Grosvenor Canal
Encyclopedia
Grosvenor Canal was a canal in the Pimlico
area of London
, opened in 1825. Almost nothing of it remains today.
The canal started as the ponds of the Chelsea Waterworks Company
, constructed in 1723 to supply west London
with drinking water. These continued to operate after the canal was opened to traffic in 1825, but moved to Seething Wells
, Surbiton
in 1856.
The canal originally stretched from the Thames near Chelsea Bridge
all the way to a basin on the current site of Victoria station
. When the station was built around 1858 the canal was halved in length, stretching only as far as Ebury Bridge. Around 1925 it was halved in length again to allow Ebury Bridge Estate to be built by Westminster City Council
. The lower portion of the canal was kept as a dock, allowing the council to load barges with rubbish.
In 2000 planning permission was granted to turn the dock site into high end housing known as Grosvenor Waterside. Two ornamental pools in the centre of the development will mirror the route of the canal. The connection to the Thames will remain, but with no access to boats. As of 2006 nothing remains of the canal beyond the lock gates that now separate the building site from the lower pool, which is connected directly to the Thames.
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
area of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, opened in 1825. Almost nothing of it remains today.
The canal started as the ponds of the Chelsea Waterworks Company
Chelsea Waterworks Company
The Chelsea Waterworks Company was a London waterworks company founded in 1723 which supplied water to many central London locations throughout the 18th and 19th centuries until its functions were taken over by the Metropolitan Water Board in 1902....
, constructed in 1723 to supply west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with drinking water. These continued to operate after the canal was opened to traffic in 1825, but moved to Seething Wells
Seething Wells
Seething Wells is a locality of Surbiton in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It is the site of a former water treatment works on the south bank of the River Thames. Part of it was redeveloped in the early 21st century. The filter beds remain the property of Thames Water, via their...
, Surbiton
Surbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
in 1856.
The canal originally stretched from the Thames near Chelsea Bridge
Chelsea Bridge
Chelsea Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames in west London, connecting Chelsea on the north bank to Battersea on the south bank. There have been two Chelsea Bridges, on the site of what was an ancient ford....
all the way to a basin on the current site of Victoria station
Victoria station (London)
Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It is named after nearby Victoria Street and not Queen Victoria. It is the second busiest railway terminus in London after Waterloo, and includes an air terminal for passengers...
. When the station was built around 1858 the canal was halved in length, stretching only as far as Ebury Bridge. Around 1925 it was halved in length again to allow Ebury Bridge Estate to be built by Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council and is entitled to be known as a city council, which is a rare distinction in the United Kingdom. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors...
. The lower portion of the canal was kept as a dock, allowing the council to load barges with rubbish.
In 2000 planning permission was granted to turn the dock site into high end housing known as Grosvenor Waterside. Two ornamental pools in the centre of the development will mirror the route of the canal. The connection to the Thames will remain, but with no access to boats. As of 2006 nothing remains of the canal beyond the lock gates that now separate the building site from the lower pool, which is connected directly to the Thames.
See also
- Canals of the United KingdomCanals of the United KingdomThe canals of the United Kingdom are a major part of the network of inland waterways in the United Kingdom. They have a colourful history, from use for irrigation and transport, through becoming the focus of the Industrial Revolution, to today's role for recreational boating...
- History of the British canal systemHistory of the British canal systemThe British canal system of water transport played a vital role in the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution at a time when roads were only just emerging from the medieval mud and long trains of pack horses were the only means of "mass" transit by road of raw materials and finished products The...