Beaumont Cut
Encyclopedia
Beaumont Cut was a 1 kilometres (1,093.6 yd) long canal linking Beaumont Quay, in the parish of Beaumont-cum-Moze
, Tendring
, Essex
, England, with Hamford Water and the North Sea
. It was opened in 1832 but fell into disuse and was closed at some time in the 1930s.
Archaeological studies suggest that the first canal on the site was built by the Romans
, possibly in connection with salt extraction in the area. The nineteenth century canal was constructed to serve the extensive coastal traffic between the agricultural hinterland of Essex and London, with produce and animal fodder being carried into the capital and manure for the fields as cargo for the return trip. The proprietors of the venture were the governors of Guy’s Hospital
, who owned agricultural estates in the area. They were granted supplies of stone from Old London Bridge (demolished in 1831) for the purpose. Two vessels, the Thames barge
s Beaumont Belle and The Gleaner, both owned by the tenant of one of the estates, were initially based on the canal, but general trade was accepted.
Beaumont Quay features in the novel Secret Water
by Arthur Ransome
.
The line of the canal remains watered and is easily traceable. The quay at the western end of the canal, together with a disused barn and a lime kiln, was made a scheduled ancient monument and is now under the care of the parks department of Essex County Council.
Beaumont-cum-Moze
Beaumont-cum-Moze is a civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 352. The parish includes Beaumont and Moze Cross.Beaumont Cut is a derelict canal in the parish....
, Tendring
Tendring
Tendring is a local government district in North East Essex, England. It extends from the River Stour in the north, to the coast and the River Colne in the south, with the coast to the East and the town of Colchester to the west. Its council is based in Clacton-on-Sea. Towns in the district...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England, with Hamford Water and the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. It was opened in 1832 but fell into disuse and was closed at some time in the 1930s.
History
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
, possibly in connection with salt extraction in the area. The nineteenth century canal was constructed to serve the extensive coastal traffic between the agricultural hinterland of Essex and London, with produce and animal fodder being carried into the capital and manure for the fields as cargo for the return trip. The proprietors of the venture were the governors of Guy’s Hospital
Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital is a large NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It is a large teaching hospital and is home to the King's College London School of Medicine...
, who owned agricultural estates in the area. They were granted supplies of stone from Old London Bridge (demolished in 1831) for the purpose. Two vessels, the Thames barge
Thames sailing barge
A Thames sailing barge was a type of commercial sailing boat common on the River Thames in London in the 19th century. The flat-bottomed barges were perfectly adapted to the Thames Estuary, with its shallow waters and narrow rivers....
s Beaumont Belle and The Gleaner, both owned by the tenant of one of the estates, were initially based on the canal, but general trade was accepted.
Beaumont Quay features in the novel Secret Water
Secret Water
Secret Water is the eighth book in Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series of children's books. It was published in 1939.This book is set in and around Hamford Water in Essex, close to the resort town of Walton-on-the-Naze. It brings the Swallows and the Amazons together and introduces a new...
by Arthur Ransome
Arthur Ransome
Arthur Michell Ransome was an English author and journalist, best known for writing the Swallows and Amazons series of children's books. These tell of school-holiday adventures of children, mostly in the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads. Many of the books involve sailing; other common subjects...
.
Surviving structures
External links
- Beaumont Quay and Cut, Unlocking Essex's Past, Essex County Council
- Beaumont-cum-Moze parish history
- Essex County Council local history page
- Image of restored west end of canal, from Pbase online image forum