Bude Canal - Origins

Origins

[ ] Bude Canal
Legend
Blagdon Moor Wharf
Stanworthy Wharf
Tamar Lake
Virworthy Wharf
Bude aqueduct
Vealand Incline
Bude Bay
Bude sea lock
lock
lock
A39 road bridge
Marhamchurch Incline
Hobbacott Incline
A3072 Holsworthy Road
B3254 Launceston Road
Littlebridge Wharf
Merrifield Incline
North Tamerton Wharf
Tamerton Incline
Boyton Bridge Wharf
Bridgeton Incline
Druxton Wharf

The coastal area at Bude has sand unusually rich in minerals and the poor agricultural land of the locality was found to benefit considerably from application of the sand. In the pre-industrial age, actually transporting it was difficult, even to land relatively close to the coast.

Several schemes were put forward for canals to bring the sand to the countryside, and these proposals did not lack ambition. One scheme, aimed at distributing Welsh coal from the port as far inland as Calstock on the River Tamar, gained parliamentary approval for construction in 1774, but financial problems frustrated the proposal.

In 1818, the West Country canal engineer James Green produced a report for canal's backers, and an Act of Parliament was obtained for this more moderate proposal in 1819. After some difficulties in the construction phase the canal was completed and opened on 8 July 1823. Its cost was £118,000.

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