Hampshire Waterways

The canal at Romsey

The length of canal between the A3057 crossing south of Timsbury and The Plaza in Romsey (about 1.8 miles (2.9km)) has survived in water complete with the towing path which is a public right of way. This stretch of the canal is known locally as either the “Barge Canal” or, more simply, just “The Barge”. The towing path is often referred to as the “Barge Path”. The length north of the Fishlake Meadows road bridge is designated as an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest).

The Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve covers much of the land between the Barge Canal and the A3057 Greatbridge Road. The reserve stretches from a point NG Ref: SU355234. WGS84: 51° 00′ 33″ N, 1° 29′ 39″ W. north of the bridge at Belbins and the southern boundary of the reserve follows the road also known as Fishlake Meadows. The reserve is owned by Test Valley Borough Council and managed by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIWWT). The unique habitats of the meadows established themselves after farming of the land ceased during the 1990s. It is now a wetland, home to ospreys, bitterns and many other kinds of birds. It also supports other species like otters, water voles, 24 species of dragonfly and damselfly, and an impressive variety of plants.

In the 1980s changes were made to the ways the water in the canal was controlled and it is now integrated into the River Test catchment management arrangements. After the removal of Romsey Lock, boards had been inserted into the canal bed in a number of locations north of The Plaza to maintain the water level and improve its appearance. Latterly these have been removed by the Environment Agency supposedly for the benefit of fish movement and even for trout laying eggs! The remains of the canal now more closely resemble an uncared-for stream particularly south of Fishlake Meadows and much if not all fish life seems to have disappeared.

Romsey as a town accommodates a large number of water channels within its boundaries. However, unfortunately many of these are not accessible to the general public. But although this section of the canal is accessible, over the last twenty years or so the Barge Canal has taken on a more uncared for appearance with increasing amounts of weed and reeds growing in the channel with trees and bushes growing on and over the banks of the waterway.

What a much more pleasant feature it could be for residents of and visitors to Romsey if it looked as though someone cared about it. If only it could be properly recognised that the canal was and is a different type waterway from the River Test.

A3057 crossing, Timsbury to Belbins

North of the bridge at Belbins, parts of the path can become very muddy and almost impassable after wet weather especially in winter. The last 320 yards (295m) of this stretch is by the northern part of the Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve.

The canal east of the A3057

The canal here is probably seen at its original width of about 30 feet (9m). It also suffers from prolific weed growth especially in the summer.

Image date: 7 Nov 2005.
NG Ref: SU351236.
WGS84: 51° 00′ 39″ N, 1° 30′ 01″ W.
(76.4KB)

The canal east of the A3057

The canal some 300 yards from the road is still prone to the effects of weed; here its reeds.

Image date: Feb 2019.
NG Ref: SU354235.
WGS84: 51° 00′ 38″ N, 1° 29′ 46″ W.
(66.9KB)

A clear stretch of canal

Looking back towards Timsbury the canal here is reasonably clear water as the overhanging trees tend to discourage water weed growing.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU356233.
WGS84: 51° 00′ 31″ N, 1° 29′ 37″ W.
(92.0KB)

A muddy towing path

The towing path north of the bridge at Belbins can be almost impassable after wet weather.

Image date: 1 Feb 2020.
NG Ref: SU356233.
WGS84: 51° 00′ 31″ N, 1° 29′ 37″ W.
(104.0KB)

North of the bridge at Belbins

Looking north from the bridge at Belbins, in spring reeds and water lilies are taking over the water channel.

Image date: 28 May 2018.
NG Ref: SU357232.
WGS84: 51° 00′ 26″ N, 1° 29′ 30″ W.
(100.7KB)

Bridge at Belbins

This bridge is a modern replacement of an original structure. A public footpath crosses it on the way to Cupernham Lane.

Image date: 11 May 2018.
NG Ref: SU357232.
WGS84: 51° 00′ 27″ N, 1° 29′ 31″ W.
(83.9KB)

Belbins to Fishlake Meadows road bridge

South of the bridge at Belbins, the path was rebuilt in 2019 and a certain amount of vegetation clearance along the canal has been undertaken by HIWWT as part of their work on the nature reserve. The Barge Path is part of the public access to the reserve. Along this much of this length the path is on an embankment a few feet above the meadows. On the eastern side of the canal for about quarter of a mile (500m) north of the Fishlake Meadows road bridge, a recent housing development has been built called Oxlease Meadows.

As part of the Oxlease Meadows development is a car park specifically intended for visitors to the nature reserve and open daily from 8am until 6pm. The entrance to Oxlease Meadows is on the north side of Fishlake Meadows (the road) immediately west of the roundabout in Cupernham Lane. The car park is at the end of the first turning on the left within the estate.

The bridge carrying the road called Fishlake Meadows was built in the 1980s as part of the housing estate south of the road and west of the canal. Within this development, Robert Whitworth Drive was named after the principal engineer of the nearby Andover Canal.

Flood defences

During floods in 2013-14, water started overflowing the path and these sandbags stopped a disastrous breach of the bank.

Image date: 16 Mar 2014.
Approx NG Ref: SU358229.
Approx WGS84: 51° 00′ 18″ N, 1° 29′ 24″ W.
(95.7KB)

The rebuilt towing path

The towing path between the bridge at Belbins and the Fishlake Meadows road bridge was rebuilt in 2019 as part of the improvements to the nature reserve.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU359228.
WGS84: 51° 00′ 15″ N, 1° 29′ 22″ W.
(100.3KB)

New housing development

On the east side of the canal, a development of 4 and 5 bedroom houses has been built.

Image date: 7 Apr 2019.
NG Ref: SU360223.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 58″ N, 1° 29′ 15″ W.
(55.4KB)

The bridge at Oxlease

This bridge once gave access from Oxlease Farm to the meadows.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU360223.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 59″ N, 1° 29′ 15″ W.
(114.6KB)

North of the bridge at Oxlease

A bridge over the canal today links a car park for visitors with the nature reserve.

Image date: Mar 2021.
NG Ref: SU360223.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 59″ N, 1° 29′ 14″ W.
(118.8KB)

Fishlake Meadows road bridge

This bridge, built in the 1980s, carries the confusingly named road: Fishlake Meadows.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU360223.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 57″ N, 1° 29′ 15″ W.
(94.7KB)

Fishlake Meadows to the Old Road bridge

The canal and the former towing path gently bend into a south-westerly direction from Fishlake Meadows road bridge. The path south of the road bridge is now known as Canal Walk although we’re still beside the Barge Canal. The path as far as the Old Road bridge was given an all weather surface suitable for cyclists and walkers in 2018.

In the third of a mile (0.6km) south of the Fishlake Meadows road bridge there are three footbridges and a concrete bridge at Old Road which gives access to several properties on the west bank of the canal.

For the canal to be of value to residents and visitors to Romsey, the right balance needs to be struck between keeping it effective as a wildlife corridor (which means leaving lots of plant life in the water and right next to the canal path) and also effective as an inviting route for people (which means keeping it sufficiently clear). In 2021, in conjunction with the Environment Agency and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, a Canal Maintenance Project has been set up to provide volunteers to undertake the right level of maintenance in order to strike this balance. In September 2021, a start was made to clear brambles and overgrown dogwood from the canal between the bridges at Waterside and Old Road.

The canal south of Fishlake Meadows

The newly completed shared cyclist & pedestrian path south of and looking towards the Fishlake Meadows road bridge.

Image date: Mar 2018.
NG Ref: SU360221.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 52″ N, 1° 29′ 14″ W.
(71.6KB)

Footbridge south of Fishlake Meadows

The first footbridge south of the road bridge connects the road Waterside with Canal Walk.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU360221.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 52″ N, 1° 29′ 15″ W.
(100.4KB)

A Mayoral barge on the Barge?

As part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Inland Waterways Association, the Town Mayor and Mayoress had a trip on the canal.

Image date: 19 May 1996.
Approx NG Ref: SU360221.
Approx WGS84: 50° 59′ 50″ N, 1° 29′ 15″ W.
(68.3KB)

North of Old Road Bridge

The towing path and canal looking north from the bridge at Old Road in 2011.

Image date: Jun 2011.
NG Ref: SU360220.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 47″ N, 1° 29′ 18″ W.
(80.8KB)

Newly rebuilt ‘towing path’ at Old Road

The shared cyclist & pedestrian path when newly completed, looking towards Fishlake Meadows from the Old Road bridge.

Image date: Mar 2018.
NG Ref: SU360220.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 47″ N, 1° 29′ 18″ W.
(82.9KB)

Canal north of Old Road bridge

The canal looking north from the Old Road bridge in 2021.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU360220.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 47″ N, 1° 29′ 18″ W.
(105.2KB)

Clearance of excessive vegetation

A volunteer working party clearing excessive vegetation from the banks of the canal.

Image date: 23 Oct 2021.
NG Ref: SU360221.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 51″ N, 1° 29′ 15″ W.
(99.2KB)

Old Road bridge to the railway

South of the bridge at Old Road, lie two more footbridges crossing the waterway. At the southern footbridge, Canal Walk diverges from the canal towing path making for the railway station and Station Road into the centre of Romsey.

The line of the canal now gently bends back to a southerly course and reaches the bridge carrying the railway over the canal. The Bishopstoke (now known as Eastleigh) to Salisbury line was opened in 1847 and had to accommodate the barges and their horses that continued to use waterway until it closed twelve years later. Just 80 yards (75m) east of this bridge is Romsey Junction where the remaining portion of the Andover and Redbridge Railway branches south, very much in use.

What canal?

Part of the canal south of the Old Road bridge is not visible from Canal Walk in 2021.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU359219.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 46″ N, 1° 29′ 19″ W.
(96.5KB)

The second footbridge

This footbridge links Mercer Way east of the waterway and Canal Walk.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU359218.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 43″ N, 1° 29′ 21″ W.
(117.8KB)

The third footbridge

The footpath crossing this footbridge links Nelson Close east of the waterway with Canal Walk at the point where the latter and the towing path part company.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU358217.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 39″ N, 1° 29′ 25″ W.
(99.3KB)

Looking south from the third footbridge

Looking south along the Barge Canal and towing path a few years ago.

Image date: 9 May 2015.
NG Ref: SU358217.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 39″ N, 1° 29′ 25″ W.
(104.2KB)

The railway bridge

This is the north side of the railway bridge spanning the canal about 175 yards east of Romsey station.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU357215.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 32″ N, 1° 29′ 29″ W.
(94.3KB)

The railway to The Plaza

About 40 yards (35m) yards south of the railway bridge, a new footbridge, built about 2015, crosses the canal. This gives access to some housing and Romsey Signal Box. This is a building dating from 1873 and a working museum which gives an insight into the life of a railway signalman. Further information can be found on their website.

The canal continues southwards until it and its waters disappear underground behind the Plaza Theatre at the site of Romsey Lock - the first since Timsbury some 2.6 miles (4.2km) away. The Plaza opened in 1931 as a cinema. After a spell as a bingo hall in the 1970s, it closed in 1982 and was bought by Romsey Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society and converted to a theatre opening in January 1984.

Romsey Lock was located where the vehicular access on the west side of the theatre now is. It seems to have been covered over in 1930/1 when the Plaza Cinema was built with the canal’s water culverted under the access. From Ordnance Survey mapping surveyed in 1865-6, the site of the Plaza was a brick field complete with a brick kiln right next to the canal but the revision of 1895 no longer shows either feature.

The original bridge over the canal carrying the road to Winchester was demolished in 1862.

The south side of the railway bridge

This bridge, built in 1846-7, carries the Eastleigh to Salisbury line over the canal, with room for horse and barge.

Image date: 7 Nov 2005.
NG Ref: SU357214.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 30″ N, 1° 29′ 29″ W.
(83.3KB)

The new footbridge

This footbridge gives access to some housing and the Romsey Signal Box.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU357215.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 31″ N, 1° 29′ 29″ W.
(94.8KB)

The rear of The Plaza Theatre

Upstream of the site of Romsey Lock, the canal’s original water level would have been in the region of 1 foot (0.3m) lower than the towing path.

Image date: 7 Nov 2005.
NG Ref: SU358213.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 25″ N, 1° 29′ 28″ W.
(78.4KB)

The site of Romsey Lock

The site of Romsey Lock now provides access to The Plaza Theatre’s car park.

Image date: 26 Apr 2021.
NG Ref: SU358212.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 23″ N, 1° 29′ 26″ W.
(44.8KB)

The Plaza Theatre

Seen from the site of Romsey Wharf, The Plaza Theatre stands immediately east of the site of Romsey Lock.

Image date: 27 Jan 2021.
NG Ref: SU358212.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 21″ N, 1° 29′ 25″ W.
(45.9KB)

The site of Romsey Wharf

Romsey Wharf lay on the west side of the canal and south of the road to Winchester.

Image date: Jun 2011.
NG Ref: SU358212.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 23″ N, 1° 29′ 25″ W.
(42.5KB)

The Plaza, Romsey to Ashfield

The canal ran south from Romsey Wharf along or beside what is now Southampton Road for around ¾ mile (1.2km). Originally the turnpike road from Romsey towards Southampton ran through Broadlands Park, less than ¼ mile from the big house. When the scheme to convert the canal into a railway was being promoted the park’s owner and prime minister, Lord Palmerston, saw a way of moving the road away from the park.

The railway’s promoters wanted to use the existing Romsey station on the Eastleigh to Salisbury line. This meant that their line had to approach Romsey from the south further east than the canal as the waterway was too close to the station. The owner of the land needed happened to be Lord Palmerston. Agreement was reached that the railway could be built east of the canal provided that the railway company built a wall on the east bank of the waterway and a new road, now called Southampton Road, outside the wall. The canal was closed in 1859, and after financial difficulties the new road opened in 1864 and the railway the next year.

The “Mile Wall” ends at Southampton Lodge (formerly known as Ashfield Lodge) where the new road joined the old turnpike road which is now a private drive into the park. Ashfield Lock was situated just behind the lodge and to the north of the drive.

Southampton Road, Romsey

The course of the canal runs along Southampton Road seen here northwards from the By-Pass Road roundabout.

Image date: May 2014.
NG Ref: SU359210.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 17″ N, 1° 29′ 21″ W.
(53.0KB)

Gunville Gate Toll House

South of the roundabout where By-pass Road meets Southampton Road is Gunville Gate House. The road (now the A27) was built on top of the canal at this point.

Image date: May 2018.
NG Ref: SU359210.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 16″ N, 1° 29′ 20″ W.
(53.4KB)

Plaque on the Toll House

A brief description of the origin of the toll house.

Image date: 7 Nov 2005.
NG Ref: SU359210.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 16″ N, 1° 29′ 20″ W.
(60.7KB)

Course of canal beside road

The canal and road run on separate, adjacent, parallel courses after reaching the entrance to Romsey Sports Centre and The Rapids.

Image date: May 2018.
NG Ref: SU360208.
WGS84: 50° 59′ 10″ N, 1° 29′ 15″ W.
(62.2KB)

The “Mile Wall”

Whilst known locally as the “Mile Wall” it was in fact only about ¾ mile (1.2km) long originally. The remains of the canal lie on the other side of this wall.

Image date: 5 Oct 2012.
NG Ref: SU362200.
WGS84: 50° 58′ 42″ N, 1° 29′ 08″ W.
(63.1KB)

Southampton Lodge

Looking towards Romsey, the remains of the canal run behind the “Mile Wall” beyond Southampton Lodge. Ashfield Lock lay behind the later lodge.

Image date: 7 Nov 2005.
NG Ref: SU362199.
WGS84: 50° 58′ 39″ N, 1° 29′ 07″ W.
(68.2KB)