Shrewley Tunnel

Shrewley Tunnel is a canal tunnel near Shrewley, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom.

It lies on the Grand Union Canal (originally the Warwick and Birmingham) about two miles north of Hatton Locks. It is 433 yards/396 metres long, built of brick and although wide enough for two boats to pass has no towpath inside. The tunnel was opened in 1799 when the Warwick and Birmingham Canal was completed [Nicholson Waterways Guide, Volume 1 (2006), Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, ISBN 0-00-721109-0] and was necessary as the presence of the village of Shrewley prevented the construction of a cutting. A little further north, at Rowington, there was no such problem and a deep cutting was used.There are actually two tunnels: at the northern end the towpath rises on a ramp and then enters a tunnel of its own, until it reaches the road which crosses the tunnel; having crossed this the path then descends on another ramp to reach the southern portal. The interior of the tunnel is unusually wet and this has led to the creation of flowstone formations.

ee also

*Legging (canals)
*List of canal tunnels in Great Britain

References

* Pearson's Canal Companion South Midlands and Warwickshire Ring. 1993 0907864627>