Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/605

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is situated, is detached from tile main body of the county and lying to the northward of the county of Northumberland, and adjoining Berwickshire in Scotland. No steps have yet been taken to carry the provisions of this act into effect.

STAFFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTERSHIRE CANAL.

6 George III. Cap. 97, Royal Assent 14th May, 1766.

30 George III. Cap. 75, Royal Assent 9th June, 1790.

THIS important branch of inland navigation commences in the River Severn, at Stourport, in Worcestershire, and proceeding in a northerly direction, passes Mitten, Kidderminster, Tittenhall, Penkridge, and Baswich, uniting itself with the Trent and Mersey Navigation, near Haywood, in Staffordshire. In its route it is carried by aqueducts over the Rivers Trent, Sow, Penk, Smester and Stour, and by a tunnel under the town of Kidderminster; there are also two other tunnels, two large reservoirs, and a number of bridges and small aqueducts. At Stourport this canal falls into two basins, and from these, boats descend into the River Severn, by two locks; from this point to the Stourbridge Canal, at Stewponey, there is a rise of 127 feet 6 inches, in a distance of twelve miles and a quarter; from thence to Tittenhall, being eleven miles, is a rise of 166 feet 6 inches; thence to Streetway, ten miles, is level, (and it is joined by the Old Birmingham Canal on this level); and from thence to the Trent and Mersey, at Haywood, is thirteen miles and a half, with a fall of 100 feet 6 inches. Its summit, or highest pound of water is, between the village of Autherly, near Wolverhampton, and the Old Roman Road called Streetway, in the county of Stafford, ten miles in extent, 100 feet 6 inches above the Trent and Mersey Canal, near Stafford; 352 feet above low water at Runcorn; and 294 feet above the Severn at Stourport.

The act of parliament, under sanction of which this canal was executed, was obtained in 1766, and is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Cut, or Canal, from the River Severn, between Bewdley and Titton Brook, in the county of Worcester, to cross the River Trent, near Haywood Mill, in the