Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.
Top 100 Sites
This Book "Priestley's Navigable Rivers and Canals" by Joseph Priestley was previously published in April 1831. NOTE: Oringinally called "Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers, Canals, and Railways, of Great Britain". For more information see About this Book
|Index Page||Link to Previous Page 561|
10 George IV. Cap. 108, Royal Assent 1st June, 1829.
THIS is an act for making a railway from Thomas Chapel, in the parish of Begelly, to Saundersfoot, with two branches therefrom; and a harbour at Saundersfoot, in the county of Pembroke. Messrs. William Bevan and Son, engineers, made an estimate of this work as follows:-
|For the Main Line...||4¾ miles ....||6,491||10||0|
|Ridgeway Branch ...||¾ mile ....||818||11||10|
|Wiseman's Bridge Branch ...||1 mile ....||2,131||_9||_8|
|Besides the above, the price of the Land||525||0||0|
|Railway Road over the Piers||240||0||0|
|Erecting the Breakwater at Saundersfoot.||_7,007||18||10|
|Making together . .||£17,214||10||4|
Sir Richard Bulkeley Phillips Phillips, Baronet, of Picton Castle, is the only subscriber.
This work was not completed at the time this article was written.
19 Hen. VII. C. 18, R. A. - - - - - 1503.
23 Hen. VIII. C. 12, R. A. - - - - - 1531-2.
12 Geo. III. C. 109, R. A. 3rd June, 1772.
39 Geo. III. C. 8, R. A. 21st March, 1799.
43 Geo. III. C. 129, R. A. 27th July, 1803.
49 Geo. III. C. 121, R. A. 27th May, 1809.
51 Geo. III. C. 148, R. A. 10th June, 1811.
THE importance which has always attached to this noble river, which without artificial means is navigable to a greater extent than any other in the kingdom, to the incalculable benefit of the country through which it runs, may be estimated by the fact of the first legislative enactment respecting it being at the early period of the reign of Henry VII. entitled, 'An Act concerning the River Severn;' which was followed by another act of his son and successor Henry VIII. entitled, 'An Act for taking Exactions upon
'the Paths of the River Severn.' In 1772 an act was passed 'for making and keeping in Repair a Road or Passage for Horses on the Banks of the River Severn, between Bewdley Bridge and a Place called the Meadow Wharf, at Coalbrook Dale, for haling and drawing Vessels along the said River.' By this act a number of persons were appointed trustees for carrying into effect the provisions of the act, and were empowered to take the following
|For every Horse passing on the Road, drawing a Barge, Wherry, Boat or other Vessel on the Severn, between the Bridge at Bewdley and the Bridge at Bridgenorth||7s.|
|For every Horse drawing any Vessel between the Bridge at Bridgenorth and Meadow Wharf at Coalbrook Dale||5s.|
Horses drawing Vessels laden with Corn in the Straw, Muck or Lime for Manure, are exempted from all Tolls; as also are Horses which return within Twelve Hours after the Time they have been employed, and for which Tolls have been paid.
The act passed in 1799 states that the trustees had not complied with the provisions of the act of 1772, touching the repairs of the towing-path, in consequence of which that act was nullified; but the act of 1799 revives the powers contained in the act of 1772, notwithstanding the commissioners had not held meetings conformably to the directions of such act.
In 1803 an act of parliament was obtained by a company of persons who were thereby incorporated by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the River Severn Horse Towing Path Extension," which was entitled, 'An Act for extending and making the Horse Towing Path or Road, on the Banks of the River Severn,from Bewdley Bridge, in the county of Worcester, to the Deep Water at Diglis, below the city of Worcester.' By which act the company was empowered to raise amongst themselves, for the purposes of this undertaking, the sum of £5,000, in one hundred shares of £50 each; and, if necessary, a further sum of £6,000, either amongst themselves, or by creation of new shares; and they are authorized to take the following
|For every Horse or other Beast, passing on any Part of the Towing-path and drawing any Boat, Barge or other Vessel on the River||6d per Mile.|
|For any less Distance than a Mile||6d.|
Vessels haled by Men pay no Toll.
Another act of parliament, entitled, 'An Act for making and keeping in Repair a Road or Passage for Horses on the Banks of the River Severn, between a certain Place at Coalbrook Dale, to and above the Welsh Bridge in the town of Shrewsbury, county of Salop, for haling and drawing Vessels along the said River,' was passed in 1809, which appointed Lord Ossuiston, Lord Barnard, Sir John Hill, and a number of other persons, trustees for carrying the purposes of the act into execution, and authorized them to take the following
|For every Horse passing along the Towing-path, and drawing a Boat, Barge or other Vessel, between Meadow Wharf at Coalbrook Dale and Mardol and Frankwell Quays above the Welsh Bridge at Shrewsbury||2s per Mile.|
Horses drawing Vessels laden with Corn in the Straw, Muck or Lime for Manure, are exempted from Tolls, as also are Horses returning within Twelve Hours from the Time of Paying Toll, and Vessels haled by Men.
The last act of parliament relating to this river was obtained in 1811, by a number of persons, amongst whom were the Earl of Coventry, the Earl of Essex, Lord Sydney, Lord Somers, Lord Beauchamp, the Bishop of Worcester and the Bishop of Gloucester, who were incorporated by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Gloucester and Worcester Horse Towing Path," and is entitled, 'An Act for extending time Horse Towing Path on the Banks of the River Severn, from Worcester Bridge to a certain Place below the city of Gloucester called the Lower Parting, situate at the Corner of Portham Mead, in the county of Gloucester.' By this act the company are empowered to raise amongst themselves the sum of £10,000, in four hundred shares of £25 each; and, if necessary, a further sum of £5,000, either amongst themselves, by the creation of new shares, or by assignment of the tolls, &c. as a security, and they are authorized to receive the following
|For every Horse or other Beast passing on the Towing-path, and drawing any Boat, Barge or other Vessel on the River||1s per Mile.|
|For every Distance less than a Mile||1s.|
Vessels haled by Men exempted from Toll
The immense facilities afforded to the trade of the country by this river, are too well known to require comment. It has its source in the Plynlimmon Mountains, which are 2,463 feet above
the level of the sea, in Montgomeryshire, Wales, and after a navigable course of one hundred and seventy-eight miles, with a fall of 225 feet from Welshpool, through the counties of Montgomery, Salop, Worcester and Gloucester, it empties itself into the Bristol Channel.
There is a handsome stone bridge over this river at Worcester; an iron one has lately been erected near Tewkesbury; and the only bridge lower down the river, is a handsome one of stone at Gloucester.
The navigable connections of this river are the Montgomeryshire Canal, which is supplied by it at Newtown; the Shrewsbury Canal at Shrewsbury; the Shropshire Canal at the Hay; the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and the Leominster Canal at Stourport; the Droitwich Canal at Hawford; the Birmingham and Worcester Canal at Diglis, below Worcester; the River Avon at Tewkesbury; the Coombe Hill Canal at Fletcher's Leap; the Hereford and Gloucester (when completed) at Gloucester; the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal at Gloucester, and its outlet at Sharpness Point; the Stroud Canal at Framiload; the Lydney Canal below Lydney; the River Wye at Beachley; the Bristol River Avon at Morgan's Pill; and the Monmouthshire Canal at Newport In addition to these canals, there are many railways connecting this river with the numerous coal and other mines, which are in its course.
49 Geo. III. C. 159, R. A. 10th June, 1809.
50 Geo. III. C. 215, R. A. 21st June, 1810.
51 Geo. III. C. 193, R. A. 26th June, 1811.
54 Geo. III. C. 42, R. A. 18th May, 1814.
3 Geo. IV. C. 75, R. A. 21st June, 1822.
THIS railway crosses the forest of Dean in a direction nearly from north to south, and connects, as the title implies, the Rivers Severn and Wye. Commencing from the River Wye at a place called Bishop's Wood, and proceeding thirteen miles and a half through the forest, it terminates in a basin at Cross Pill, a little below Lydney, and from thence is connected with the Severn at Nass Point by a canal one mile in length. There are nine
branches, amounting together in length to above twelve miles and a quarter, laid from the main line to coal and other mines in the neighbourhood; one from Ridnall's Mill; one other from Park End Bridge to the Birches; one other from Park End Bridge to Scroll's Tump; one other from Park End Bridge to Milk Wall; one other from opposite the Lodge Inclosure up Brookhall Ditches; one other from White Ley to Bixhead Quarries; one other from Cannop Hill, up, through and to the head of Howler Slade; one other from Vallet's Inclosure to Wimblow Slade; and one other from Miery Stock to the summit at Churchway Engine.
The first act of parliament relating to this undertaking was passed in 1809, and is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining a Railway from time River Wye, at or near to a Place called Lidbrook, in the parish of Ruarclean, in the county of Gloucester, to or near to a Place called the Lower Forge, below Newern, in the parish of Lydney, in the said county; and for making other Railways therein mentioned, in the Forest of Dean, in the county of Gloucester;' and incorporates the persons who applied for it by the name of" The Lydney and Lidbrook Railway Company." The act states that the undertaking will open an easy communication between the Rivers Severn and Wye and the collieries and quarries in the forest of Dean, and greatly facilitate the conveyance of coal, stone and other productions of the forest to the cities and counties of Hereford and Gloucester.
The proprietors are empowered by the act to raise, amongst themselves, the sum of £35,000, in shares of £50 each, (but of which sum £3,000 is to be reserved for those free miners of the forest of Dean who shall signify their desire to possess shares before the 1st day of August next after the passing of this act, to be divided in shares of £10 each) and if necessary, a further sum of £20,000 may be raised, either amongst themselves, by the creation of new shares, by optional notes, or by mortgage of the undertaking as a security. The act likewise authorizes the company to levy the following
|For all Stone for the Repair of Roads or Highways, and all Manure||0s 2d per Ton, per Mile.|
|For all Coal, Coke, Culm, Stone, Coal Cinders, Chalk, Marl, Sand, Lime, Clay, Ashes, Peat, Lime-stone, Pitching and Paving-stone, Iron-stone, Iron or other Ore, and other Minerals, and Bricks, the Produce of the Forest, from any Place in the Forest to or near to the River Wye at Lidbrook, or to or near to the Lower Forge, or to any Place at a less Distance than the above, where the Goods shall be deposited for Sale,or conveyed farther by other Means than this Railroad, for the whole Distance||3s 0d per Ton.|
|For all the above Goods, the Produce of the Forest, to the Head of any of the Collateral Branches from the Main Line, to connect with any Road or Railway leading towards Colford or Monmouth, for the whole Distance||0s 6d ditto.|
|For all the above (Goods, the Produce of the Forest, to any other Place in the Forest, to be there deposited for Sale or conveyed from thence by other Means than this Railroad, excepting those Carried to the Heads of the Collateral Branches to connect with any Road or Railway leading towards Colford or Monmouth, for the whole Distance||1s 6d ditto.|
|For all other Goods and Merchandize, whether the Produce of the Forest or not||0s 6d ditto, per Mile.|
A special Exemption is made in favor of the Tenants of the Honourable Charles Bathurst, who are only to pay one-third of the Rate of Tonnage for Coal or Culm carried to or near the Lower Forge; one quarter for that carried to or towards the Middle Forge; and one-fifth for that carried to or towards the Upper Forge.
The forest of Dean belonging to the King, the company are to pay £300 per annum, from the period at which the main line of railway shall be completed, for the ground occupied by it and its branches, and a guinea a week towards defraying the expense of inspectors appointed by his Majesty.
Lords of manors and owners of ground on the railway are empowered, by this act, to erect wharfs and warehouses; and on their refusal so to do, in situations which the company consider desirable, the company of proprietors are authorized, after twelve months' notice having been given to such owners, &c. to do so on their own behalf, and the following wharfage rates may be levied, either by the owners of land or the company, as the case may be.
|For all Coals, Culm, Lime-stone, Clay, Iron, Iron-stone, Lead-ore or any other Ores, Timber, Stones, Bricks, Tiles, Slates, Gravel, Hay, Straw, Corn in the Straw, Manure, for Six Days or less||1d per Ton.|
|For ditto for a Month||3d ditto.|
|If a longer Period than a Month, for the first Ten Days||1d ditto.|
|For every succeeding Day after the expiration of Ten Days||1d ditto.|
|For all other Goods or Merchandize, for Six Days||3d ditto.|
|For the next Ten Days||1d ditto.|
|For every succeeding Day after Ten Days||1d ditto.|
The Honourable Charles Bathurst is to allot sufficient land for wharfs on the Severn, and the company are to guarantee the wharfage to him from 1st January, 1813, to be not less than £500 per annum, they making up the deficiency, if any.
The next act of parliament obtained by this company is entitled, 'An Act to alter and amend the Lydney and Lidbrook Railway Act; to vary certain Parts of the said Railway, and to extend the same from Lydbrook to Bishop's Wood, and from the Lower Forge to the Cross Pill; and for making a Basin and Canal to communicate with the River Severn at Nass Point.' This act alters the title of the company to that of "The Severn and Wye Railway and Canal Company," as it stands in the heading of this article, and authorizes them to continue the main line from Lidbrook to Bishop's Wood Furnace on the Wye, and from the Lower Forge in two branches, one on each side of a basin to be cut by the company to a creek called Cross Pill; and they are also to cut a basin at forty yards distance from and above the creek called Cross Pill, to be two hundred yards in length, fifty yards in breadth, and 21 feet deep; and a canal of 21 feet deep, eight yards in width at the bottom and twenty-eight yards at the top, to extend from the basin to the River Severn at Nass Point; they are also to make a lock between the canal and outer harbour, 21 feet wide and 90 feet long, and an outer harbour 28 feet deep, eighty yards long and twenty-six yards wide at the bottom, with a pair of gates or a lock to open into the Severn with the tide; they are also required to divert the waters of a creek called Lidney Pill into this basin and canal, and to stop up the present course of the creek. The company are authorized to take the following rates on the canal.
|For every Trow or other Vessel passing or entering the Outer Harbour, or going in or coming out of the Canal or Basin to or from the Severn||7s 6d each.|
|For all Goods or Merchandize, which shall be imported or exported into or from the Basin in such Trow or Vessel||6d per Ton.|
Fractions to be taken as for a Quarter of a Ton.
Vessels conveying Coal or other Commodities which have been carried on the Railway, and paid the Tolls authorized to be taken thereon, are exempted from these Rates; and a special Clause provides that Messrs. Pidcock and Co. the now Tenants, and any future Tenants, of the Collieries and Iron Works of the Honour-
able Charles Bathurst shall be allowed the Use and Benefit of the Outer Harbour, Basin and Canal, for the conveying of any Coal, Lime-stone, Iron-stone, Iron Metals or any Goods whatever, to and from their Collieries and Iron Works, for the Use thereof or for Sale therefrom, free from all Tolls or Rates; and should there be any obstruction in the Creek or Basin, shall use the Railways by the Sides of the Creek and Basin with like Exemption from Tolls.
Boats of less than Twenty Tons Burthen to pay the same as those of Twenty Tons, except the contrary be allowed by the Company or their principal Agent.
The same Rate of Wharfage to be taken as in former Act.
The rates of the company to be a security to Mr. Bathurst for the £500 per annum guaranteed to him for wharfage rates, and they are also to pay him 10s. per annum for a piece of land of 70 feet in length and forty yards in breadth, on the basin, for a wharf for his tenants, Messrs. Pidcock and Company. The rates for warehouse-room to be the same as those taken upon the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, at Stourport, in Worcestershire.
In consideration of the company (by consent of the Surveyor General of his Majesty's Woods and Forests) deviating about five hundred yards from their original line, near Daniel Moor Ditches, they are to pay £10 a year, in addition to the £300 per annum provided to be paid in the former act.
The act of parliament obtained by the company in 1811 states that they have expended the £35,000, their original capital, with £15,600, part of the £20,000 which they were empowered to raise in addition thereto by the former act, and authorizes them to raise a further sum of £30,000, either by creation of new shares, or by borrowing it on optional notes. It likewise removes the exemption from tolls of those vessels entering into or going from the canal or basin with coal or other commodities, which have been already carried on and paid the tolls of the railroad, and these vessels are in future to pay the same tolls as others, but it continues the exemption in favor of the tenants of the collieries and iron works of Mr. Bathurst.
In 1814 the company obtained another act of parliament, authorizing them to raise a further sum of £30,000 in the same manner as in the preceding act.
The last act of parliament respecting this company was passed in 1822, and provides a compensation to Mr. Bathurst, who had built wharfs and warehouses and appropriated land for them, under the authority of the acts of parliament passed herein, but in consequence of the extension of the railway beyond his land to the
outer harbour made by the company, he was likely to sustain considerable injury from a diminution of wharfage, by goods being deposited on the wharfs adjoining the outer harbour. The act therefore authorizes the company to pay to Mr. Bathurst, his heirs and assigns for ever, the following
|For all Coal (not exceeding in the whole, in any one Year, Sixty Thousand Tons) which shall be deposited on any Wharf of the Company, not on Mr. Bathurst's Land, and from thence shipped for any Place Westward of the Holmes Island||½d per Ton.|
|For all such Coal so deposited and shipped above the Quantity of Sixty Thousand Tons annually||1d ditto.|
|For all Coal which shall be so deposited and shipped to Bristol or Bridgewater, in the event of a Repeal or Equalization of the present Coastwise Duty on Coal taking place||2d ditto.|
And on all Goods landed on the Company's Wharfs (except Coals to be shipped as above, and Materials for Repair of the Company's Works which shall be forwarded within Fourteen Days, or any Goods (not Coal) which shall be landed in transitu upon such Wharfs, and shall be transshipped within One Month) the same Wharfage Rate shall be paid to Mr. Bathurst, as would have been, had they been landed on his own Wharfs, and the Tolls of the Company to be a Security for the Payment of these Rates which are in Addition to, and not to affect the £500 per Annum guaranteed to Mr. Bathurst by the former Act.
This railway and canal, by its cosnmunication with the Rivers Severn and Wye, opens a channel for the transit of his Majesty's timber in the forest of Dean; and of the coal, stone and iron-ore which abound in the said forest, and which are raised by other parties.
55 George III. Cap. 65, Royal Assent 7th June, 1815.
THIS canal, which connects the town of Sheffield with the River Dunn, commences in the township of Tinsley, in a cut communicating with the River Dunn, and thence passes through the township of Attercliffe, in the parish of Rotherham, and, by an aqueduct, over the road from Worksop to Attercliffe, a distance of a little more than four miles, to Sheffield. There is likewise a side-cut of forty-seven chains in length, running by the side of Car Brook, to the township of Darnal, at the end of which is a reservoir called Darnal Reservoir; there are abo two other reservoirs covering in the whole about thirty-two acres and a half.
A very large and commodious warehouse is built at the head of the basin, which basin is two hundred and twenty yards long and forty broad, from which, to the first lock, a distance of nearly three miles, is level; in the next seventeen chains is a fall of 38 feet 5 inches, by six locks; from thence, to a little above Tinsley Wharf, three quarters of a mile, is level; and from thence to the junction with the Tinsley Cut belonging to the River Dunn Company is a fall of 31 feet 8 inches, by five locks, in a distance of seventeen chains and a half, making a total fall of 70 feet 1 inch.
The act of parliament authorizing this canal was obtained in 1815 by a number of persons, amongst whom were Lord Milton and Sir James Graham, who were incorporated by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Sheffield Canal," and are empowered to raise, amongst themselves, for the purposes of this act, the sum of £80,000, in shares of £100 each; and, if necessary, a further sum of £20,000, either amongst themselves, by creation of new shares, or by mortgage of the undertaking as a security. They are empowered to charge the following
|For all Coal, Coke, Charcoal, Lime-stone, Iron-stone, Slag, Sand, Arsura, Sweep-Washing Waste, Stones, Slates, Pavors, Cord Wood, Cinders, Manure, Bones for Manure, Turnips, Carrots and Potatoes||2d per Ton, per Mile.|
|For all Pig-lead, Pig-iron, Ballast-iron, Nut or Bushel-iron, Old Cast-iron, Bricks, Old Ropes and Rags, Timber Unbroken, Bones and Hoofs||3d ditto. ditto.|
|For all Bar, Rod or Rolled-iron or Steel, Cast-iron Goods, Deals and other Broken Timber, Lime, Onions, Apples, Pears, Peas, Beans, Rape, Line, Cole, Mustard Seed, and all Kinds of Green Groceries, that are not by this Act specially charged by Name||4d ditto. ditto.|
|For all Dry Groceries of all Descriptions, and all Kinds of Manufactured Goods, Wares and Merchandize in Casks, Hogsheads or other Packages||5d ditto. ditto.|
|For all Corn, Grain or Malt||1d per Quarter, ditto.|
|For all other Goods, Matters and Things not specially charged||6d per Ton, ditto.|
Fractions of a Mile and of a Ton to be charged as the Quarters therein.
Vessels passing any of the Locks of this Canal with less lading than Twenty-five Tons, shall pay a Tonnage Rate for Twenty-five Tons, if there be sufficient Water to pass a Vessel with that Lading; but if the Water in the Lock shall not be sufficient to pass a Vessel with Twenty-five Tons Weight of Lading, they shall then pay for such Lading as the Water would pass.
|For every Ton of Goods, Wares or other Merchandize, loaded from or landed upon any of the Wharfs or into the Warehouses of the Company (in consequence of building a Bridge over the River Sheaf)||2s.|
The Column marked thus (*) are the Rates to be taken for above Seventy-two Hours and not more than Six Days.
The Column marked thus (+) for Six Days but less than One Month,
The Column marked thus (±) for One Month but less than Six Weeks.
The Column marked thus (§) for Six Weeks, but less than Two Months.
The Column marked thus (||) for Two Months but less than Ten Weeks.
|DESCRIPTION OF GOODS.||(*)|
|For every Ton of Lead, Iron and Steel of all Kinds, lying on the Wharfs and not Housed||0 4||0 6||0 8||0 10||1 0|
|For every Ton of Coal, Coke, Charcoal, Lime, Lime-stone, Iron.stone, Sand, Arsura, Sweep-Washing Waste, Stones, Slates, Bricks, Timber, Bones, Hoofs and other Goods and Things whatsoever, lying on the Wharfs and not Housed||0 6||0 9||1 0||1 3||1 6|
|For every Ton of Goods, Wares, Merchandize and other Matters and Things, lying or deposited in the Warehouses or otherwise Housed||1 0||1 6||2 0||2 6||3 0|
|For every Quarter of Corn, or other Grain and Malt, lying in the Granaries or otherwise Housed||0 2||0 3||0 4||0 5||0 6|
Goods taken away before the expiration of Seventy-two Hours, not to pay any Wharfage Rate.
The act of parliament provides, that on the completion of the side-cut, a private railroad of about six hundred yards in length, running from the Duke of Norfolk's Coal Yard, in the parish of Handsworth, to the southern termination of the side-cut, should become public, the company making compensation to the owners and occupiers of the land through which the railroad passes, and to all persons who will suffer damage thereby. They are likewise to keep all the roads in the township of Tinsley in repair, which had been formerly done by the River Dunn Company.
This canal, by opening a communication between the River Dunn and Sheffield, is of incalculable benefit to that place, by the facilities it affords of transmitting articles of its extensive and important manufactories, and also of the coal and iron-stone which abound in the neighbourhood; and of supplying it with all articles of domestic consumption.
(SEE NUTBROOK OR SHIPLEY CANAL.)
33 George III. Cap. 113, Royal Assent 3rd June, 1793.
THIS canal commences in Castle Foregate Basin, on the east side of Shrewsbury, near the Ellesmere Canal, to which it may be joined by mutual consent, and following the windings of the River Severn, passes Uffington; from thence, having a parallel course with the River Tern, it passes Upton Forge, Withington and Rodington, at which last place it crosses the River Roden; a little further on, it crosses the River Tern by an aqueduct at Long Mill, and runs by Langdon and Eyton, and crossing Ketley Brook, joins the Donnington and Shropshire Canals at Rockwardine Wood, in Shropshire. The proprietors purchased one mile and one hundred and eighty-eight yards of the Ketley Canal, which joins the Shrewsbury Canal at Wombridge, and now forms a part of the line of this work.
The act of parliament, under sanction of which this canal was undertaken, was obtained in 1793, and is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal from the North End of the Shropshire Canal, in the township of Rockwardine Wood, in the county of Salop, to the town of Shrewsbury, in the said county.' It incorporates the company of proprietors by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Shrewsbury Canal Navigation," and authorizes them to raise amongst themselves the sum of £50,000, in shares of £100 each, and, if necessary, a further sum of £20,000 for the purposes of the act, and to take the following
|For all Iron, Iron-stone, Coal, Stone, Timber and other Goods, Wares and Merehandize whatever||2d per Ton, per Mile.|
And in Proportion for a less Quantity than a Ton or a less Distance than a Mile.
And an addition of One Penny per Ton if passed by Inclined Planes, until the Canal pays a Dividend of Eight per Cent, when this last Rate shall cease.
Boats with less than Eight Tons to pay for that Quantity, except when returning.
All Manure (except Lime) exempt from these Rates.
There is a peculiarity in the construction of the locks on this navigation, which enables a long narrow canal boat, or two or four smaller boats (constructed for passing the inclined planes) to
go through them without unnecessary waste of water. The tunnel near Atcham is also remarkable; it is nine hundred and seventy yards in length and 10 feet wide, with a towing-path 3 feet wide, constructed of wood, and supported on bearers from the wall. Mr. Thomas Telford and Mr. William Reynolds were the engineers for constructing this canal.
The length of the canal is seventeen miles and a half; the first twelve miles of which, from Shrewsbury to Langdon, is level; thence to Wombridge, four miles and a quarter, there is a lockage rise of 79 feet; and from thence to Ketley Canal, another rise of 75 feet by an inclined plane, and thence along the Ketley Canal, (purchased of Mr. William Reynolds) is level, making, in the whole distance, a rise of 154 feet, partly by an inclined plane and partly by locks. The fall from the basin to the Severn at Bagley Bridge, Shrewsbury, is 22 feet.
This canal traverses a district of country abounding with coal and iron mines, the proprietors of which, as well as the flourishing and populous town of Shrewsbury, are greatly benefited by the facilities of transmission which it affords.
28 George III. Cap. 73, Royal Assent 11th June, 1788.
THE Shropshire Canal commences at the Donnington Wood Canal, in the parish of Lillishall, and passing by Rockwardine Wood, Oaken Gates, Hollingswood, Stirchley, and Madeley, proceeds to the Hay, near which it is united to the River Severn at Coalport, formerly the Sheep-Wash Meadow, two miles below Coalbrook Dale. Its length is seven miles and a half; from the Severn at Calford to the Hay, a distance of three quarters of a mile, is level; then it rises 207 feet by an inclined plane; it is then level to Windmill Farm; from which point is a rise of 126 feet by another inclined plane; then level to near Rockwardine Wood; from thence it falls 120 feet by an inclined plane; and the remainder of its course to Donnington Wood Canal is level.
The act of parliament authorizing the cutting this canal waspassed in 1788, and is entitled, 'An Act for making and main-
'taining a navigable Canal from the Canal at Donnington Wood, in the county of Salop, to or near to a Place called Southill Bank, and from thence by Two several Branches, to communicate with the River Severn, one near Coalbrook Dale and the other near Madeley Wood, in the said county; and also certain other collateral Cuts to join such Canal.' It incorporates the company of proprietors by the name of" The Company of Proprietors of the "Shropshire Navigation," and empowers them to collect the following
|For all Iron, Iron-stone, Coal, Stones, Timber, Goods, Wares and Merchandize of every Description||2d per Ton, per Mile.|
In addition to which Three-pence is charged for letting loaded Boats down the Inclined Planes.
This canal has assisted, very materially, the trade of its neighbourhood, by its conveyance of the raw materials to the many large furnaces and works thereabouts, and of their heavy manufactured goods, to the River Severn, thus affording a transit to both home and distant parts. The collateral cuts are from Southwell Bank, near Stirchley, to Coalbrook Dale; from the iron-works at Horse Hay is a railway to this canal.
The summit of this canal is 333 feet above the Severn at Coal Port and Meadow Wharf; and 120 feet above the summit of the Shrewsbury Canal, to which last it descends by two inclined planes.
Mr. William Reynolds and Mr. Henry Williams were the engineers, and the work, which was executed for about £47,000, was opened in the year 1792.
42 George III. Cap. 115, Royal Assent 26th June, 1802.
THE act for making this tramroad was obtained by the Monmouthshire Canal Company, and relates principally to their concerns; but as there are a few clauses respecting this tramroad, not connected with the canal, we shall here extract them.
The act, which is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining certain Railways, to communicate with the Monmouthshire Canal Navigation; and for enabling the Company of Proprietors of that Navigation to raise a further Sum of Money to complete their Undertaking; and for explaining and amending the Acts passed in the Thirty-second and Thirty-seventh Years of his present Majesty's Reign, relating thereto,' directs that the Monmouthshire Canal Company shall make the tramroad from their canal, at Newport, for a distance of nine miles, to Tredegar Park; that for the next mile through the park it shall be made by Sir Charles Morgan; and that Samuel Homfray, Richard Fothergill, Matthew Monkhouse, William Thompson and William Forman, iron masters and intended lessees of the Tredegar Iron Works, shall complete the railway from the Nine Mile Point to Sirhowey Furnaces. The act incorporates them by the title of "The Sirhowey Tramroad Company," and empowers them to rase amongst themselves £30,000, in three hundred shares of £100 each; and if necessary a further sum of £15,000, either amongst themselves, by creation of new shares, or by mortgage of the undertaking as a security; and they, as well as Sir Charles Morgan, are authorized to take the same tolls and rates on those portions of the tramroad respectively made by them, as are taken by the proprietors of the Monmouthshire Canal, and are stated under that article. This company is to pay the Monmouthshire Canal Company £110 per annum, in consideration of that company making a mile more in length of the railway than was originally agreed upon.
32 George III. Cap. 106, Royal Assent 11th June, 1794.
THE company of proprietors who carried into effect the purposes of this act of parliament, which is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining a Navigation from Sleaford Castle Causeway, through the town of Sleaford, in the county of Lincoln, along the course of Sleaford Mill Stream and Kyme Eau, to the River Witham, at or near Chappel Hill, in the same county; and for
'making necessary Cuts for better effecting the said Navigation,' are hereby incorporated by the name of" The Company of Proprietors of the Sleaford Navigation, in the county of Lincoln."
The act authorizes them to make navigable the Sleaford Mill Stream and River Kyme Eau, and for that purpose to raise amongst themselves the sum of £13,000, in one hundred and thirty shares of £100 each; and, if necessary, a further susn of £6,500, either amongst themselves, by the creation of new shares, or by mortgage of the tolls. The dividend on these shares is limited to £8 per cent and should the income in any year be more than sufficient to pay this dividend, the tonnage rates are to be reduced in proportion to such excess; a sum of £1,000 having been first funded to meet any deficiencies. The act of parliament empowers the company to take the following
|For all Goods, Wares and Merchandize (except Lime or Lime-stone, Manure of any Kind for Land, or Materials to be used for the Repair of Roads) which shall be conveyed upon any Part of the said Navigation, between Haverholm Mill and Sleaford Castle Causeway, or from above Haverholm Mill to the River Witham, or any less Distance below the said Mill, or from the River Witham, or any less Distance, to any Part of the Navigation above the said Mill||2s 0d per Ton.|
|From any Part of the Navigation between the said Mill and the second Lock to be erected near Flax Dyke, on the River Witham, or any less Distance below the said second Lock, or from the River Witham, or any less Distance, to any Part of the Navigation between the second Lock and Haverholm Mill||1s 6d ditto.|
|From any Part of the Navigation between the second Lock and a Bridge called Beffrie's Bridge in the Township of South Kyme, to the River Witham, or any less Distance below the said Bridge, or from the River Witham, or any less Distance, to any Part of the Navigation between the said Bridge and the second Lock near Flax Dyke||1s 3d ditto.|
|From any Part of the Navigation between the said Bridge and the first Lock to be erected in Kyme Eau, to the River witham, or any less Distance below the said Lock, or from the River Witham, or any less Distance, to any Part of the Navigation between the said first Lock to be erected in Kyme Eau and Beffrie's Bridge in the Township of South Kyme||1s 0d ditto.|
For every Ton of Lime or Lime-stone, Manure for Land or Materials for Roads, One-half of the several Rates aforesaid, and in proportion for any greater or less Weight than a Ton.
In Consideration of the great increase of Tolls which it is supposed the completion of this Navigation will cause on the River Witham, it is provided by this Act that Boats or Vessels passing through a Lock on this Navigation and paying the Rates thereon, and from thence to the River Withsm, shall only pay Half the usual Tonnage Rates levied on that River.
The rates and tolls collected to be free from all taxes and assessments whatever.
This navigation is about thirteen miles and a half in length, and its elevation very little above the level of the sea. There are two locks; one at Lower Kyme and the other near Flax Dyke, in the parish of Ewerley; and the act requires that locks shall be made at each of the mills on the stream, if required by the owners thereof.
This navigation is principally used for the conveyance of agricultural produce, and for supplying Sleaford with articles of domestic consumption.
6 George III. Cap. 94, Royal Assent 14th May, 1766.
16 George III. Cap. 65, Royal Assent 2nd April, 1776.
THE portion of the River Soar which was intended to be made navigable by the first act of parliament, is that which begins near Loughborough, at a place where Hermitage Brook unites with it, until it falls into the Trent; and by this act, which is entitled, 'An Act for making the River Soar navigable from the River Trent, to or near Loughborough, in the county of Leicester; and for making navigable Cuts or Canals from the said River Soar, to or near the Rushes, and the Hermitage Pool at Loughborough aforesaid,' a number of persons, including the Marquis of Granby and Lord Grey, were appointed trustees for carrying its provisions into effect.
The greater part of the course of the river to be made navigable forms a boundary between the counties of Leicester and Nottingham.
The act of parliament authorizes the trustees to take the following
|For all Stone, Slate or Flags conveyed on the River or Cuts||2s 0d per Ton.|
|For all Lime or Lime-stone, Swithland Stone and Slate||2s 0d ditto.|
|For all Coal||2s 0d ditto.|
|For all other Goods, Wares or Merchandize||3s 0d ditto.|
|For every empty Vessel||1s 0d ditto.|
Fractions of a Ton in proportion.
Stones, Timber, Gravel, Sand or other Materials to be used for making or repairing any Mills within the Limits of the intended Navigation; Soapers' Waste, Dung or other Manure, unmixt with Lime for Land, other than Lime or Lime-stone.
The tolls and rates to be exempted from all taxes whatever.
In 1776 a second act was passed, entitled, 'An Act for making the River Soar navigable, from the River Trent to Bishop's Meadow, within the liberty of Garenton, in the county of Leicester; and for making and maintaining a navigable Cut or Canal from thence, near, or up, and into the Rushes, at Loughborough, in the said county.' The preamble states, that it being found impracticable to carry into effect the provisions of the former act, in consequence of the frequent floods of the River Soar, a company is incorporated by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Navigation from the River Trent, to the town of Loughborough," with power to make the river navigable from the Trent to a place called Bishop's Meadow, and from thence to communicate with Loughborough, by a canal through Knight Thorpe and Thorpe Arch, to the Rushes, in that town.
The company are empowered to raise amongst themselves, for the purposes of the act, the sum of £7,000, in seventy shares of £100 each; and, if necessary, a further sum of £3,000, either amongst themselves, by new subscribers, or by mortgage of the navigation, and to take the following
|For all Wheat, Rye, Beans or Peas||0s 6d per Quarter.|
|For Malt||0s 4d ditto.|
|For Barley or other Grain not before enumerated||0s 5d ditto.|
|For all Goods, Wares or Merchandise of all Kinds||2s 6d per Ton.|
And in proportion for greater or less Quantities.
Lords of manors and land-owners may erect wharfs, &c. on the navigation, and take the following
|For all Goods, Wares or Merchandize, for Ten Days||6d per Ton.|
|For every Day after the expiration of Ten Days||½d ditto.|
The length of the River Soar, made navigable under authority of these acts of parliament, is seven miles; and the canal, from the river to the town of Loughborough, rather more than a mile
and a half. Situated as this canal is, with a fall at one extremity into the Trent Navigation, and into the Leicester at the other, it obtains a communication with the Grand Junction Canal through the Grand Union, and thus becomes a link in the great chain of inland navigation; thereby proving no less profitable to the proprietors than convenient to the public; for this is considered one of the most lucrative concerns of the kind in the kingdom.
34 George III. Cap. 86, Royal Assent 17th April, 1794.
36 George III. Cap. 48, Royal Assent 24th March, 1796.
42 George III. Cap. 35, Royal Assent 30th April, 1802.
THIS work commences in the Kennet and Avon Canal at Limpley Stoke, near Bradford, in Wiltshire, and running parallel with Mitford Brook to Mitford Mill, proceeds from thence in a westerly direction by Coombe Hay, Dunkerton, Camerton, High Littleton and Timsbury, to Paulton; a railway branching off from it in the parish of South Stoke, proceeds by Wellow, Foxcote, Writhlington and Radstock, to the collieries at Welton and Clandown, in Somersetshire.
At the commencement of the undertaking, it was designed to have a canal branch to Radstock, running upon one level to within a few hundred yards of the main line between Coombe Hay and Mitford Bridge; but in consequence of their funds being exhausted in completing so much of the canal, the company were unable to carry their lockage down to the level; a short railway was in consequence made on the Radstock Branch, to connect that portion of it, which was completed, with the main line of the canal; but here it may be observed, that above twenty years afterwards, a railway was substituted for the branch canal the whole distance.
To connect the Paulton line of canal with the lower level, the company, in the first instance, made whimsey and jenny roads or inclined planes at Coombe Hay, in lieu of lockage, of 138 feet descent; but after a short time it was found that they did not succeed, and that the company would be obliged to substitute locks for them. To raise funds for this purpose, an act, passed in 1802,
authorized the formation of a separate body called "The Lock Fund of the Somerset Coal Canal Company," which body was to Consist of individual proprietors of the Wilts and Berks, Kennet and Avon, and Somerset Coal Canal Companies, in equal proportions, with powers to raise the sum of £45,000, to erect the requisite lockage and to appoint deputies to manage the same, which has been carried into execution.
The first act of parliament relating to this undertaking was passed in 1794, and is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal, with certain Railways and Stone Roads, from several Collieries in the county of Somerset, to communicate with the intended Kennet and Avon Canal, in the parish of Bradford, in the county of Wilts,' and incorporates a number of persons therein named by the title of" The Company of Proprietors of the Somersetshire Coal Canal Navigation," and authorizes them to raise, for the purposes of the act, the sum of £80,000, in eight hundred shares of £100 each; and, if necessary, a further sum of £40,000, either amongst themselves or by mortgage of the tolls as security. This was followed by a second act of parliament in 1796, entitled, 'An Act to vary and alter the Line of a Canal authorized to be made by an Act, passed in the Thirty-fourth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, and to alter and amend the said Act.' This act authorizes the company of proprietors to make various alterations and deviations in the line of the canal and railway.
The last act of parliament relating to this undertaking was passed in 1802, and is entitled, 'An Act for enabling the Company of Proprietors of the Somersetshire Coal Canal Navigation to vary and alter the Lines of the said Canal and Works, and to alter and amend the Powers and Provisions of the several Acts passed for making the said Canal.' It states that the sums of £80,000 and £40,000 authorized to be raised under the former acts respecting this navigation, have been contributed amongst themselves and expended in the prosecution of the work, and that the shares have consequently become of the, value of £150 each. The act authorizes a deviation in the original lines, the expense of which was estimated by Mr. W. Bennett, in 1801, at £33,222, 15s. 2d. and empowers the company to raise a further sum of
|Index Page||Link to Next Page 582|