Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Bard in front of Stratford basin
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Immediately, an attractive set of canal buildings face the first lock of the southern section
while just below, on the other bank, stands the first of half a dozen houses unique to this
canal. They have barrel roofs, each house being built like a single bridge arch with ends. A
couple of them now act as canal gift shops.
Above the house is a cut to the short Lapworth Link to the Grand Union Canal, added to
prevent boats coming up from Stratford and heading for the Grand Union needing to lock up
to Kingswood Junction and immediately down again to the connecting arm, which would be
a waste of time and two locks of water.
Yarningale Common has a short cast-iron aqueduct over a stream. Like the two other aque-
ducts to follow but unlike almost any others on the canal network, the towpath is at the level
of the invert of the trough so that the horse had to climb down on to the aqueduct towpath
and up off it at the other end. Because it leads to Bucket Lock, canoeists must portage on to
the towpath, one of the few occasions they will ever have to climb down out of their boats.
The Anglo Welsh canal basin and boatyard at Wootton Wawen, formerly a temporary ter-
minus, is served by the Navigation Inn. Just visible over the trees down the road is the roof of
the magnificent five-storey 18th century brick watermill on the River Alne. Beyond it stands
Wootton Hall and then St Peter's church with a Saxon crypt. It is the oldest in the county and
