SOUTHAMPTON CANAL TUNNEL by EDWIN COURSE
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SOUTHAMPTON CANAL TUNNEL By EDWIN COURSE ALTHOUGH canals are associated with the and the other running to the River Itchen at Midlands rather than the South of England, Northam. by the beginning of the nineteenth century, At a well attended meeting held at the Star Hampshire possessed an appreciable mileage in Southampton, 89 people agreed to invest in of inland navigable waterways. The first of the canal, the largest groups being from these, the Itchen, had been used for many Southampton and from Bristol. The Bristol years, but the engineering works which effec interest was based on plans for waterways tually converted it from the River Itchen to linking Salisbury and Bristol. The initial the Itchen Navigation were completed be reaction from Salisbury was lukewarm but tween Woodmill and Winchester about 1710. subsequently its citizens became more in Partly because of its importance to millers, terested and Committees were formed in and partly for ease of water management, the Southampton, Bristol and Salisbury (Welch corresponding route following the Test con 1966). A survey to determine the line of the sisted of a new cut - a canal as opposed to a canal was carried out by Joseph Hill of Rom- navigation'. The Andover Canal was author sey, and Thomas Ridding was appointed ized in 1789 following the River Anton from secretary. He was a Southampton solicitor, Andover down to Fullerton, and the Test and also the town clerk. Joseph Hill produced down to Redbridge (29 Geo. Ill, c.72). It was detailed estimates for the provision of a water opened throughout in 1794 and settled down way 15 ft. wide at the bottom and 27 ft. wide to 65 years of unintensive but steady use, after at the top with 4 ft. of water over the sills of which its route was taken up by a railway. Its the locks, to carry barges 60 ft. long and 8 ft. traffic was mainly local although if various wide (SRO D/PM 6/3/11-13). Particular schemes had materialized, it would have entries refer to the aqueduct for carrying the formed part of the national waterway net Eastern Arm over Tanners Brook at Mill- work. brook and to the tunnel in Southampton but there is no specific reference to the towpath The most important connection, which did for the horses. achieve partial construction, was the South ampton and Salisbury Canal. This was to con In order to achieve corporate status, to sist of two separate lengths. The Western acquire compulsory purchase powers and Arm ran for 13§ miles from Salisbury to join limited liability for the shareholders, an Act the Andover Canal at Kimbridge. Joining of Parliament was required, and this was the two arms was nine miles of the Andover obtained in 1795 (35 Geo. Ill, c.51). By Canal between Kimbridge and Redbridge. August 1795, contractors were invited to The Eastern Arm ran from Redbridge for 4£ tender for the works and Thomas Jinkins, miles to Southampton. It followed the north described as a stonemason, undertook to build bank of the river until it reached the penin the Eastern or Southampton Arm. Bricks were sula on which stood Southampton. This was made from local brick-earth dug out from to be crossed by means of a tunnel, beyond Houndwell, Southampton; stone was brought which the line divided, one branch running in from Purbeck. This was a period of south to a sea-lock near Gods House Tower promise, when there were hopes that not only Proc. Hants Field Club Archaeol. Soc. 33, 1977, 73-8. 73 PROCEEDINGS FOR THE YEAR 1976 would the canal form part of a route from It was probably in 1804 that the canal Southampton to Bristol, but also it would be reached its maximum development. At that linked to London via the Itchen Navigation time it was open for navigation from the and the Basingstoke Canal. The gap between west end of Southampton tunnel to Alderbury the Itchen Navigation terminal at Winchester Common, at which point goods could be and that of the Basingstoke Canal at Basing transferred to the turnpike road for forward stoke was to be closed by the London and ing to Salisbury. Subsequently, no more was Southampton Ports Junction Canal which, done and the existing work fell into decay. like the Southampton and Salisbury, had Hill Thomas Ridding died, and his son, also for surveyor and Thomas Ridding as Secre Thomas Ridding, became both secretary to tary. With the aid of steam pumping engines the canal company and town clerk. By 1821 a canal between Winchester and Basingstoke the Southampton arm of the canal had become could have materialized, but from an econ a stagnant ditch and repository for rubbish. omic point of view, its chances were slight. There were moves to require Thomas Ridding In the event, it failed to attract enough sup as town clerk, to sue himself as secretary of port and its position was not helped when it the canal company, but these he managed to emerged that 'the Southampton and Salisbury parry. Finally, by the Marsh Act of 1844, was running into Financial difficulties. the Corporation obtained powers to fill in the canal (7 & 8 Vic. c.54). By happy chance, The biggest single work was the Southamp the Southampton and Dorchester Railway ton tunnel and by December 1797 the com was under construction by 1847 and between mittee were sufficiently disturbed to invite Northam and Redbridge followed roughly reports, not only from their own surveyor the same line as the canal. The canal tunnel but also from the eminent engineer, John was far too small to carry a double line rail Rennie. He was critical of both the quality way and some stretches of the canal were left of the bricks being used and also of the merit as isolated strips of water, but much of it of the constructional work. In the early part disappeared under the formation of the rail of 1798 there was some improvement, but the way. By way of contrast, the line through shareholders were disenchanted and the Romsey to Salisbury paralleled the Western supply of money dried up. There was nothing arm of the canal, and only coincided with it to pay the contractors, who with their work for short stretches. Because of this much of men, drifted away. The unfortunate Hill was the Western arm has survived. unable to obtain money owed to him by the company and Finished up as a debtor in King's Until the 1960s the longest stretch of the Bench prison. The only hope was to obtain Eastern Arm to survive consisted of about another Act of Parliament giving new powers 1,000 yards on the south side of the railway for raising money. This was done and fresh at Redbridge. Much of this was filled in by supplies of money began to trickle in (39 Sc the Docks Board between 1963 and 1965, but 40 Geo. Ill c.108). A new engineer, George the stretch through the railway works was Jones was appointed and new contractors, still extant in May 1966. A length was pumped Messrs. Brawn and Small commenced work out by the Southampton Auxiliary Fire Ser on botli arms of the canal. They were bank vice to enable a section to be examined and rupt by January 1802 and informed Thomas measured (Welch 1966). In 1964, in connec Ridding, who was still the Secretary that they tion with a flood relief scheme, the Hampshire regretted being 'under the disagrable nessaty River Board found part of the culvert Which of leaving the Country'. Jones continued with carried Tanners Brook under the canal. This direct labour and employed four Newcastle was photographed before it was filled in. miners on the tunnel. East of the tunnel, die canal divided. The 74 SOUTHAMPTON CANAL TUNNEL X-* -.^.•" 1;=== ' x\S I •• vw>: Fig. i. Aerial view showing line of canal and tunnel through Southampton. (Copyright: Aerofilms Ltd.) 75 PROCEEDINGS FOR THE YEAR 1976 southern branch is commemorated by Canal the drainage, and the saturated subsoil dis Walk. There were no visible remains but placed the lining of the new tunnel to such part of a wharf was exposed when excavation an extent that the main London road over was carried out for the foundations of Palm- the top of it subsided. Because of this, when erston House in 1961. Of the arm to Northam, the railway was opened on 1 June 1847, the part was obliterated by the railway, and tunnel was impassable and locomotives and much of the remainder by the gasworks. coaches moved across the town on lorries drawn by numerous horses. The railway Without doubt, the most important relic tunnel was officially opened on 6 August in the city is the tunnel. As explained above 1847 and for the next 117 years, survived the railway tunnel crossed the canal tunnel with only routine maintenance. However in obliquely. The canal tunnel had to be level, 1964 k was observed that the floor, or invert but the railway tunnel climbed from both was rising towards the roof and reconstruction portals at 1 in 396, which enabled it to clear was necessary. This involved the exposure of the top of the canal tunnel by about a foot. the heading to the canal tunnel, and as the The railway contractor constructed a heading ends had been blocked off for many years, from the new tunnel to the canal tunnel gave a unique opportunity for investigation. which he proceeded to use as a tip. This upset Dr.