Continuity of Challows Section Re-established

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is very pleased to announce the recent acquisition of approx. 200m of canal by a private supporter of the Trust’s objectives.

The section runs from the crossing of Silver Lane, West Challow, Wantage, Oxfordshire eastwards, towards East Challow, and forms part of the Challows Section of the canal.

Included in the section was a significant obstacle, where a section of the northern embankment, including the tow-path, had at some time in the past been excavated to fill the bed of the canal, thereby creating what became known as Raines Crossing, connecting two sections of farmland owned by the Raines family, then operating from Manor Farm, West Challow.

Our supporter’s acquisition of this section of canal and an adjacent field to the south enabled this now redundant canal-obstacle to be removed.

At the same time as removing the obstruction, the spoil therefrom was used to reinstate the towpath to the original C18/19 level.

The entire Challows section, between close to the crossing of the A417 in East Challow to the Silver Lane crossing at West Challow, part of the 7-mile Pound from Grove Top Lock between Wantage and Grove and Longcot Bottom Lock, is now reconnected.

Written by
Peter Scatchard