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Di and Saul Books is run by Diane Hempsall and Saul Staniforth, and is based in Lancashire in the United Kingdom. Cross the aqueduct and follow the footpath as it drops downhill. At the bottom of the slope go left to find a notice board, situated beside historic remnants of the canal’s lower pond and lifts, which explains the engineering in fascinating detail. Go through another kissing gate, swiftly followed by yet another. Walk through the next field, still beside the right-hand hedge, towards a small but perfectly-formed sewage works – sorry!! (It is very small, as was the whiff when we passed). Pass this works on your left and go through the gate just beyond it. Historic England. "Nynehead Court and wall adjoining on north side of forecourt (1307540)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 6 December 2007. Beautiful trees flank the route of what was the Grand Western Canal. The nearby railway rendered the canal commercially unviable. This section is now a lovely footpath (Image: submitted)
We are always adding new titles to our shop, and we are always happy to hear from you if you have any queries or comments. Walk ahead through the field, boundary to your right, leaving the road behind. You soon pass through a scrubby field boundary. Keep on in the same direction beside the right-hand hedge, passing beneath the electricity wires. Near the end of the field the path continues in the same line, going beneath trees in the field corner to reach a kissing gate. Find someone to kiss, as appropriate, then continue as before, re-crossing the River Tone. Wellington RD". A vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth . Retrieved 5 January 2014. Pause here. To the left is the other end of the avenue of young trees; to the right you can look down on the remains of the carriageway that once led to Nynehead Court. The bridge over to the right was built by Brunel to carry the railway over the carriageway. The aqueduct on which you are standing was part of an elaborate feat of engineering, which lifted the canal and its boats up and over the carriageway.The restoration of this delicious relic is due to the hard work of the former owner, Denis Dodd, with a little help from his friends!
Historic England. "Aqueduct, formerly carrying Grand Western Canal over driveway to Nynehead Court (1307612)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 6 December 2007.James Green’s lifts were possibly the first of its kind in the World and came and went some 10 years before the Anderton Boat Lift was even built! We recently took delivery of three of the Scammell training films from the IWM. The quality of them is top hole. It is also part of the Taunton Deane county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. For local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the village comes under the unitary authority of Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the non-metropolitan district of Somerset West and Taunton (formed on 1 April 2019) and, before this, the district of Taunton Deane (established under the Local Government Act 1972). From 1894-1974, for local government purposes, Nynehead was part of Wellington Rural District. [8] At the end of the bridge go through a metal gate, swiftly followed by a wooden kissing gate, on which a yellow arrow points the way, bearing right on the public footpath across the field. Follow this, but first glance left at the avenue of young trees, planted in 2011 to mark the line of the original avenue along which the old carriageway passed. Follow the footpath across the field heading for a point between two pylons. This line passes beneath the wires and reaches a metal gate. Go through, crossing a small bridge and entering under trees.
After 30 odd years though the ever growing threat of the rail became real and as soon as 1869 they had become commercially unsuccessful, purely due to the decline in use of the canals. This ambitious solution to the height differences that canals faced relied on the simple balance principle and they worked a treat. The idea had actually been proposed before (way before) in 1777 by no other than Erasmus Darwin in his Commonplace Book. He eloquently described a device including balanced water-filled caissons that could be used to raise boats from one level to another. Bingo! The lovely sunken path now goes through the verdant woodland of Stedham’s Covert; follow it, ignoring any animal paths going off. The path bends right then left, and in less than 200m emerges from the trees. Ignore a right fork (if you see it) and stay ahead on the path, which gradually bears left then swings more distinctly left. To the right of the path is a treed boundary with a field beyond and houses on the outskirts of Wellington beyond that. You may also spot a passing train. Hi Chris, bought the book from Nynehead books Sunday, arrived this morning Wed. Well researched and very informative with a good supply of pictures and maps. Gradually the path comes close to the well-screened railway – any trains are barely visible – and, about 750m from joining it, the once-canal swings left, away from the railway and crosses an old aqueduct.
Would you believe he built 7 of these substantial structures, but the remains at Nynehead are the most we have left of them.
Cross the large field in the direction shown on the fingerpost; we were walking through wheat here but a clear and pleasing path had been left through the crop for walkers. Ahead a stone bridge spanning the River Tone comes into view and you may hear trains in the distance as they travel between London and the West Country.
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