Jim Shead Waterways Photographer & Writer

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

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Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation

Description: Runs from Chelmsford Basin to Heybridge Sea Lock at the mouth of the Blackwater.

History: Promoted under Acts of 1766 and 1793. Opened in 1797.

Points of Interest: In dry seasons water is very limited and strict limits are placed on the use of locks.

See Priestley's Navigable Rivers and Canals for more information.

January 1677	Andrew Yarranton	In his book England's Improvement by Land and Sea he recorded the results of his survey and estimated a cost of £8,000 to make the river navigable.
13th July 1733	John Hore	He started his survey of the navigation and later recommended the building of a canal for the estimated cost of £12,870 against the £9,355 he estimated was needed to make the river navigable.
January 1762	John Smeaton	He carried out a survey and estimated the cost of a navigation as £16,697.
January 1762	Thomas Yeoman	He did a survey and estimate for the navigation.
19th June 1764	Thomas Yeoman	The following extract from his letter to John Smeaton demonstrates the difficulties he had with the navigation promoters: . . . Now Suppose I should tell you that I am not paid for what I have done will you believe me and if I should add that the under Sheriff took it in his head two Days to attend the Survey with Company and order'd provision & to the Water Sides, lay all night at Danbury at my Inn, and left me to pay every thing even so much as his and his friends Corn and Hay for their Horses, will you give credence to it? but so it is my Friend and so it must be, until they take it in their Heads to pay; Should not I charge two Years Interest in September next? . . . I beg that my best wishes be acceptable to Mrs Smeaton, Children and Self and am with sincerity Dear Sir Your most obedient and obliged humble Servt Thos Yeoman.
January 1765	John Smeaton	He was asked to prepare proposals for the navigation but was too busy to accept.
January 1765	John Grundy	He was asked to prepare proposals for the navigation but was too busy to accept.
January 1765	Thomas Yeoman	He produced another plan which was used in the application for a Bill to parliament and estimated the cost as £13,000. He proposed widening the river to 30 feet at the surface and 20 feet at the bottom with a depth of 4 feet and locks 70 feet long and 14 feet wide.
January 1765	Langley Edwards	Was approached to prepare a scheme in opposition to Thomas Yeoman's plan for the river but was too busy to take on the work.
January 1765	Joseph Nickalls	He was asked to prepare proposals for the navigation but was too busy to accept.
January 1765	Ferdinando Stratford	He and his brother were retained by Maldon objectors to the navigation. They both contracted ague and fever on the survey from which he died.
January 1765	William Stratford	He and his brother were retained by Maldon objectors to the navigation. They both contracted ague and fever on the survey from which he was ill for a year before he recovered..
January 1766	Promoted under an Act.
January 1792	John Rennie	Charles Wedge surveyed a line to Heybridge Basin under his direction.
January 1792	Charles Wedge	He surveyed a line to Heybridge Basin under the direction of John Rennie.
January 1793	Promoted under an Act.
January 1793	John Rennie	Matthew Hall carried out a survey of the canal under his direction.
January 1793	Richard Coates	Controlled the construction of the navigation, a task that he carried out on behalf of John Rennie to whom he was an assistant.
January 1793	Matthew Hall	He surveyed the route under John Rennie's direction.
January 1793	Benjamin Henry Latrobe	He recommended the deepening and straightening of the Blackwater as far as Fullbridge.
July 1793	John Rennie	Richard Coates started work on the construction of the navigation under his direction.
January 1794	Benjamin Henry Latrobe	He builds on his earlier report and suggests improvements of the Blackwater upstream to its junction with the Chelmer.
January 1797	Opened.
25th May 1799	John Rennie	Following complaints about shoals appearing after every flood he surveyed the navigation. In his report of 5th June he offers to contribute his time to rectify defects in the navigation.
25th November 1805	John Rennie	Following complaints of water loss from millers at Moulsham, Barnes, Sandford, Little Baddow, Paper and Hoe he did a survey and reccomended improvements costing £4,918.
January 1993	Barging into Chelmsford by John Marriage, Published by Ian Henry Publications Ltd - History, traffic and an update of the waterway.

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.