Leamington Railway Aqueduct
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Address:
Griffin Road, Warwick CV34 6
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Visit websiteThe Warwick & Napton Canal was built from Saltisford, Warwick, where it joined the Warwick and Birmingham Canal, to Napton where it joined the Oxford Canal. It is now part of the Grand Union Canal.
It was authorised by an Act of 28 March 1794 as the Warwick & Braunston Canal. The line was later changed to join the Oxford Canal at Napton, authorised by an Act of 14 May 1796. It was formally opened on 19 December 1799 but actually open for trade on 19 March 1800.
The Great Western Railway acquired the Birmingham & Oxford Railway in 1848 in order to achieve a line from London to Birmingham. This company was making the final link between Warwick and Leamington, but to do this it was necessary to pass beneath the canal. To hold the canal Peto and Betts the contractors constructed a cast iron trough which was laid on the skew over each of four spans on six segmental cast iron ribs supported by brick piers. The outer sections extending beyond the trough were supported by brick arches. Each of the piers is supported by rough buttresses. This was completed in 1851.
By Road: A footpath leads off Griffin Road to the river Avon. This is accessed from the A 426 on the eastern edge of Warwick. Alternatively it may be seen from a distance at the Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club on the other side of the canal.
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