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Oxford Canal: Abandoned original 1770s loop near Clifton upon Dunsmore

This backwater was the start of the one of the several now abandoned original 1770s routes engineered by James Brindley to follow the contours as closely as possible. This loop went up past Clifton Mill and for a time after the loop was abandoned the reach as far as Clifton Old Wharf was kept open as the Clifton Arm. It now terminates just around the corner in this image. The original route is shown on old large scale Ordnance Survey maps and much of it can still be traced on satellite imagery. One wonders if the old route will eventually be reopened to serve the canal leisure industry...