Basingstoke Canal
Encyclopedia
The Basingstoke Canal is a British Canal, completed in 1794, built to connect Basingstoke
with the River Thames
at Weybridge
via the Wey Navigation.
From Basingstoke, the canal
passes through or near Greywell
, North Warnborough
, Odiham
, Dogmersfield
, Fleet
, Farnborough Airfield
, Aldershot
, Mytchett, Brookwood
, and Woking. Its eastern end is at Byfleet
, where it connects to the Wey Navigation. This, in turn, leads to the River Thames
at Weybridge
. Its intended purpose was to allow boats to travel from the docks in East London
to Basingstoke.
It was never a commercial success and, from 1950, lack of maintenance allowed the canal to become increasingly derelict. After many years of neglect, restoration commenced in 1977 and on 10 May 1991 the canal was reopened as a fully navigable waterway from the River Wey
to almost as far as the Greywell Tunnel
. Unfortunately, insufficient water supplies, problems with funding, and conservation issues, have so far prevented the Basingstoke Canal from reaching its true potential as a restored waterway.
. Following a Parliamentary Bill in 1778, problems raising the necessary capital funding meant that construction did not began until 10 years later, in October 1788 and was completed on 4 September 1794. Engineer John Smeaton
and his assistant William Jessop
worked on the canal, along with Benjamin Henry Latrobe. One of the main cargoes carried from Basingstoke was timber.
The canal was never a commercial success and fell into disuse even before the construction of the London and South Western Railway
, which runs parallel to the canal
along much of its length. Commercial use ended in 1910 but low-level use of the canal continued.
In 1913 Mr A.J.Harmsworth tried to navigate the canal in a boat called Basingstoke. The journey was motivated by a desire to keep the canal open since the Canal Act of 1778 specified that if the canal was not used for 5 years then the land the canal was built on would be returned to the original owners. It is thought that it proved impossible to navigate the entire canal but despite this the canal was not abandoned.
During World War I
the Royal Engineers
took over the running of the canal and used it to transport supplies from Woolwich
. The canal was also used to train soldiers in boat handling
Mr A.J.Harmsworth later purchased the canal (in 1922) and ran a number of boats on it for a mixture of limited commercial carrying and pleasure cruising. The canal was sold upon his death in 1947 and by 1950 was in the hands of the New Basingstoke Canal Co Ltd. This company did not maintain the canal and by the mid-'60s it was essentially derelict.
In 1966, the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society was formed by a group of local canal enthusiasts, with a view to reopening the derelict canal. They were instrumental in running a campaign that culminated in 1976 with the compulsory purchase of the canal by the County Councils of Hampshire and Surrey.
In February 1977 a job creation project started with the aim of carrying out restoration work on the Deepcut flight of locks. The work was coordinated with the work of the canal society who organised work parties at weekends while the job creation team worked on weekdays.
After about 18 years of restoration, 32 miles (51.5 km) of the canal were formally re-opened on 10 May 1991. The western section from North Warnborough
to Basingstoke remains un-navigable from the point at which it enters the Greywell Tunnel. The tunnel is partially collapsed and is inhabited by a protected bat
colony making it unlikely that the tunnel will ever be restored. Some of the former canal basin at the western end has also been lost to modern development in and around Basingstoke.
The canal is now managed by the Basingstoke Canal Authority and is open to navigation, but access is usually restricted due to the very limited water supply and the fact that most of the canal has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI). The heathland areas surrounding the canal are habitats for many rare reptilian species, such as vipers and lizards, and birds such as nightjars.
There is an information centre for the canal at Mytchett.
There were no locks on this part of the canal after Ash
and so the route generally followed the contours of the land with occasional cuttings, tunnels and embankments. The route can be partly determined by noting that the canal falls between the 75m and 80m contours on Ordnance Survey maps. The main source of water for the Basingstoke end of the top pound of the canal appears to have been the natural springs within the Greywell
Tunnel, since in Basingstoke itself, Eastrop Way, on the former route of the canal, is above the height of the nearby River Loddon
. (There are also small streams flowing into the top pound of the canal at Fleet and Aldershot.) An attempt to alleviate the lack of water is apparent by a small lock just to the east of the Greywell tunnel, which appears to have raised the water level by about a foot. However this was a long section of canal with many embankments and it is likely that this was a cheap short term measure to keep the canal open, in preference to plugging the leaks from the many embankment sections on the route.
The canal started at a canal basin, roughly where the cinema in Festival Place is located. From there the canal ran alongside the River Loddon
following the line of Eastrop Way. The old canal route passes under the perimeter ring road and then follows a long loop partly on an embankment to pass over small streams and water meadows towards Old Basing
, where the route goes around the now ruined palace of Basing House
and then through and around the eastern edge of Old Basing. It followed another loop to go over small streams near the Hatch public house (a lot of this section was built over when constructing the M3) and headed across fields on an embankment towards Mapledurwell
. The canal then headed towards a small tunnel under the Andwell Drove and then across another field partly on an embankment towards Up Nately
. The section of the canal from Up Nately to the western entrance of the Greywell Tunnel still exists and is a nature reserve; there is water in the canal and the canal towpath can be walked. A permissive footpath at the western entrance to the tunnel allows walkers to access public footpaths to get to the eastern entrance of the tunnel.
The limit of navigation is about 500m east of the Greywell Tunnel towards North Warnborough
, although the section to the tunnel entrance is probably usable by canoes. The renovated sections of the canal can then be navigated east.
The Basingstoke Canal Heritage Footpath roughly follows the canal route for 2 miles (3 km) from Festival Place
to Basing House
.
Plans to reconnect Basingstoke with the surviving section of the Canal have been mooted several times in the past and this remains a long term aim of the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society. Another possible idea also considered was to connect the remaining canal to the Kennet and Avon navigation near Reading.
In 1993, the canal visitor centre was opened which now acts as the central offices of the Canal Authority.
The Canal Authority staff are employed, administered and supported by Hampshire County Council; however, the centre is leased from Surrey County Council. Each council allocates money to the Canal Authority.
The current organisation structure of the canal authority is formed of one canal director, a senior administration officer and assistant, the centre manager and seasonal centre assistant. The canal is maintained by a team of 9 canal rangers and 1 senior ranger.
A notable feature of the canal is the large number of concrete bunker
s known as pillboxes still visible along its length; these were built during World War II
as part of the GHQ Line
to defend against an expected German invasion
.
Odiham Castle
is situated at the Greywell (Basingstoke) end of the canal.
The Greywell Tunnel
(now disused), at 1230 yards (1,124.7 m) long, was the 12th longest canal tunnel in Great Britain.
.
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
with the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Weybridge
Weybridge
Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
via the Wey Navigation.
From Basingstoke, the canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
passes through or near Greywell
Greywell
Greywell is a small village and civil parish in Hampshire, England.Greywell village is a past winner of the Best Kept Village in Hampshire competition and a recent winner of Best Small Village in Hampshire. The Basingstoke Canal runs underneath part of the village through the 1.1 km long...
, North Warnborough
North Warnborough
North Warnborough is a small village situated in North East Hampshire. Its neighbouring villages are Odiham, Hook and Winchfield and the current representative of Parliament is the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot...
, Odiham
Odiham
Odiham is a historic village and large civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. It is twinned with Sourdeval in the Manche Department of France. The current population is 4,406. The parish contains an acreage of 7,354 acres with 50 acres of land covered with water. The nearest...
, Dogmersfield
Dogmersfield
Dogmersfield is a small and peaceful village between the towns of Fleet and Hartley Wintney located in Hampshire, England.Places of interest include the village church, the Queen's Head pub and a mansion house known variously as Dogmersfield House or Dogmersfield Park...
, Fleet
Fleet, Hampshire
Fleet is a town and civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England, located 37 miles south west of London. It is part of Hart District. The 2007 population forecast for Fleet was 31,687.-History:...
, Farnborough Airfield
Farnborough Airfield
Farnborough Airport or TAG London Farnborough Airport is an airport situated in Farnborough, Rushmoor, Hampshire, England...
, Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, Mytchett, Brookwood
Brookwood, Surrey
Brookwood is a village in Surrey, located about 5 km west of Woking, in a semi-rural location. It lies on the western border of the Woking Borough ....
, and Woking. Its eastern end is at Byfleet
Byfleet
Byfleet is an inland island village forming a suburb of Woking in Surrey, England. It is in the east of the borough between the River Wey and the River Mole, and is within the M25 motorway....
, where it connects to the Wey Navigation. This, in turn, leads to the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Weybridge
Weybridge
Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
. Its intended purpose was to allow boats to travel from the docks in East 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...
to Basingstoke.
It was never a commercial success and, from 1950, lack of maintenance allowed the canal to become increasingly derelict. After many years of neglect, restoration commenced in 1977 and on 10 May 1991 the canal was reopened as a fully navigable waterway from the River Wey
River Wey
The River Wey in Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex is a tributary of the River Thames with two separate branches which join at Tilford. The source of the north branch is at Alton, Hampshire and of the south branch at both Blackdown south of Haslemere, and also close to Gibbet Hill, near Hindhead...
to almost as far as the Greywell Tunnel
Greywell Tunnel
The Greywell Tunnel is a 0.6 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire, England, notified in 1985. When opened in 1794 it was the longest tunnel on the Basingstoke Canal. It was closed due to a roof fall in 1932.-History:...
. Unfortunately, insufficient water supplies, problems with funding, and conservation issues, have so far prevented the Basingstoke Canal from reaching its true potential as a restored waterway.
History
The canal was conceived as a way to stimulate agricultural development in HampshireHampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. Following a Parliamentary Bill in 1778, problems raising the necessary capital funding meant that construction did not began until 10 years later, in October 1788 and was completed on 4 September 1794. Engineer John Smeaton
John Smeaton
John Smeaton, FRS, was an English civil engineer responsible for the design of bridges, canals, harbours and lighthouses. He was also a capable mechanical engineer and an eminent physicist...
and his assistant William Jessop
William Jessop
William Jessop was an English civil engineer, best known for his work on canals, harbours and early railways in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.-Early life:...
worked on the canal, along with Benjamin Henry Latrobe. One of the main cargoes carried from Basingstoke was timber.
The canal was never a commercial success and fell into disuse even before the construction of the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
, which runs parallel to the canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
along much of its length. Commercial use ended in 1910 but low-level use of the canal continued.
In 1913 Mr A.J.Harmsworth tried to navigate the canal in a boat called Basingstoke. The journey was motivated by a desire to keep the canal open since the Canal Act of 1778 specified that if the canal was not used for 5 years then the land the canal was built on would be returned to the original owners. It is thought that it proved impossible to navigate the entire canal but despite this the canal was not abandoned.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
took over the running of the canal and used it to transport supplies from Woolwich
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
. The canal was also used to train soldiers in boat handling
Mr A.J.Harmsworth later purchased the canal (in 1922) and ran a number of boats on it for a mixture of limited commercial carrying and pleasure cruising. The canal was sold upon his death in 1947 and by 1950 was in the hands of the New Basingstoke Canal Co Ltd. This company did not maintain the canal and by the mid-'60s it was essentially derelict.
Restoration
In February 1977 a job creation project started with the aim of carrying out restoration work on the Deepcut flight of locks. The work was coordinated with the work of the canal society who organised work parties at weekends while the job creation team worked on weekdays.
After about 18 years of restoration, 32 miles (51.5 km) of the canal were formally re-opened on 10 May 1991. The western section from North Warnborough
North Warnborough
North Warnborough is a small village situated in North East Hampshire. Its neighbouring villages are Odiham, Hook and Winchfield and the current representative of Parliament is the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot...
to Basingstoke remains un-navigable from the point at which it enters the Greywell Tunnel. The tunnel is partially collapsed and is inhabited by a protected bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
colony making it unlikely that the tunnel will ever be restored. Some of the former canal basin at the western end has also been lost to modern development in and around Basingstoke.
The canal is now managed by the Basingstoke Canal Authority and is open to navigation, but access is usually restricted due to the very limited water supply and the fact that most of the canal has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI). The heathland areas surrounding the canal are habitats for many rare reptilian species, such as vipers and lizards, and birds such as nightjars.
There is an information centre for the canal at Mytchett.
Lost sections of the canal
The canal used to start from the centre of Basingstoke, but the last five miles of the canal route have now been lost. This section of the canal fell into disuse due to a lack of boat traffic, general neglect and a lack of water levels.There were no locks on this part of the canal after Ash
Ash, Surrey
Ash is a village and civil parish in the borough of Guildford, Surrey, with a population of 17,549 according to the 2001 census. It is at the far west of the Guildford borough, and the urban development in the parish runs directly into Aldershot, which is on the western side of the River...
and so the route generally followed the contours of the land with occasional cuttings, tunnels and embankments. The route can be partly determined by noting that the canal falls between the 75m and 80m contours on Ordnance Survey maps. The main source of water for the Basingstoke end of the top pound of the canal appears to have been the natural springs within the Greywell
Greywell
Greywell is a small village and civil parish in Hampshire, England.Greywell village is a past winner of the Best Kept Village in Hampshire competition and a recent winner of Best Small Village in Hampshire. The Basingstoke Canal runs underneath part of the village through the 1.1 km long...
Tunnel, since in Basingstoke itself, Eastrop Way, on the former route of the canal, is above the height of the nearby River Loddon
River Loddon
The River Loddon is a river in the English counties of Berkshire and Hampshire. It is a tributary of the River Thames, rising within the urban area of Basingstoke and flowing to meet the Thames near the village of Wargrave...
. (There are also small streams flowing into the top pound of the canal at Fleet and Aldershot.) An attempt to alleviate the lack of water is apparent by a small lock just to the east of the Greywell tunnel, which appears to have raised the water level by about a foot. However this was a long section of canal with many embankments and it is likely that this was a cheap short term measure to keep the canal open, in preference to plugging the leaks from the many embankment sections on the route.
The canal started at a canal basin, roughly where the cinema in Festival Place is located. From there the canal ran alongside the River Loddon
River Loddon
The River Loddon is a river in the English counties of Berkshire and Hampshire. It is a tributary of the River Thames, rising within the urban area of Basingstoke and flowing to meet the Thames near the village of Wargrave...
following the line of Eastrop Way. The old canal route passes under the perimeter ring road and then follows a long loop partly on an embankment to pass over small streams and water meadows towards Old Basing
Old Basing
Old Basing is a village in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It is situated just to the east of Basingstoke, and in the 2001 census had a population of 7,232...
, where the route goes around the now ruined palace of Basing House
Basing House
Basing House was a major Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivaled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only its foundations and earthworks remain...
and then through and around the eastern edge of Old Basing. It followed another loop to go over small streams near the Hatch public house (a lot of this section was built over when constructing the M3) and headed across fields on an embankment towards Mapledurwell
Mapledurwell
Mapledurwell is a village in Hampshire, England located south east of Basingstoke. The name Mapledurwell means 'maple tree spring.'-History:Recorded in the Domesday Book, the land was held by Anschill for Edward the Confessor. From 1086 it became the sole Hampshire estate of Hugh de Port, covering...
. The canal then headed towards a small tunnel under the Andwell Drove and then across another field partly on an embankment towards Up Nately
Up Nately
Up Nately is a small village in Hampshire, England. Its nearest railway station is in Basingstoke, four miles east to the village. The Basingstoke Canal runs through the village to the north, which soon ends at Greywell.-History:...
. The section of the canal from Up Nately to the western entrance of the Greywell Tunnel still exists and is a nature reserve; there is water in the canal and the canal towpath can be walked. A permissive footpath at the western entrance to the tunnel allows walkers to access public footpaths to get to the eastern entrance of the tunnel.
The limit of navigation is about 500m east of the Greywell Tunnel towards North Warnborough
North Warnborough
North Warnborough is a small village situated in North East Hampshire. Its neighbouring villages are Odiham, Hook and Winchfield and the current representative of Parliament is the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot...
, although the section to the tunnel entrance is probably usable by canoes. The renovated sections of the canal can then be navigated east.
The Basingstoke Canal Heritage Footpath roughly follows the canal route for 2 miles (3 km) from Festival Place
Festival Place
Festival Place is a shopping centre in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England which opened on Tuesday, 22 October 2002. It houses 165 shops including large department stores such as Bhs, Debenhams, and Marks and Spencer...
to Basing House
Basing House
Basing House was a major Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivaled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only its foundations and earthworks remain...
.
Plans to reconnect Basingstoke with the surviving section of the Canal have been mooted several times in the past and this remains a long term aim of the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society. Another possible idea also considered was to connect the remaining canal to the Kennet and Avon navigation near Reading.
The Basingstoke Canal Authority
The canal is owned by both Hampshire County Council and Surrey County Council. Until 1990, both councils managed their own sections separately. It was decided that a central body should manage the entire waterway and the Basingstoke Canal Authority was formed.In 1993, the canal visitor centre was opened which now acts as the central offices of the Canal Authority.
The Canal Authority staff are employed, administered and supported by Hampshire County Council; however, the centre is leased from Surrey County Council. Each council allocates money to the Canal Authority.
The current organisation structure of the canal authority is formed of one canal director, a senior administration officer and assistant, the centre manager and seasonal centre assistant. The canal is maintained by a team of 9 canal rangers and 1 senior ranger.
Architectural features
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
s known as pillboxes still visible along its length; these were built during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as part of the GHQ Line
GHQ Line
The GHQ Line was a defence line built in the United Kingdom during World War II to contain an expected German invasion.The British Army had abandoned most of its equipment in France after the Dunkirk evacuation...
to defend against an expected German invasion
British anti-invasion preparations of World War II
British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War entailed a large-scale division of military and civilian mobilisation in response to the threat of invasion by German armed forces in 1940 and 1941. The British army needed to recover from the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force in...
.
Odiham Castle
Odiham Castle
Odiham Castle is a ruined castle situated near Odiham in Hampshire, United Kingdom. It is one of only three fortresses built by King John during his reign....
is situated at the Greywell (Basingstoke) end of the canal.
The Greywell Tunnel
Greywell Tunnel
The Greywell Tunnel is a 0.6 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire, England, notified in 1985. When opened in 1794 it was the longest tunnel on the Basingstoke Canal. It was closed due to a roof fall in 1932.-History:...
(now disused), at 1230 yards (1,124.7 m) long, was the 12th longest canal tunnel in Great Britain.
Alfred Burtoo incident
On 12 August 1983, at about 1:00 am, 77-year-old Alfred John Burtoo (18 March 1906 – 31 August 1986) from North Town in Aldershot was fishing on the canal near Government Road in Aldershot with his dog Tiny, when, according to Burtoo, a disc-shaped unidentified flying object landed nearby. At first, the powerful light from the disc made Alfred think it was an Army helicopter. However, 4 feet (1.2 m) humanoid figures from craft beckoned him to the UFO. He claims, 'he was 77 and didn't have much to lose', so he followed them on board. He was medically examined, and the diminutive creatures could even speak English in a 'sing song' voice. On finding out that he was 77, the creatures told him he was no use to them, as he was too old and infirm for our purposes. He was 'anxious not to cause any offence', so avoided asking questions such as what planet do you come from? Later at 10:00 am, he told two military policemen of his UFO sighting, and they had seen it too. An incident of this type is designated a close encounter of the third kindClose encounter
In ufology, a close encounter is an event in which a person witnesses an unidentified flying object. This terminology and the system of classification behind it was started by astronomer and UFO researcher J. Allen Hynek, and was first suggested in his 1972 book The UFO Experience: A Scientific...
.
See also
- Canals of Great Britain
- 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...
- Portal: Hampshire
- UFO sightings in United KingdomUFO sightings in United KingdomThis is a list of notable alleged sightings of unidentified flying objects or UFOs in the United Kingdom. Many more sightings became known since 2008, when the National Archives have gradually released MoD UFO sighting reports...
Further reading
- Tim Denton Wartime Defences on the Basingstoke Canal Pillbox Study Group, 2009.
- Dieter Jebens Guide to the Basingstoke Canal Basingstoke Canal Authority and the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society, 2nd Edition, 2004.
- Dieter Jebens and Roger Cansdale Basingstoke Canal Tempus, 2007 ISBN 978-0-7524-3103-1.
External links
- The Basingstoke Canal Authority
- Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society
- The River Wey and Wey Navigations Community Site – a non-commercial site of over 200,000 words all about the adjacent Wey Navigation with a section about the Basingstoke Canal
- Basingstoke Canal Walk (Long Distance Walkers' Association)
- ITV Documentary (video clip)
- Canal Navigations — detailed photographic essay covering the now 'lost' part of the canal between Greywell and Basingstoke