https://wikishire.co.uk/w/index.php?title=Bruce_Tunnel&feed=atom&action=historyBruce Tunnel - Revision history2024-03-28T11:46:05ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.25.5https://wikishire.co.uk/w/index.php?title=Bruce_Tunnel&diff=53275&oldid=prevOwain: Created page with "{{Infobox tunnel |name=Bruce Tunnel |county=Wilts |picture=Bruce tunnel stowell.jpg |picture caption=Bruce Tunnel - Eastern Portal (as seen in 1992) |latitude=51.3677 |longitu..."2017-12-12T13:31:26Z<p>Created page with "{{Infobox tunnel |name=Bruce Tunnel |county=Wilts |picture=Bruce tunnel stowell.jpg |picture caption=Bruce Tunnel - Eastern Portal (as seen in 1992) |latitude=51.3677 |longitu..."</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Infobox tunnel<br />
|name=Bruce Tunnel<br />
|county=Wilts<br />
|picture=Bruce tunnel stowell.jpg<br />
|picture caption=Bruce Tunnel - Eastern Portal (as seen in 1992)<br />
|latitude=51.3677<br />
|longitude=-1.6627<br />
|os grid ref=SU23586323<br />
|type=canal tunnel<br />
|carries=Kennet and Avon Canal<br />
|length=502 yds<br />
|built=1806-1809<br />
}}<br />
The '''Bruce Tunnel''' is on the summit pound of the [[Kennet and Avon Canal]] between [[Wootton Top Lock]] and [[Crofton Locks]] in [[Wiltshire]].<br />
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This is the only tunnel on the canal and it is 502&nbsp;yards long.<ref>{{cite book |last=Allsop |first=Niall |title=The Kennet & Avon Canal |year=1987 |publisher=Millstream Book |location=Bath |isbn=0-948975-15-6 }}</ref> It is named after Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury (1729–1814), the local landowner, who, when the canal was being built, would not allow a deep cutting through his land, and insisted on a tunnel instead.<ref>{{cite web | title=History & Museum | work=Kennet and Avon Canal Trust | url=http://www.katrust.co.uk/index.html | accessdate=2010-11-21}}</ref><br />
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At the eastern end of the tunnel is a plaque commemorating its construction:<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|- bgcolor="#efefef"<br />
|- align="center"<br />
|The Kennet and Avon Canal Company <br /> Inscribe this TUNNEL with the Name of <br /> BRUCE <br /> In Testimony of the Gratitude <br /> for the uniform and effectual Support of <br /> The Right honourable THOMAS BRUCE EARL of AILESBURY <br /> and CHARLES LORD BRUCE his Son <br /> through the whole Progress of this great National Work <br /> by which a direct communication by Water was opened <br /> between the Cities of LONDON and BRISTOL <br /> ANNO DOMINI 1810<br />
|}<br />
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The tunnel has red brick portals, capped with Bath stone, each with a decorative plaque of Pennant stone. Construction was begun in 1806 and finished in 1809. It is lined with English-bond brickwork and has a wide bore to cope with the 'Newbury Barges' used on this canal.<ref>{{cite web | title=Bruce Tunnel | work=Kennet and Avon Canal | url=http://www.envf.port.ac.uk/kacanal/html/kac0035.htm | accessdate=2006-09-22 | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525034737/http://www.envf.port.ac.uk/kacanal/html/KAC0035.HTM | archivedate=25 May 2011 | df=dmy-all }}</ref><br />
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There is no towpath through the tunnel, so walkers and cyclists must walk across the top of the hill. When canal boats were still pulled by horses, the boatmen had to haul boats through the tunnel by hand, pulling on chains that ran along the inside walls.<br />
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The tunnel is about ⅔ mile north-east of [[Burbage, Wiltshire|Burbage]] village. To the north lies the Savernake Forest which is open to the public with footpaths, drives and picnic sites, hence the tunnel is also sometimes known as the Savernake Tunnel.<br />
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The main Paddington to Penzance 'Berks and Hants' railway line crosses the tunnel diagonally; both portals can be seen from the windows of passing trains with the canal running close to the railway at each end. <br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Commons}}<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Kennet and Avon Canal]]<br />
[[Category:Tunnels in Wiltshire]]</div>Owain