Beaumont Cut facts for kids
The Beaumont Cut was a canal about 1 kilometer (or 1,094 yards) long. It connected Beaumont Quay in Essex, England, to the Hamford Water and the North Sea. This canal was opened in 1832. It was used for many years but stopped being used sometime in the 1930s.
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History of Beaumont Cut
Did you know that people might have built a canal here a very long time ago? Experts who study old things, called archaeologists, think the Romans might have built the first canal in this spot. They might have used it to help get salt from the area. Old Roman pottery pieces and places where salt was made have been found.
Why the Canal Was Built
The canal you read about, built in the 1800s, was very important for moving goods. It helped transport farm products from Essex to London. Things like food and animal feed went to the city. On the way back, ships carried manure to help the farms grow more crops.
Who Owned the Canal?
The owners of this project were the governors of Guy's Hospital. They owned large farms in the area. They even received stones from Old London Bridge (which was taken down in 1831) to help build the canal.
At first, two special boats called Thames barges used the canal. Their names were Beaumont Belle and The Gleaner. They belonged to a farmer who rented land from Guy's Hospital. But soon, other traders could use the canal too.
Beaumont Quay in Books
Beaumont Quay is even mentioned in a book! It appears in the 1939 novel Secret Water by Arthur Ransome.
What Remains Today
Even though the canal is no longer used, you can still see where it was. The water still flows along its path. The quay, which is like a dock at the end of the canal, is still there. You can also see an old barn and a lime kiln nearby.
These old structures are very important. They have been made a special protected site called a scheduled ancient monument. This means they are looked after by the parks department of Essex County Council.
