Grand Western Canal

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Grand Western Canal has changed and developed over the last century.

---

The Grand Western Canal once ran between Taunton and Tiverton. It was once intended to link the Bristol and English Channels, as a means of bypassing Land's End. However, this ambitious plan was never completed, as the advents of the railways and steam power rendered the canals redundant. Today, around 11 miles of the canal remain open in Devon, designated a country park and local nature reserve. Although a majority of the Somerset part is now closed to navigation, there is still much of natural and archaeological interest to be found along the route of the Grand Western Canal. Indeed, it still makes headlines, as the breach of November 2012 near Halberton necessitated evacuation. In Grand Western Canal Through Time, Denis Dodd takes us on a tour of the once-great canal, showing us the many changes that have occurred from its conception in 1796 to today.