Braunston Two canals and a cathedral

This month Laura Malpas takes a spring walk around the village of Braunston and a short meander alongside the Oxford Canal and the Braunston arm of the Grand Union Canal.

I love a reason to get outside in May, to enjoy the milder weather and the unfurling of the blossom and green leaves of the new season. This month I explore the story of Braunston to the west of the county, and if you too like the outdoors, I have a circular walk for you to enjoy, courtesy of the Canal and River Trust.

Braunston’s story goes way back before the beginning of the historic record.

Close to the centre of England, the Northamptonshire hills drop down to the west, towards the Warwickshire plain. This fertile area is crossed by ancient paths reaching up a central stony ridge towards the ancient settlements of Daventry, Borough Hill and the Roman Watling Street. Small settlements of agricultural farmsteads and dwellings grew alongside these links, and at some stage one of these was owned by a Saxon probably named Brand or Brant. ‘Brandeston’ was the name for Braunston recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 following the Norman Conquest.

There were other connected settlements nearby, Little Braunston still exists, but Braunston Cleves and the fortified Braunstonbury were abandoned, only evident now in the archaeological record.

The Domesday Book suggests that in the 11th century Brandeston was well established with its own mill, essential for processing the grain grown on the land, and a Norman church built on high ground overlooking the village.

All Saints’ Church has been built three times over the years. The first rebuild following an incident in 1290, when there appears to have been some nefarious behaviour from the congregation involving bloodshed, and possibly even murder. This led to problems requiring the rebuilding of the church before normal services were allowed. The truth of this story lies hidden in the past, but I would love to learn more!

The De Ros family held the manor for 300 years and oversaw the first rebuilding. The church contains a few medieval remains, including the beautifully carved memorial of the 4th Baron Ros, a celebrated knight who fought with Edward III at Crecy and Calais. He died on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1352 and was probably buried there. Still found inside the church lies its oldest object, the font. This simple barrel shaped stone basin has welcomed new members to the village church for a thousand years.

For several centuries Braunston was a peacefully agricultural place, welcoming travellers and traders passing through the area. Unrest and change during the 17th Century resulted in an increase of traffic between London and the west and north of Britain and Ireland. Roads were improved and turnpikes introduced to help fund their maintenance, but a better solution was needed to carry goods through the land. In 1760 the innovative Duke of Bridgewater began a canal system to service his mines in Cheshire carrying coal and goods to customers in Manchester and Liverpool. The potential of canals to ease the problem of reliable transportation quickly became apparent. And before long, Braunston would no longer be a sleepy agricultural settlement, but a busy transport hub.

In 1767 plans began to build a canal to connect Coventry to the Trent and Mersey Canal. This plan evolved to connect Coventry with Oxford via Banbury. Rather than the usual practice of keeping as straight a course as possible, a more sinuous route was planned. The shareholders of the Oxford Canal Company, mostly wealthy landowners, wanted the route to suit their personal interests and land holdings, and therefore minimising disturbances from the construction team, the ‘navigators’ quickly nicknamed ‘navvies’, and from subsequent traffic on the canal. The surveyor noted ‘Thus the navigators will have no business to stop for any purpose, so the apprehended Danger from the inroads of Bargemen will be less’. This route also followed contours of the land reducing the need for the expensive construction of locks to alter the height of the canal.

The link between Langford and Braunston opened in 1774, and in the same year the Parish Records state that ‘coal was first brought to Braunston by water carriage in November’. By 1778 the link was completed as far as Banbury, and in 1790 the link to Oxford was completed with much celebration, the first boat entering Oxford containing a performing brass band. Within months, the opening of the Coventry Canal had made the Oxford Canal the main link between London and most of the major manufacturing cities in England.

Braunston was increasingly busy, and it became clear that further investment would be profitable. The village was well situated to service the people, the boats and the horses providing their pulling power travelling along the network, and the villagers prospered. However, the sinuous curving route slowed down the passage of the boats along the Oxford Canal, and proposals were made by many hopeful investors to improve efficiency of travel by opening up a new straighter wider and more direct route. Good news for the users but less so for the shareholders of the original canal.

In 1793 after much political negotiation and haggling, the Grand Junction Canal Company began construction at Braunston, heading south uphill towards Brentford, passing behind the farmsteads and the mill in Little Braunston. Six new locks double the width of those on the Oxford Canal were constructed. Lock no 3 was built next to an old farmhouse whose owners quickly began to sell beer and refreshments to passers-by. They named their establishment after the current naval hero, the Admiral Nelson. The old mill owner had a similar idea, his mill race was incorporated into the canal, the mill building became The Anchor public house at the top lock. The windmill built as his compensation still stands on the higher ground next to the church.

Eventually the Oxford Canal was shortened creating a new junction, the ‘Braunston Turn’ which necessitated a beautiful pair of cast-iron bridges to be installed allowing pedestrians to cross both canals. Nearby is the ingenious turnover bridge, which allowed the towing horse to cross from the towpath on one side of the canal to the other without needing to be uncoupled.

Braunston thrived, and its perfect location as a hub for many related industries led to a growing community. A marina for boat building and repair was an obvious development, but Braunston also had space for coal-based industries, such as blacksmith and farrier work, brick manufacture, malting and brewing. Easy access to coal encouraged the Horsely Iron Works to open a branch at the new Marina in 1834 with the elegant cast-iron bridge bearing their name erected by Thomas Telford. Many freight companies opened depots, and much of the waterways admin was conducted in offices at Braunston.

During these prosperous years, Braunston’s church had its third rebuild with money donated by those working on the canals. It was at this time that the nickname The ‘Cathedral of the Canals’ was coined. The number of people using the church had vastly increased with the development of the canals and capacity to house the larger congregation was increased, as was the graveyard.

The tide began to turn for Braunston with the development of the railways. Initially it brought a new prosperity during their construction as materials were transported via canal, and the routes ran parallel to each other. Once the railway opened in 1834 things changed overnight. Many staff transferred to the railways, but not the boatmen themselves. Braunston’s golden era was over. The introduction of steam powered boats helped somewhat, but the rise of road transport and the changes in society and travel patterns meant that decline was inevitable.

Today, Braunston has a thriving village community, and offers a different pace of life as a hub for many leisure activities. It’s an attractive place to visit, buzzing with recreational boaters, walkers, birdwatchers, artists and history lovers, and those simply wanting to enjoy a relaxing lunch by the water. Overlooking the village, the church is also worth a visit and the High Street has fascinating old buildings, pubs, a chippy and a great butcher’s shop. With something to interest all ages, it’s a favourite place to visit on a sunny evening or a weekend. My family and dog recently enjoyed following the 3½ mile circular walk offered online by the Canal and River Trust followed by a delicious meal at the Admiral Nelson pub at Lock no 3. Highly recommended!

Why not visit and explore the heart of England’s waterways right in our doorstep?

www.waterways.org.uk/waterways/using-the-waterways/activities/braunston-village-canal-circular-heritage-walk

www.admiralnelsonbraunston.co.uk

For more information on the history of the canals of Braunston, please read the excellent book by David Blagrove
At the Heart of the Waterways
ISBN 1 871918 05 7