Sydney Gardens Tunnels facts for kids
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bath, UK |
| Coordinates | 51°23′09″N 2°20′52″W / 51.3857°N 2.3479°W (No. 1) 51°23′15″N 2°20′53″W / 51.3876°N 2.3480°W (No. 2) |
| Route | Kennet and Avon Canal |
| Operation | |
| Operator | Canal and River Trust |
| Technical | |
| Length | 177 feet (54 m) (No. 1) 167 feet (51 m) (No. 2) |
The Sydney Gardens Tunnels are two cool tunnels for boats in Bath, UK. They are part of the Kennet and Avon Canal.
The No. 1 Tunnel (also called the Cleveland Tunnel) guides the canal into Sydney Gardens from the south. The No. 2 Tunnel (also known as the Sydney Gardens Tunnel) lets the canal leave the gardens to the north.
Both tunnels are very important historic buildings, known as Grade II* listed structures. They are two of only three tunnels on the entire Kennet and Avon Canal. The third one is the Bruce Tunnel in Wiltshire.
Contents
How the Tunnels Were Built
Sydney Gardens in Bathwick were created in the early 1790s. Soon after, the Kennet and Avon Canal was being dug. The canal's path went right through these new gardens.
The canal company and the garden owners made a deal. The canal could go through the gardens, but the canal company had to build tunnels and fancy bridges. They also had to pay for everything themselves.
The famous engineer John Rennie designed these tunnels. They were built around the year 1800. This was about ten years before the longer Bruce Tunnel was finished.
Exploring No. 1 Tunnel
The No. 1 Tunnel is also known as the Cleveland Tunnel or the Cleveland House Tunnel. It is about 177 feet (54 m) long. This tunnel and a nearby building got their names from William Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland.
The entrance to the tunnel inside Sydney Gardens is very decorative. It has a carving of Hafren, a water nymph. She is a mythical creature linked to the River Severn.
This historic tunnel carries the canal under Sydney Road and Cleveland House. Cleveland House used to be the main office for the canal company.
Cleveland House: The Canal Office
Cleveland House was built later, in the late 1810s. This was almost 20 years after the canal and tunnel were finished. John Pinch designed the building.
The Kennet and Avon Canal Company used Cleveland House as their headquarters until 1864. During that time, they called it Canal House. There was a small opening in the basement that led into the tunnel. People used to think it was for passing papers to boats. However, it was probably just a chute for throwing out trash.
Exploring No. 2 Tunnel
The No. 2 Tunnel is sometimes called the Sydney Gardens Tunnel. It is about 167 feet (51 m) long. This tunnel goes under Beckford Road. This road was built by John Loudon McAdam, who invented a way to make better roads.
Just like the No. 1 Tunnel, the entrance facing the gardens is more ornate. It is decorated in a style called the Adam style. This entrance also features a carving, this time of Father Thames. Father Thames is a traditional figure representing the River Thames.
