Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/700



WILTS AND BERKS CANAL.
35 Geo. III. C. 52, R. A. 30th April, 1795.

41 Geo. III. C. 68, R. A. 20th June, 1801.

50 Geo. III. C. 148, R. A. 2nd June, 1810.

53 Geo. III. C. 68, R. A. 3rd June, 1813.

55 Geo. III. C, 6, R. A. 23rd Mar. 1815.

2 Geo. IV. C. 97, R. A. 8th June, 1821.

THIS canal, which is of great importance to that part of the country through which it passes, commences in the River Thames, at the south side of the town of Abingdon; thence passing in a south-westerly direction by Drayton and Kingsgrove Commons, to Breach Field, where a short branch proceeds from it to the town of Wantage; thence continuing westward to Challow, passing Sparsholt and Uffington to Longcot Common, where there is another short branch to Longcot Wharf; continuing its course, it passes near Beckett House, Shrivenham, Bourton, Marsden, and Stratton, to the wharf at Swindon; a short distance from which is Eastcott, where the branch, originally called the North Wilts Canal, proceeds from it, and joins the Thames and Severn Canal near Cricklade; the main line, keeping its westerly direction, passes Chaddington, Wootton Bassett, Tockenham Wick, Lyneham and Dauntsey Park; then bending southerly, it passes Foxham, Bencroft, and Stanley House, a little beyond which is a branch to Calne; passing the river by an aqueduct, it then continues its southerly course, leaving Bowood, the Marquis of Lansdowne's Seat, to the left, to Derry Hill, where a branch goes off to Chippenham; pursuing its course it runs by Laycock Abbey and Melksham, to Semington, where it unites with the Kennet and Avon Canal.

The first act of parliament respecting this canal was passed in 1795, and is entitled,  'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal from the River Thames or Isis, at or near the town of Abingdon, in the county of Berks, to join and communicate with the Kennet and Avon Canal, at or near the town of Trowbridge, in the county of Wilts; and also certain navigable Cuts therein described.' It incorporates the subscribers by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Wilts and Berks Canal Navigation ;" empowers them to raise amongst themselves, for the purposes of the act, the sum of £111,900, in eleven hundred and