Interpretation board at Tamworth Road Borrowcop Locks Canal Park 

The area alongside Locks 24 to 26 forms the Borrowcop Locks Canal Park. A steel footbridge provides wheel-chair friendly access over the tail of Lock 25 where an interpretation board has been sited. 

Also includes a ‘Sensory Trail’ - more details to follow.

Entrance to Borrowcop Locks Canal Park

Disabled access via Heritage Towpath Trail to Borrowcop Locks Canal Park, adjacent to Bus Stop.

Lock 25 Circular Bywash,  April 25th 2010

A bywash forms an overflow by diverting surplus water over a weir instead of allowing  it to flow over the lock gates. It then flows via a small tunnel into the lower lock.

This unusual circular design was built in 2009.

See also the more usual bywash design at Lock 24.

Lock 25 

Lock 25 structure has been restored and re watered as part of the adjacent Pound 26. A circular wier and dropshaft at the tail of Lock 25 takes the bywash under the pedestrian area.

Boats can occasionally be seen plying the Lichfield Canal once more!

Pound 26 has been fully restored by the Trust and was re watered in early 2011 and was the first section of rewatered canal through Lichfield since the abandonment of the canal in the 1950's.

Lock 26 

Lock 26 structure has been restored for rewatering of Pound 27.

Freeford House 

Freeford House is thought to be the site of a leper hospital dating back to 13th century. In 1917 some 80 human skeletons were discovered near to the site during excavations for a road widening.

Some existing masonry on the site is thought to be part of the hospitalchapel's foundations and part of the present house bears the name Chapel Yard.

See  ‘Bones of Lepers at Freeford’   on Lichfield Lore

Pound 27, view towards A51 crossing.

Lichfield Canal Pound 27 by Tamworth Road is ready for progressive watering right back to Lock 26, with puddled clay lining preferred where there will be much boat activity in a confined area.  See the Feet of Clay Appeal

Eventually, pound 27 will extend through the A51 tunnel and up to Lock 27 on the other side of the road in Darnford Park.

Entrance to Borrowcop Locks Canal Park and Heritage Trail from A51 by the traffic lights.

Disabled-friendly access via Heritage Towpath Trail to Borrowcop Locks Canal Park. Nearest bus stop 50 yards.

The Narrows 

The Narrows. A point which can be blocked in the event of a major water loss.

A51 crossing and start of the Heritage Trail to Borrowcop Locks Canal Park.

A new tunnel under the A51 is required. The road is single carriageway but widened at the location of the proposed canal crossing to two lanes in each direction. The completed crossing would be around 50m long, with a 4m wide navigable channel and 2m wide towpath.

See the  Atkins Feasibility Study  for detailed analysis of the options.

Freeford Manor 

 Freeford Manor (previously known as Freeford Hall) was the seat of the Dyott Family .

New Staircase Locks 27/28  Artist's impression by Peter Buck.

These locks take the the canal from the level to the south below the A38 to the canal level to the north in Darnford Park and Borrowcop Locks Canal Park to the south of Tamworth Road.

A38 Bridge 

A new crossing is required for the A38 dual carriageway.

The completed crossing would be around 45m long, with a 4m wide navigable channel and 2m towpath.

See the  Atkins Feasibility Study  for detailed analysis of the options.