but eventually the Birmingham company won its act, and bought out its rivals. The Canal was built by 1789, linking the Birmingham Canals at Salford junction with the Coventry Canal at Fazeley and hence with the Oxford Canal and london. The Canal is about 20 miles long, but only a short section falls within the county. For a number of years it provided a useful alternative to the Warwick-Napton route to the Oxford Canal as it had rather fewer locks. Indeed "the traffic has however greatly decreased since the junction at the Birmingham and Fazeley Canals with the Coventry and the Markets at Warwick have visibly declined" (quoted in Hadfield and Norris, Waterways to Stratford, p74). The speaker was referring to road traffic: even the Canal traffic had to work hard to compete. However, like the other Canals, the railway boom had a drastic effect upon the B and FC although it survived.
3 cf West Midlands SMR No 3180.
 
Sources
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: West Midlands Canals
Author/originator: C.Hadfield
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Birmingham Canal Navigations
Author/originator: S R Broadgate
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 1
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: British Waterways Inland Cruising
Author/originator:
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Booklet 9
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Bibliographic reference
Author/originator: West Midlands SMR
Date: 1998
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: PRN 3180
   
Images:  
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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 HARD * A firm beach or foreshore used for landing and loading of ships and other vessels. In more recent times hards have been reinforced with concrete. back
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 MARKET * An open space or covered building in which cattle, goods, etc, are displayed for sale. back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument RAILWAY * A line or track consisting of iron or steel rails, on which passenger carriages or goods wagons are moved, usually by a locomotive engine. back
monument BOOM * A barrier, usually of wood or chain, stretched across the entrance to a harbour, port or anchorage, to control entry and/or limit the effect of the weather on the wave action. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record