Fradley Junction facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fradley Junction |
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The Swan at Fradley Junction
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| Specifications | |
| Status | Open |
| Navigation authority | Canal and River Trust |
| History | |
| Date completed | 1790 |
Fradley Junction is a special place where two important canals meet: the Coventry Canal and the Trent and Mersey Canal. It's located near Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, between the villages of Fradley and Alrewas. This junction opened way back in 1790. Many of the old buildings around it, like The Swan pub, are now protected as important historic structures.
Contents
The Story of Fradley Junction
Building the Trent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal was first planned to connect the big cities of Liverpool and Kingston upon Hull. It was a long and winding route, going through areas famous for pottery and cheese. A special law was passed in 1766 to allow it to be built. The canal, which was 93-mile (150 km) long, was finished in just eleven years, opening in 1777.
Starting the Coventry Canal
The Coventry Canal was approved two years later, in 1768. The plan was for it to go from Coventry to Fradley, joining the Trent and Mersey Canal. The first 10 miles (16 km) of the canal were finished by 1769. Soon, lots of coal was being moved from mines near Bedworth to Coventry, making good money.
The canal reached Atherstone in 1771. But the next part of the journey needed eleven locks, which are like water elevators for boats. The canal builders ran out of money, so construction stopped at Atherstone. This was still about 21.4 miles (34.4 km) away from Fradley.
Connecting the Canals
No more work happened until 1782. At that time, a new canal, the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, was being planned. The people building it wanted to make sure it would be useful and make money. This meant it needed to be part of a bigger network of canals.
They talked to the Oxford Canal company, who agreed to finish their canal to join the River Thames at Oxford. This would open up a route all the way to London. Talks with the Coventry Canal were a bit trickier.
Finally, they agreed that the Coventry Canal would build 10.4 miles (16.7 km) more of their canal. This included the eleven locks and two more at Glascote. This section would meet the new Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Fazeley Junction.
Then, the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal company and the Trent and Mersey Canal company would each build half of the last 11 miles (18 km). This would connect Fazeley Junction to Fradley. A law was passed in 1784 for the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, and work began. It was finished in 1789, and the whole canal network, including Fradley Junction, was ready by 1790.
Who Owned What?
Even though the Trent and Mersey Canal company built the junction and the canal just south of it, the Coventry Canal later bought it back. So, it really is a meeting point between the Trent and Mersey and the Coventry Canals. However, the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal kept control of their section. This means the historic Coventry Canal is now in two separate parts.
Life at the Junction
After the canals connected in 1790, a small community grew at Fradley Junction. It became a very busy place on the canal network during the Victorian era. Both the Trent & Mersey and Coventry Canal companies built homes for their workers. Two large warehouses, with special lifting equipment, were also built next to The Swan pub.
Exploring Fradley Junction
Canal Routes
At Fradley Junction, you'll find it in the middle of a group of five locks on the Trent and Mersey Canal. Junction Lock is just below it, and Middle Lock is a bit further up. On the Coventry Canal, the water level stays flat all the way to Fazeley Junction and even further.
The Huddlesford Junction, where the Wyrley and Essington Canal used to meet the Coventry Canal, is about 4 miles (6.4 km) away. It closed in 1954, but there's a big effort to reopen it. This closed section is now called the Lichfield Canal.
About 5.5 miles (8.9 km) away is Whittington Brook. From this point, the waterway officially becomes part of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. The canal stays flat for another 5.5 miles (8.9 km) to Fazeley Junction. It then continues for 3 miles (4.8 km) along the Birmingham and Fazeley to Curdworth Bottom Lock, or 1.4 miles (2.3 km) along the Coventry Canal to Glascote Bottom Lock.
Things to See and Do
Fradley Junction is a popular spot for visitors, including people who love watching boats, sometimes called "gongoozlers." There's a small village here with the Swan Inn, two shops, and two cafes. The Fradley Pool Nature Reserve is right next to the junction. It's named after the nearby village of Fradley, which is about a mile away.
The British Waterways organisation has an office here. They can give advice on where to moor your boat and other services for boaters. The Swan pub, along with a warehouse from the 1770s and a cottage from the late 1800s, are all protected as important historic buildings. Junction Lock and Middle Lock are also nearly in their original condition (except for modern gates) and are listed structures. You can also see a row of three workers' cottages from the early 1800s, the wharf house from the mid-1800s, and red-brick workshops built in 1872.
