Canals of the United Kingdom Details, Meaning Canals of the United Kingdom Article and Explanation Guide

Canals of the United Kingdom Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

For canals of Northern Ireland see the Canals of Ireland article

History

See History of the British canal system for a more detailed history.

Canals first saw use during the Roman occupation of Great Britain, and were used mainly for irrigation. However, the Romans did create several navigable canals, such as Foss Dyke, to link rivers, enabling increased transportation inland by water. Great Britain's canal network was steadily increased, but grew massively in the 18th century as the demand for industrial transport increased, and new canals were constantly added until the mid-19th century. This large inland network was used as a transport system. Roads at the time were unsuitable for large volumes of traffic, and road vehicles were unable to transport large amounts of materials quickly. Canal boats proved more than adequate for this task, and so canals were constructed between industries, and between cities and ports, with vast amounts of materials from manufactured goods to coal and lumber being transported. As the Industrial Revolution took hold, the canals enjoyed great success, thriving in the late 18th and early 19th centuries before railways replaced them as the major goods transportation method. As trains, and later road vehicles, became more advanced, they became more economically viable than canal boats, being faster, cheaper to run, and able to carry much greater cargos. The canal network declined, many canals becoming unusable, filled with weeds, silt and rubbish. Some canals were even converted to railways.

Present Status

However, in the latter half of the twentieth century, the canals saw a rise in popularity as a industrialists were replaced by holidaymakers, who rented a 'narrowboat' and roamed the canals visiting places they passed through. Canal based holidays became popular due to their relaxing nature, cheap costs, and huge variety of scenery available; from inner-London to the Scottish Highlands. For this reason the canal system was renovated and reopened. Canals have become so popular that new routes are even under construction for the first time in a century, linking navigable rivers, and existing canals.

The aim of bodies such as British Waterways (which owns about 50% of Britain's inland waterway network) is to fully reopen all disused canals. There is now a large waterways network of canals and navigable rivers throughout Great Britain, with most canals being linked to either other canals, navigable rivers or the sea.

Despite being man-made, the Jubilee River was designed to look and act like a natural river, and so is usually counted as such.