NAVIGATION

             

The Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation was built in 1797 by the renouned national canal builder,  John Rennie.   Richard Coates was the local resident engineer.   The Navigation contains features of historic and archaeological importance and comprises eleven pound locks and one sea lock.

Richard Coates later founded a coal and timber business at Springfield Basin in Chelmsford.   In 1819 a gas works was constructed at the head of Springfield Basin and the coal for this was transported via the Navigation.   The coal and gas supply attracted industry to Chelmsford which changed from an agricultural market town to an industrial centre.   Nationally acknowledged engineering and electrical companies such as Christies,  Hoffmanns,  Cromptons,  Marconis and English Electric Valve Company all set up factories in Chelmsford.   Bentalls set up an agricultural tool manufacturing factory in Heybridge.   In the 1840's coal delivered by lighters from the coast to the water mills along the Navigation enabled them to use steam engines for additional power.

Produce from Essex farms and mills was taken by lighter to Heybridge Basin where it was loaded onto Thames Sailing Barges for transport to London.   Chalk was brought acress the Thames estuary from Kent on Thames Sailing Barges and loaded onto lighters at Heybridge Basin then transported to the lime kilns in Springfield Basin in Chelmsford.   The lime was used in the building industry and also in agriculture to break down the heavy clay soil in Essex.   Locally made bricks were taken by lighter to building sites near the Navigation.   In the early 1840's materials were brought up the Navigation to build the railway at Chelmsford.   It was the construction of this railway which lead to the gradual decline in trade on the Navigation.   The development of roads and additional railways reduced this trade even further and in the latter years the Navigation was used principally for the transportation of Scandanavian timber to Chelmsford,   All commercial traffic on the Navigation ceased in 1972.

The Navigation is unique.   It is the only one which has remained operational and privately owned.   It is not part of British Waterways.   As it is not connected to any other inland waterway,  it was built to different standards.   The cost of construction was considerably reduced by having a minimum depth of water of only 1.22metres ( 4 feet ) which is very shallow.   Because of this all lighters were built to a special design with a shallow draft.   Susan is the only wooden boat of this type to survive.

Susan was purpose built to work on the Navigation and therefore Susan and the Navigation are inextricably linked together.   A restored Susan operating on the Navigation will help to illustrate the original purpose of this once bustling artery through the Essex countryside,

The Navigation is a key East of England site on the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

In recent years,  the management,  operation and maintenance of the Navigation has been taken over by Essex Waterways Limited a ' not for profit ' company owned by the Inland Waterways Association but the Navigation still remains privately owned.   Additional information is available at  :-

www.waterways.org.uk/EssexWaterwaysLimited



The Chelmer Canal Trust is the support organisation and was established to promote conservation,  education and recreation within the Chelmer and Blackwater Conservation Area.   The Chelmer Canal Trust instinctively supports the restoration of Susan as a unique local historic vessel for use on the Navigation.   For additional information please see their website   :-

www.chelmercanaltrust.co.uk