Bruce Tunnel

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This is the only tunnel on the canal and is 502 yards (459 m). [cite book |last=Allsop |first=Niall |title=The Kennet & Avon Canal |year=1987 |publisher=Millstream Book |location=Bath |id=ISBN 0-948975-15-6 ] It is named after Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury (1729-1814), the local landowner, who, when the canal was being built, would not allow a deep cutting through his land, and insisted on a tunnel instead. [cite web | title=Devizes Museum | work=Kennet and Avon Canal Trust | url=http://www.katrust.org/museum_heritage_planning_002.htm | accessdate=2006-09-22]

At the eastern end of the tunnel is a plaque commemorating its construction:

The tunnel has red brick portals, capped with Bath stone, each with a decorative stone plaque of Bristol pennant limestone. The tunnel was begun 1806, finished 1809. It is lined with English bond brickwork and has a wide bore to cope with the 'Newbury barges' used on this canal. [cite web | title=Bruce Tunnel | work=Kennet and Avon Canal | url=http://www.envf.port.ac.uk/kacanal/html/kac0035.htm | accessdate=2006-09-22]

There is no towpath through the tunnel, and walkers and cyclists must walk across the top of the hill. When canal boats were still pulled by horses, the boatmen had to haul boats through the tunnel by hand, pulling on chains that ran along the inside walls.

Above the tunnel is the Savernake Forest which is open to the public with footpaths, drives and picnic sites, [cite web | title=Kennet and Avon Canal | work=Bath4u | url=http://www.bath4u.com/kennet_and_avon/bath4u_KandA_Route.htm | accessdate=2006-09-22] therefore it is also sometimes known as the Savernake Tunnel.

References

See also

*Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal