The
Croydon Canal ran 9.25 miles (15 km) from Croydon
, via
Forest
Hill
, to the Grand Surrey Canal
at New
Cross
in south London
.
Authorised
by an Act of Parliament in 1801,
the canal was originally intended to extend
northwards to Rotherhithe
, but the simultaneous construction of the Grand
Surrey Canal provided a convenient access route. It opened
on
22 October 1809.
The
Croydon Canal linked to the Croydon Merstham and
Godstone Railway (itself connected to the Surrey Iron Railway), enabling the canal
to be used to transport stone and lime from workings at Merstham
.
The canal
was never extended further south-west, as was initially intended,
to reach Epsom
.
The canal was originally planned with two
inclined planes but in the end 28
locks, arranged in two flights, were used
instead.
To keep the canal supplied with water a
reservoir was constructed at
Sydenham, with another at South Norwood
; this still exists as South Norwood Lake in a
public park.
The canal was built 34 feet (10 m) wide. It had a maximum depth of
5 feet (1.5 m). By 1811 22
barges plied the
canal. The barges were 60 feet (18 m) long and 9 feet (2.7 m) wide
and could carry about 30 tons. The main cargo was timber.
After the initial flights of locks, most of the canal followed the
161 ft (49.1m) contour.
The final two locks at Croydon Common raised the level of the canal
to the 174 ft (53m) contour, and because there was no natural
source of water a steam pumping station was built at the foot of
the locks to pump water up to the summit pound.
The canal was never a success and closed in 1836. It was the first
canal to be formally abandoned by an Act of Parliament.
Much of
the alignment was used by the London & Croydon Railway
Company (to whom the canal had been sold for £40,250) for part of
the railway route that today links London Bridge
railway station
and West Croydon railway station
, which stands on the site of the old canal
basin.
Today
Although the canal closed in 1836, certain sections were retained
for leisure use, and some remained in water for a considerable
time.
The
section at Betts Park in Anerley
was used as
a boating lake, and the area was called Anerley Tea Rooms.
The canal was turned into a concrete trough in 1934, and can be
seen at the northern corner of Betts Park. Another section exists
as a long curved pond in a small nature reserve in Dacres Road,
Forest Hill. This was considered for redevelopment in 1989, but
research by Lewisham Council resulted in its identity being
confirmed, and it now forms an attractive wetland, having been
returned to its former width. The side of a lock is also visible in
the high pavement in David's Road, Forest Hill.
See also
References
- London Canals: Croydon: Honor Oak
- London Canals: Croydon: Norwood
- London Canals: Croydon: Dacres Wood
- Lewisham Council: Conservation: Dacres
Wood
- London Canals: Croydon: Davids Road
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