The original junction was to have been nearer to Coventry then changed to Bedworth then after much argument between the two canal companies the join of the canals was at Longford. This was about a mile from Hawkesbury towards Coventry and meant the two canals ran alongside each other with a half circle bend where they joined.
This all happened in 1777 and it was not until many years later that Hawkesbury was made the junction of the two canals.
The cause of all the problems was the charging of tolls by each company as boats moved from one canal to the other. There had been plans for the Oxford to start at Bedworth so that coal from collieries there would not have to pay tolls to the Coventry canal.
At this time and for many years the Coventry company only dug their canal as far as Atherstone and canal companies other than the Oxford wanted the Coventry extended to join their routes from the midlands. By 1790 the problems were solved and the link with the midlands complete.
The oxford had completed their rather long twisting route to Oxford and onto the River Thames to London.
Now up until this time another route to London did exist by way of Stourport, River Severn, the Thames and Severn canal and the R. Thames to London. This was a very long route with problems on the upper Thames so the Oxford canal was now to benefit from a shorter less problematic route to London.
Now the collieries of Warwickshire, the Potteries, Birmingham and Manchester to name a few were linked via the Oxford to London but for how long? remember this is pre Grand Junction or G. Union as we now know it. Eleven good financial years before the Oxford came up against strong powerful people with a wish to cut the journey to London even shorter.
I just love reading the history of my home and as I wasn`t around 200+ years ago my information is gleaned from the effort of others in their research of the canal history.
Two books i have are;
Canals of the East Midlands..........Charles Hadfield ISBN 071534871x
The Grand Junction Canal.............Alan H Faulkner ISBN 0715357506
Both obtainable at Abe books, use links above.
Perhaps if you were to choose one then I recommend the former as it includes a section on the Grand Junction and London canals.
Both are very good and Jaq has in fact read the Grand Junction book cover to cover.
