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IWA Branch
Warwickshire
Navigation Authority
British Waterways
Peel's Wharf
Lichfield Street
Fazeley
Tamworth
Staffordshire
B78 3QZ
T: 01827 252000
F: 01827 288071
enquiries.hq@britishwaterways.co.uk
www.britishwaterways.co.uk
The canal is part of the Avon Ring and runs from King's Norton Junction to Stratford-upon-Avon. It links with the Grand Union Canal at Kingswood via a short branch, with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at King's Norton and with the River Avon at Stratford.
King’s Norton to Stratford-upon-Avon covers 25.5 miles (41km) and 55 locks.
The Kingswood Branch covers 0.25 miles (0.4km) with 2 locks.
King’s Norton to Kingswood Junction
Length | Beam | Height | Draught |
72ft | 7ft | 7ft 3in | 3ft 6in |
21.94m | 2.13m | 2.2m | 1.06m |
Kingswood Junction to Stratford-upon-Avon
Length | Beam | Height | Draught |
72ft | 6ft 10in | 6ft | 3ft 3in |
21.94m | 2.07m | 1.82m | 0.98m |
Kingswood Branch
Length | Beam | Height | Draught |
72ft | 6ft 10in | 6ft | 3ft 3in |
21.94m | 2.07m | 1.82m | 0.98m |
Boaters’ Services
Hire Boat Companies
Anglo-Welsh Waterway Holidays
2 The Hide Market, West Street, St Philips, BRISTOL, BS2 0BH
Tel: 0117 3041122
Fax: 0117 3041133
bookings@anglowelsh.co.uk
www.anglowelsh.co.uk
Visitor Attractions
The Guild Chapel
Chapel Street, Stratford-upon-Avon
www.stratford-upon-avon.co.uk/soaguild.htm
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
Cottage Lane, Shottery, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, CV37 9HH
Tel: 01789 292100
Fax: 01789 205014
www.stratford.co.uk/birthplace/anne.html
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Henley Street, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, CV37 6QW
Tel: 01789 201823
Fax: 01789 299132
www.shakespeare.org.uk
Mary Arden’s House and the Shakespeare Countryside Museum
Station Road, Wilmcote, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, CV37 9UN
Tel: 01789 293455
www.shakespeare.org.uk
Historical Information
The canal was promoted by Acts of Parliament in 1793 and 1796 but the southern section was not completed until 1816. Initially, it was profitable but the railways soon began to attract traffic away from the canal. By the Second World War the canal was almost impassable. In 1947, Tom Rolt journeyed along the canal and required GWR to raise Lifford Bridge, which was blocking a statutory right of navigation. In 1958, Warwickshire County Council intended to close the southern part of the canal, but two members of the newly formed canal society made a journey by canoe and proved that the canal was used. The National Trust took over responsibility for the Southern Stratford-upon-Avon canal and a restoration plan was put into action. Following work by volunteers, army personnel and prison groups, the canal was reopened by her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 1964. In 1988, the canal was returned to British Waterways, which now manages it.
Further Information
For books, maps, guides, videos, DVDs and gifts on this canal, click here
Websites
Stratford-upon-Avon
Local government links
