2013

SP5371 : Barby Straight Bridge near Barby in Northamptonshire

taken 11 years ago, near to Barby, West Northamptonshire, England

Barby Straight Bridge near Barby in Northamptonshire
Barby Straight Bridge near Barby in Northamptonshire
Looking north-east along Barby Straight.
Barby Straight Bridge is No 77 across the Oxford Canal, and is a farmer's accommodation bridge which also carries a public footpath which crosses nearby fields.
This is part of the updated and straightened canal engineered by Sir William Cubitt between 1829 and 1834. Many remnants of the original 18th century canal can be seen on both sides of the northern section of the current Oxford Canal.
The Oxford Canal

The 78 mile Oxford Canal links Oxford with the Coventry Canal near Bedworth, via Banbury and Rugby. It connects to the River Thames at Oxford, and even combines with the Grand Union Canal for 5 miles near Braunston.

The canal was constructed in stages over about twenty years from 1769 to 1790. James Brindley surveyed and began the work with Samuel Simcock, but following Brindley's death, Simcock took over. By 1774 the canal had reached Napton, and by 1778, Banbury. Lack of money meant that the final stretch to Oxford was not started until 1786. That took three years and the completed canal was finally opened on 1 January 1790.

Being an early canal, it was built to be contour hugging, avoiding changes of water level wherever possible. As a result of increasing competition from the Grand Union Canal, by the late 1820s it was decided that the meandering course needed reducing in mileage, so the northern section was to be reduced by more than 14 miles. Construction, supervised by Sir William Cubitt, started in 1829, and was finished by 1834. A parallel doubling up of the lock flight at Hillmorton was built and the route was straightened in many places, and a new tunnel at Newbold was dug. Not all the planned improvements were made; the final reduction in mileage being nearer 11 miles.
Evidence of the original course can still be seen by perusing aerial images and OS 1:25000 maps. The section south of Napton was never straightened. The railways had arrived and canal decline had started.

Information reduced from Wikipedia LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Roger D Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Canals other tags: Canal Bridge Accommodation Bridge Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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SP5371, 38 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Roger D Kidd   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Wednesday, 21 August, 2013   (more nearby)
Submitted
Wednesday, 9 May, 2018
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SP 5327 7165 [10m precision]
WGS84: 52:20.4211N 1:13.1723W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SP 5323 7162
View Direction
Northeast (about 45 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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