Remnants of Fenny Compton Tunnel - South Oxford Canal - Fenny Compton - Oxfordshire - UK
Posted by: ntpayne
N 52° 10.057 W 001° 21.897
30U E 611824 N 5780940
The remnants of a canal tunnel on the South Oxford canal.
Waymark Code: WM12DF8
Location: West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/04/2020
Views: 3
Fenny Compton tunnel was opened in 1776. The tunnel wasn’t very long – about a kilometre and suffered from subsidence as it wasn’t very far underground. In 1838 the canal company bought the land above the tunnel and work began to open up the tunnel. It was done in several stages; by 1840 the tunnel roof had been removed at both ends and in the middle thus creating two separate tunnels. The southern tunnel had its roof removed by 1858 and the second in 1860 leaving the cutting boaters see today. It is still referred to as Fenny tunnel though.
A stream used to run across the old tunnel into Wormleighton reservoir and an iron trough was installed when the tunnel roof was removed. The trough has since been removed and water runs straight down the side of the cutting into the canal.
The stretch is still called Fenny Compton tunnel and, as it is only just wide enough for two boats to pass, extra care has to be taken when navigating this section.
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