Hundreds of boats, many carrying perishable goods, were jammed together for fourteen weeks. Braunston or brandestone, a village and a parish in northamptonshire. Geotechnical assessment of the strata surrounding the tunnel. The marine store man, too, is more miscellaneous in his wares than his contemporary of the rag and bottle store, as the former will purchase any of the smaller articles of household furniture, old tea caddies, knifeboxes, fireirons, books, pictures, draughts and backgammon boards, birdcages, dutch clocks, cups and saucers, tools and brushes. Original large oil painting framed and signed by artist h. This book only indirectly tells the story of the grand junction canal. Wide beam boats wishing to travel through the tunnel must book passage. From the marina, six locks carry the grand union canal up to braunston tunnel, some 2,049 yards 1,874 m long. A brief history of tunnels tunnel building may be boring, but its never dull. Braunston tunnel eastern entrance to braunston tunnel western entrance. Braunston is a village and civil parish in the county of northamptonshire, england. Join kevin from where it all began, with season one. Inside the church is an overwhelming impression of space and light, a long nave with north and south aisles, and five chamfered arches supported by octagonal pillars. A lot of people have heard the tale of when cholera came to braunston, but the account that is repeated in the history books is based on a newspaper story written nearly 80 years after the event by a man who hadnt been a twinkle in his fathers eye.
Braunston is situated just off the a45 main road and lies between the towns of rugby and daventry braunston is categorised by the office for national statistics as suburbs and small towns. Any other advice from experienced braunston tunnel users would be much appreciated. It has arms to places including leicester, slough, aylesbury, wendover and northampton the grand union canal was also the original name for part of what is now part of the leicester line of the modern grand. Books and journals faulkner, a h, the grand junction canal, 1972, 3536.
Anna takes out half a wall in braunston tunnel youtube. The village, comprising a small group of houses known as tofts which may include house platforms surviving as earthworks, gardens crofts or closes which are typically defined by banks and ditches, yards, streets, paddocks, often with a green, a manor and a church, and with a community devoted primarily to agriculture, was a significant component of the rural. They were used for pushing pans of equipment and materials through the tunnel and have the huge advantage of being able to turn around inside the. Its autumn time in braunston and now the forager swears the cattle rise and listen in the valleys far and near and blush at what they hear. The village is situated on a ridge between the steepsided valley of the bragborough stream to the. Way more information than you ever wanted on how to fell a tree. We find that out the hard way today as we take part of the tunnel wall with us. Braunston tunnel is on the grand union canal about 830 yds 760 m east of braunston, northamptonshire, england top lock. From spoons to hightech tbms, we dig into the long, winding story of the tunnel. The existence of two other settlements, little braunston, now part of the existing village, and the now deserted braunston cleves 3, further complicates the picture. We were delighted when our daughter brought our little grandson to see us. Please feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions or would like to see any other om 183005970.
The braunston canals to anyone with an interest in canal lore and legend braunston is home. Passage is available monday friday excluding bank holidays at 8am only and must be booked 48hrs in advance. Braunston grand union canal sp56ne 580 west entrance to braunston tunnel. In the churchyard is the tomb of admiral oliver john jones who died at westfield house, braunston on 11th january 1878 aged 64 and so far from the sea he had known. Construction of the northern section, which included the whilton locks at buckby, was complicated by the need for two tunnels, one. Bragborough hall is a grade ii listed building in braunston, northamptonshire, england. Braunston tunnel is on the grand union canal about 830 yds 760 m east of. A lot of people have heard the tale of when cholera came to braunston, but the account that is repeated in the history books is based on a newspaper story written nearly 80 years after the event by a man who hadnt been a twinkle in his fathers eye when the church bells tolled for the dead. To get through braunston tunnel without a hitch we again left relatively early and got through the tunnel without meeting a boat coming the other direction. Heritage list entry summary for grand union canal west entrance to braunston tunnel. This amazing canalside pub is up for sale coventrylive. Hopefully that will make navigation a bit easierless scary.
Medieval village of fawcliff, braunston cleves, braunston. The winston tunnel and i, as told to his wife violet uhl funston. Braunston has a marina filled with these pleasure boats and is usually quite busy. The living is a rectory in the diocese of peterborough. The grand union canal, braunston locks, norton junction. At the time of publication in 1976 of the definitive john gaggs book of. The grand union canal holiday cruising guide and map. Original oil painting by h l braunston entitled sunset over the lake. Just a little further along from braunston tunnel the grand union canal arrives at norton junction which is from where the very beautiful leicester canal section starts its long journey via foxton locks to reach the city of leicester where the leicester section then becomes a river navigation on the river soar. It is at the very heart of the english canal system a pivotal point between north and south. We moved off from norton junction, through braunston tunnel down the locks to moor in the admiral nelson pound. Our travels between braunston tunnel and gayton junction.
It is not a continuous narrative, but just short captions for a collection of old photographs of. The history of the site is almost unknown, probably because it was regarded as part of braunston village and was thus never listed separately in the national taxation records. Leaving crick in northamptonshire, he embarks on a voyage of exploration along the canals of the uk, towards his shortterm goal of the city of chester and all the while not only transforming from a stressed, eternally exhausted and unshaven figure of a man, at the same time developing a penchant for pork pies and bacon. See why it was listed, view it on a map, see visitor comments and photos and share your own comments and photos of this building. Little braunston hamlet stands half a mile to the e. Before canal boats had engines, they were horsedrawn and so needed a tow path. Leicestershire lees on the parishs wastren bundary. To move along a tunnel without one, the crew would lie on their backs and propel the boat along using their legs against tunnel ceiling. It is in the northern outskirts of daventry, about 2 km east of the village of braunston. Braunston or brandestone, northamptonshire genealogy. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of braunston tunnel francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860.
Braunston photos, maps, books, memories francis frith. The locks were built as part of the grand junction canal, authorised by an act of parliament in 1793, which was to run over 90 miles from braunston on the oxford canal to brentford in middlesex, where it would join the river thames. In july 1935, after the official opening and air show, scheduled airline services commenced and the airport was managed by. Braunston tunnel daventry, northamptonshire landmark. After reading other tunnel threads i have already bought myself a 12 volt led spotlight to aim forwards at the tunnel roof in addition to the normal tunnel light. The winston tunnel and i, as told to his wife violet uhl. In addition the towpath at the welton wharf side of the tunnel is also in poor condition as far as bridge 10 thereafter its in good condition for walking and cycling.
Braunstoninrutland is a veelage an ceevil parish in the coonty o rutland in the east midlands o ingland. Hall takes you to the grand union canal towpath where youll find the pub near the braunston tunnel. Passage is available monday friday excluding bank holidays at 8am only and. Engineers have tested one of the uks most intriguing railway legends. A little bit of history braunston was an important depot on the canal system and many former boating families have links to the town. The name tunnel book probably came from the fact that many of these types of books were created to celebrate the building of the tunnel under the thames river in london in the mid19 th century. A canal walk around braunston 4 miles about 2 hours starting at the green in braunston the first part of our walk takes us along the high street, which dates from long before the canals ever came onto the scene. Reading a book about the old railway line that went through braunston station and came upon this poem. Read memorial signed by the clergyman and inhabitants of blisworth on behalf of the leggers employed there and whose occupation was now lost in consequence of a steam tug being introduced into the tunnel as well as their having been out of work for several weeks on account of the canal being stopped by. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Wide beam boats wishing to travel through the tunnel must bookpassage. Grand union canal, north of daventry, northamptonshire, uk. History of braunston, in daventry and northamptonshire.
Finally, able to breath a sigh of relief with the crick tunnel, watford flight, braunston tunnel and braunston locks completed in one day pea green began to dance in the water as she passed the boatyard where she was built. The booklet is designed to enable visitors to get more from their stay in braunston, no matter how short, and to help local residents learn more about the unique heritage of the village. Please call 0303 040 4040 and ask to be put through to the newark admin team or email us at enquiries. Sunset in braunston, near the junction with the oxford canal. The mainline was built between 1793 and 1805, to improve the route from the midlands to london, bypassing the upper reaches of the river thames near oxford, thus shortening the journey in 1927 the canal was bought by the.
The canals are no longer used for carrying freight, but are now used mostly by pleasure boats. Built by jessop and barnes, the tunnel has no towpath and is 4. Braunston village history braunston, northamptonshire. Its main line starts in london and ends in birmingham, stretching for 7 miles 220 km with 166 locks. Throughout history, tunnel books have often been used to commemorate certain events. Lots of boats in braunston tunnel but our trip through was fine apart from one boat who decided that it. It is in the northern outskirts of daventry, about 2 km east of the village of braunston braunston tunnel is 2,042 yards 1,867 m in length. The first navigable canal tunnel was the malpas tunnel, built in 1679 to enable. This set of pages, based on a booklet sponsored by the countryside agencys local heritage initiative lhi describes some of the main features of that history. Braunston conservation area appraisal daventry district council. Passage is available monday friday excluding bank holidaysat 8am only and must. Braunston captures the imagination of waterway writers, artists and photographers, and, with its unique environment.
At braunston top lock things took a turn for the worst when, very unexpectedly, alberts engine stopped on tickover as we approached to lock moorings. The bottom of foxton lock flight is also where the short but equally. The winston tunnel and i, as told to his wife violet uhl funston funston, r. We trundled through braunston looking for a spot to moor. Less than 100 years later in 41 ad, romans used around 30,000 workers to build even larger tunnel that was 5. Passage is available monday friday excluding bank holidaysat 8am only and must be booked 48hrs in advance. The grand junction canal is a canal in england from braunston in northamptonshire to the river thames at brentford, with a number of branches.
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