Grand Western Canal

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The current end of navigation on the Grand Western Canal at Lowdwells Lock

The Grand Western Canal is a canal between Tiverton and Taunton in the United Kingdom.

The canal was built as part of a failed scheme to link the Bristol Channel with the English Channel by building a canal from Taunton to Topsham. The plan was proposed in 1794 and construction work began after fund raising in 1796. The first section was built under supervision by John Rennie from 1810 to 1814 and runs from Tiverton to Holcombe Rogus on the Devon / Somerset border, covering a fraction over eleven miles. It is notable for containing no locks, instead maintaining a constant height throughout. Its prime purpose was the supply of limestone and coal to lime kilns along the canal, and the removal of the resulting quicklime, which was used as a fertiliser and for building houses.

After promotion by James Green in 1829 a second section extended the canal by fourteen miles to Taunton and the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal from 1831 to 1838. This second section differs from the first section (and from most UK canals) in that it was designed to take tub boats rather than the more standard narrowboats. In a further deviation from the norm boat lifts were used instead of locks: there were considerable problems in construction with the lifts and also with the single inclined plane. This section of the canal, from Taunton to Lowdwells, was abandoned in 1867 and is now dry.

The first section finally closed in 1925 (1962?), it was restored and reopened in 1971. A horse-drawn tourist narrowboat runs from Tiverton and is operated by a wonderful couple of eejits.