Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/153

CANTERBURY NAVIGATION OR RIVER STOUR.

There is no act relating to the river, and being in the tideway, it is consequently free of toll.

The chief uses to which this navigable estuary is put, is to export the produce of the tin and copper mines in its immediate vicinity, and the import of coal and general merchandize. Slate, also, forms an article of exportation from the port of Padstow, a considerable town on its banks.

CANTERBURY NAVIGATION OR RIVER STOUR.
6 Henry VIII. Cap 17, Royal Assent - - - - - - 1514.

6 George IV. Cap. 166, Royal Assent 22nd June, 1825.

THE River Stour rises on the south side of the Chalk Hills, near Lenham, whence, taking a south-eastwardly course by Surrenden Dering, Hothfield Place the seat of the Earl of Thanet, to the town of Ashford, where it is joined by another considerable stream, which also bears the name of Stour, and which rises on the Downs, eastward of Mount Morris; hence it pursues a north-westwardly course through a portion of the Weald of Kent, and south of Mersham Hatch, the seat of Sir E. Knatchbull, to the junction at Ashford. From hence the united streams pursue a northerly course through one of the most fertile vallies of this delightful county, by Godmersham Park, Chilham Castle, and Chartham, to the city of Canterbury, where the river becomes navigable. From this place its course is north-eastwardly, by Fordwich, to near Sarr, below which place the Little Stour or Seaton Navigation falls into it; hence pursuing a course nearly east, until within three quarters of a mile of the sea at Sandwich Haven, from which point, however, by the line of the river, it is upwards of seven miles, in consequence of the circuitous course it takes by Sandwich to the above haven, in Pegwell Bay. To obviate this, however, a cut, called Stonar Cut, has been made between the channels, which takes off a considerable portion of this circuitous route by Sandwich.

The Stour is a very ancient navigation, as we find an act in the 6th year of the reign of Henry VIII. entitled,  'An Act concerning