Portsmouth & Arundel Canal and the Chichester Ship Canal: Dimensions and Distance Tables
Dimensions
| DIMENSIONS OF THE PORTSMOUTH & ARUNDEL CANAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Section of waterway | Length | Locks ‡ | Date opened |
| The Ship Canal: Salterns Lock to Hunston Junction |
2.6 miles (4.1km) | 2: Salterns & Manhood End (or Cashers) Locks 86ft 0in x 18ft 6in x 7ft 0in (26.2m x 5.6m x 2.1m) |
9 April 1822 |
| The Ship Canal (Chichester Arm): Hunston Junction to Southgate Basin, Chichester |
1.3 miles (2.4km) | None | 9 April 1822 |
| The “Barge Canal”: Hunston Junction to Ford |
9.0 miles (14.4km) | 2: Ford Locks 1 & 2 75ft 0in x 12ft 6in x 3ft 1in (22.9m x 3.8m x 0.94m) |
26 May 1823 |
| Tidal channels: Birdham to Milton |
Approx 13.5 miles (21.7km) | None | 9 April 1822 |
| Portsea Canal: Milton to Halfway Houses, Portsmouth |
2.4 miles (3.9km) | 2: Sea & Upper Locks 101ft 0in x 24ft 0in x 11ft 6in (30.8m x 7.3m x 3.5m) |
19 September 1822 |
| Portsbridge Creek: Langstone Harbour to Portsmouth Harbour |
Approx 1.3 miles (2.1km) | None | 1830 |
‡ Lock dimensions given as maximum vessel size: length x beam x draught.
The main line of the Portsmouth & Arundel Canal ran from the River Arun at Ford to Salterns Lock at Birdham which gave access to Chichester Harbour. East of Hunston Junction the canal was often referred to as the “Barge Canal”, whilst westwards it formed part of the “Ship Canal”.
The canal arm from Southgate Basin in Chichester to Hunston Junction and the main line from the junction to Salterns Lock were built to 100 ton ship standards. This length was, and still is, referred to as the Chichester Ship Canal, or sometimes just as the Chichester Canal. All bridges on the Ship Canal were originally swivel (or swing) bridges.
The Portsea Canal, when opened, could accommodate vessels 101ft (30.7m) long 24ft 1in (7.3m) beam and drawing 11ft 6in (3.5m). All bridges on this canal were swivel (or swing) bridges.
The width of boats using the tidal channels was only limited by the 40ft (12.2m) swinging span of Hayling (or Langstone) Bridge. The canal company had dredged the channels and Portsbridge Creek to a minimum depth of 3ft 6in (1.0m) at low water but attempting to maintain this draught was a constant financial drain. The company stopped dredging in 1838 when through traffic to London ceased.
Distance Tables
The distances in the tables below have been carefully measured and rechecked using Google Earth. However, the distances for the "Tidal Channels" quoted below cannot be considered as definitive. The actual distances that would have been covered 200 years ago by the barge tows might well differ from today’s measurements as channels will have doubtlessly shifted over that period. The state of the tide and local knowledge would also have had a part to play.
| MAIN LINE: RIVER ARUN TO SALTERNS LOCK | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | OS NG Ref | From River Arun | From Birdham | ||
| Miles | Kms | Miles | Kms | ||
| Ford - Junction with River Arun (site of) | TQ004038 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.6 | 18.6 |
| Ford Lock I (site of) | TQ003038 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.6 | 18.6 |
| Ford Lock II (site of) | TQ002037 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 11.5 | 18.4 |
| Ford Road Bridge (site of) | TQ000036 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 11.4 | 18.3 |
| Accommodation Bridge (site of) | SU998035 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 11.2 | 18.0 |
| Accommodation Bridge (site of) | SU993033 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 10.9 | 17.4 |
| Burndell Bridge | SU983031 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 10.2 | 16.4 |
| Bognor Road Bridge (site of) | SU979031 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 10.0 | 16.1 |
| Tack Lee Bridge | SU976032 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 9.8 | 15.7 |
| Drove Lane Bridge (remains) | SU973033 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 9.6 | 15.4 |
| Denges Barn (remains) | SU969035 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 9.3 | 14.9 |
| Tile Barn Swing Bridge (remains) | SU965036 | 2.5 | 4.1 | 9.1 | 14.5 |
| Leys Lane Swing Bridge (remains) | SU960035 | 2.9 | 4.6 | 8.7 | 14.0 |
| Hollinsworth Swing Bridge (remains) | SU957034 | 2.9 | 4.9 | 8.6 | 13.7 |
| Stewart Swing Bridge (remains) | SU955034 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 8.4 | 13.5 |
| Bognor Branch Railway | SU950035 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 8.1 | 12.9 |
| Lydsey Swing Bridge (site of) | SU945033 ? | 3.9 | 6.2 | 7.7 | 12.4 |
| Eastergate Rife Aqueduct | SU943033 | 4.1 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 12.1 |
| Lydsey Road Bridge (A29) (site of) | SU938032 | 4.3 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 11.6 |
| Aldingbourne Rife Aqueduct | SU926031 | 5.1 | 8.2 | 6.5 | 10.4 |
| Woodend Swing Bridge (site of) | SU918031 | 5.6 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 9.6 |
| Colworth Bridge (site of) | SU913029 | 5.9 | 9.5 | 5.7 | 9.1 |
| Bognor Road Bridge (site of, on east side of A259) | SU907027 | 6.3 | 10.2 | 5.3 | 8.5 |
| Groves Farm Swing Bridge (site of) | SU903025 | 6.5 | 10.6 | 5.1 | 8.0 |
| Park Lane Bridge (remains) | SU896024 | 7.0 | 11.3 | 4.6 | 7.3 |
| St Giles Bridge | SU893024 | 7.0 | 11.6 | 4.6 | 7.0 |
| Marsh Lane Bridge (site of) | SU884024 | 7.7 | 12.4 | 3.9 | 6.2 |
| Walnut Tree Bridge (site of) | SU880024 | 8.0 | 12.9 | 3.6 | 5.7 |
| North Mundham Bridge (site of) | SU875024 | 8.3 | 13.4 | 3.3 | 5.2 |
| Hunston Dairy Bridge (site of) | SU870023 | 8.6 | 13.9 | 3.0 | 4.7 |
| Hunston Bridge (site of) | SU865022 | 9.0 | 14.5 | 2.6 | 4.1 |
| Hunston Junction (junction with Chichester Arm) | SU864022 | 9.0 | 14.5 | 2.6 | 4.1 |
| Selsey Tramway Lift Bridge (remains of) | SU860021 | 9.3 | 14.9 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| Crosbie Swing Bridge (culverted) | SU854019 | 9.6 | 15.6 | 1.9 | 3.0 |
| Dudley Swing Bridge (remains of) | SU849017 | 10.0 | 16.1 | 1.6 | 2.5 |
| Cutfield Swing Bridge (culverted) | SU841012 | 10.5 | 17.0 | 1.0 | 1.6 |
| Casher (or Manhood End) Lock (remains) | SU837010 | 10.7 | 17.5 | 0.7 | 1.1 |
| Casher Bridge (remains of) | SU836010 | 10.9 | 17.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
| Egremont Swing Bridge | SU829010 | 11.4 | 18.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Salterns Lock, Birdham | SU826011 | 11.6 | 18.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| CHICHESTER ARM | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | OS NG Ref | From Southgate Basin | From Hunston Junction | ||
| Miles | Kms | Miles | Kms | ||
| Southgate Basin, Chichester | SU858041 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.1 |
| Padwick Swing Bridge (with deck from Poyntz Bridge) | SU859039 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.8 |
| Chichester Bypass Bridge | SU8598037 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.7 |
| Poyntz Bridge (originally swing, replaced by fixed bridge) | SU8648022 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hunston Junction (junction with Main Line) | SU864022 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| TIDAL CHANNELS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | OS NG Ref | From Salterns Lock | From Sea Lock, Milton | ||
| Miles | Kms | Miles | Kms | ||
| Salterns Lock, Birdham | SU826011 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13.5 | 21.7 |
| Junction of Birdham Pool and the Chichester Channel | SU820013 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 13.2 | 21.2 |
| West Itchenor | SU800016 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 11.7 | 18.8 |
| Bosham Deeps (junction of Chichester & Bosham Channels) | SU795016 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 11.4 | 18.3 |
| Junction of Chichester & Thorney Channels | SU775003 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 9.6 | 15.4 |
| Stocker’s Lake (junction of Chichester & Emsworth Channels and the harbour entrance) | SZ751995 | 5.4 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 13.1 |
| Junction of Emsworth Channel and Sweare Deep | SU742035 | 8.0 | 12.9 | 5.0 | 8.8 |
| Junction of Sweare Deep and New Cut | SU729045 | 9.0 | 14.5 | 4.5 | 7.2 |
| Crossing of New Cut by Langstone Wadeway | SU723044 | 9.4 | 15.2 | 4.1 | 6.5 |
| Langstone Bridge (passing into Langstone Harbour) | SU720043 | 9.6 | 15.5 | 3.9 | 6.2 |
| Hayling Island Railway Viaduct (remains of) | SU718042 | 9.8 | 15.7 | 3.7 | 6.0 |
| Sword Point (junction of Langstone Channel and Broom Channel) | SU687008 | 12.7 | 20.5 | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| Junction of Langstone Channel and Lock Lake | SU685002 | 13.2 | 21.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Sea Lock, Milton | SZ678999 | 13.5 | 21.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| PORTSEA CANAL | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | OS NG Ref | From Sea Lock, Milton | From Halfway Houses | ||
| Miles | Kms | Miles | Kms | ||
| Sea (or Second) Lock | SZ678999 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 3.9 |
| Upper (or First) Lock (site of) | SZ676998 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| Engine House | SZ675998 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 3.6 |
| Iron (or Enginehouse) Swing Bridge (site of) | SZ671997 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 3.1 |
| Eastney Road Swing Bridge (site of) | SZ665995 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
| (Shepherds ?) Swing Bridge (site of) | SZ661997 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.1 |
| Keith (or Fratton) Swing Bridge (site of) | SU651000 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 1.1 |
| Turner (or Somers Road) Swing Bridge (site of) | SU648001 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| Burrell Swing Bridge (site of) | SU645002 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Church Path Swing Bridge (site of) | SU643003 ? | 2.2 | 3.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| West end of Halfway Houses basin (site of) | SU642004 ? | 2.4 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| PORTSBRIDGE CREEK | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | OS NG Ref | From Sword Point | From Tipnor Point | ||
| Miles | Kms | Miles | Kms | ||
| Sword Point - junction of Langstone Channel and Broom Channel | SU687008 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 7.7 |
| Eastern Road Bridge | SU674040 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 4.1 |
| Eastern dam - Broom Channel becomes Portsbridge Creek | SU670041 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| Portcreek Railway Bridge | SU666042 | 2.7 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 3.4 |
| Footbridge | SU666042 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 2.1 | 3.3 |
| Peronne Footbridge | SU658045 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 2.5 |
| Old Ports Bridge (pre 1867 - site of) | SU658045 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Ports Bridge | SU654045 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 1.3 | 2.1 |
| Roundabout Bridge | SU653045 | 3.6 | 5.8 | 1.2 | 1.9 |
| End of Portsbridge Creek - Start of Tipner Lake | SU651045 | 3.8 | 6.1 | 1.0 | 1.6 |
| Lower Wadeway (site of) | SU645038 | 4.3 | 6.9 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| M275 Motorway Bridge | SU642035 | 4.6 | 7.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Tipner Point | SU639037 | 4.8 | 7.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
In the 1830s, navigation of the Portsbridge Creek was continued roughly west-north-west of Tipner Lake and north of Horsea Island for about 1¼ miles (2km) joining the Paulsgrove Lake. The construction of the M27 and M275 motorways in the 1970s and Port Solent in the 1980s finally blocked this route. Incidentally, the entrance lock to Port Solent marina was built in the channel of Paulsgrove Lake.