Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
signs have been installed, lighting up to warn fast traffic, although their effectiveness may be
undermined by the fact that they are so commomplace.
Originally, it was planned to take a direct line from Warwick to Braunston but was later
decided that money could be saved by using what was already there. From Napton Junction
or Wigram's Turn, with its recent marina, the Grand Union Canal uses a section of the Ox-
ford Canal. Traffic heading for London by the quickest route now travels along in the op-
posite direction from when it was first dug. It is a wide contour canal with excellent views
both southwards to a ridge of high land and northwards over the valley of the returning River
Leam.
Beyond Flecknoe, the former Leamington to Daventry railway crossed, to be followed
a little while later by the crossing of the former Aylesbury to Leicester railway. Also now
gone is the former 9m tunnel near Wolfhampcote Hall that existed until the early 1800s. The
church has been restored, but a canal loop to the south was one of the Oxford Canal loops that
was eliminated, the River Leam now instead being crossed on the Braunston Puddle Bank of
1830 as the canal passes from Warwickshire to Northamptonshire.
Braunston Turn is where the Oxford Canal leaves. The junction was moved 800m west
during the 1829 improvements, this being one of the country's most important transport junc-
tions at the time. The junction has a triangular island with two Horseley Ironworks semi-el-
liptical 15m span bridges and a brick bridge carrying the towpath across.
The Grand Junction Canal was built from Braunston to the River Thames from 1793. The
village has, as its two most conspicuous buildings, the 1848 sandstone church of All Saints
with its spire and a red brick castellated windmill that is now part of a private house. Many
boat people lived in the village.
The Mill House was a late Victorian public house, now extended and featuring canal paint-
ings, photographs and prints.
A cast-iron bridge crosses what was the Oxford Canal until the line was shortened. A her-
itage centre has been housed in the 1796 Stop House, which charged excessive tolls to use
the Oxford Canal. British Waterways' decision to depart from the historic building proved
extremely controversial with canal users.
The Grand Union Canal built reservoirs for backpumping up the lock flight, rather than
losing water to the Oxford Canal. The 1897 pumphouse replaced an earlier beam engine, sited
in a field on the right. The reservoirs have become one of the largest marinas in the country,
with buildings to house blacksmiths, harness makers, ropemakers and carpenters. It was the
site of the former Braunston Boat Show, the main inland waterways festival.
Six locks in the flight take the canal up to Braunston Tunnel Gift Shop and the 110m sum-
mit level. On the way is the Admiral Nelson pub, which is home to Northamptonshire skittles.
It was used to film the
Inspector Morse
episode
The Wench is Dead
but has its own story in
