One of the unfortunate side effects of building the Birmingham Northern Relief Road is the partial destruction of two former basins and part of an aqueduct on the Hatherton Canal at Cannock. However, a full archaeological record has been made and the Trust were able to arrange recovery of some brick copings and crane posts.

Hawkins Basin, also known as Walkmill Basin, is at Walkmill Lane in Bridgtown, Cannock. It was situated at the end of a short branch which left the main canal above Walkmill Lock and ran south-west alongside Walkmill Lane, under a lift bridge and across an aqueduct over the Wyrley Brook to enter the corner of this large rectangular basin. A feeder entered the basin from the Hatherton Reservoir across the road and the basin was the terminus for tramways bringing both coal and bricks from local mines and brick and tile works. The basin was built sometime after 1841 and covered about 2 acres; it was abandoned with the rest of the canal in 1955.

Hawkins or Walkmill Basin

The Bridgtown flight of 3 locks was demolished in the late 1980s, around the time the Trust was being formed, under an older planning consent and the site of the top lock is in the corner where Vines Lane joins Walkmill Lane. The branch and basin had been filled in with colliery waste sometime after the canal was abandoned and no trace of them could be seen until recently. The branch crossed the open land in front of the modern Gripperrods factory where the lift bridge was situated approximately on the line of the present access road off Walkmill Lane. The channel then narrowed to cross the valley of the Wyrley Brook on an extended aqueduct running alongside Walkmill Lane, and the large brick arch culvert taking the brook under the combined road and canal embankment remains. More details on the fascinating complexity of this area can be found in Ian Langford's definitive book "Towpath Guide No.1, The Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal" (published 1974 but a few copies are still obtainable from the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Society).

The BNRR will cut through the southern half of Hawkins Basin but in April the builders were busy excavating the northern end to build a temporary diversion for Walkmill Lane prior to building a new bridge over the motorway route. Excavating the top metre of fill to replace it with hard-core revealed parts of the basin walls which were brickwork with railway sleepers set right to the edge where loading would have taken place from the mine trucks.

Aqueduct and Hawkins Basin un-covered with copings in-situ

It was these brick copings that attracted our attention. They were just what we needed to cap the wing walls on Lock 26 and other sections of the restoration, and they were going to be recorded and then demolished as rubble ! The contractors CAMBBA are employing Oxford & Wessex Archaeologists to make a full record of artefacts on the route and this was being done meticulously with detailed surveying and photography, but they did not seem to have any clear policy on preservation. Discussions soon established that there were no archaeological objections to us recovering the copings although the ownership and site safety issues took more persistence to overcome. A last minute shock was to be told that we all had to attend a full day induction course on site safety before being allowed on site, but common sense prevailed and were allowed on under supervision.

On 2nd May some 9 of us including Bob, Barry, Keith, Terry and Robert assembled to prise loose the copings, carry them off and load them into Alan's van and Tim's truck for transport to Lichfield. It may seem like "robbing Peter to pay Paul", but in this case it was Peter (Matthews) that was the recipient ! We had to leave about 20 copings behind because the archaeologists had not quite finished measuring but these were recovered a fortnight later giving us about 190 copings of which at least 90% were in good condition. It was perhaps scant compensation for the destruction of another piece of our canal heritage but we are nevertheless grateful to CAMBBA for their permission and assistance.

Churchbridge Basin is a railway interchange basin dating from 1860 which was filled in and overgrown until cleared recently in preparation for building the motorway across it. Some of the brickwork of the basin, towpath and former entrance bridge foundations was temporarily revealed before being buried again and two large cast iron crane post bases were rediscovered in the undergrowth and set to one side. Enquiries revealed that CAMBBA had no particular plans for them so I offered to find them a suitable home. They were too heavy for the Trust to move and key people at The Waterways Museum were unavailable so I contacted BW. Waterway Manager David Green was first to respond and quickly arranged to transport them to Bradley yard for safe keeping until they can be found a suitable permanent home, perhaps on a refurbished wharf development somewhere on the BCN. We are grateful to David for his prompt action which may have saved these important artefacts from the scrap man.

Churchbridge Basin

Note: The Foot & Mouth Disease restrictions have now been lifted so normal service is resumed.

For Tamworth Road Lock 26 (SK 130 083) take the A51 south out of Lichfield, the site is on the right past Cricket Lane. Park by Lock 25 and walk past The Cottage to the entrance track for Lock 26, but please note that the access is across private land and should not be used except on organised work parties. For Darnford Lane site (SK 139 086) continue along the A51, cross over the A38 and turn left in front of the "Horse & Jockey" down the narrow lane to the junction with Darnford Lane.

Monthly work parties: Sundays: 5 August, 2 September, 7 October, 4 November, 2 December.

Sat/Sun 4/5 August Newbury WRG Tamworth Road Lock 26.

Sat/Sun 20/21 October Essex WRG Tamworth Road hedgelaying.

Sat 20 - Sat 27 October WRG Canal Camp Darnford Lane.

Weekend work parties start at 10 am., Wednesday evenings at 5 pm. Contact John Horton on 01543-262466 or Peter Matthews on 01543-318933 for further details of dates, times and work.