Wilton Water
Encyclopedia
Wilton Water is a small reservoir, located near the village of Great Bedwyn
in the English
county of Wiltshire
, which supplies the summit pound of the Kennet and Avon Canal
with water.
It is the catchment for all the rainfall from the eastern end of the Vale of Pewsey
and the surrounding hills, and it has been responsible for the development of the habitation in this area for many centuries.
It was created between 1794 and 1810, by damming a narrow branching valley and is fed by natural springs
. In addition to providing water for the canal, which is pumped by Crofton Pumping Station
, it provides a haven for wildlife.. It has been stocked with rainbow trout.
When the canal was built, there were no reliable water sources available to fill the summit by normal gravitational means. However a set of usable springs were found adjacent to the canal route about one mile (2 km) east of the summit pound, and about 40 feet (12 m) below it. Arrangements were made for these springs to feed the pound below lock 60 at Crofton Locks
. Some years later the reservoir was created to enhance the supply to this pound.
The reservoir outfall and sluices are designated as a grade II listed building.
Great Bedwyn
Great Bedwyn is a village and civil parish in the east of the English county of Wiltshire.-Location:Great Bedwyn is on the River Dun about south-west of Hungerford and south-east of Marlborough, Wiltshire. The Kennet and Avon Canal and the West of England Main Line railway follow the Dun and pass...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, which supplies the summit pound of the Kennet and Avon Canal
Kennet and Avon Canal
The Kennet and Avon Canal is a waterway in southern England with an overall length of , made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by a canal. The name is commonly used to refer to the entire length of the navigation rather than solely to the central canal section...
with water.
It is the catchment for all the rainfall from the eastern end of the Vale of Pewsey
Vale of Pewsey
The Vale of Pewsey or Pewsey Vale is an area of Wiltshire, England to the east of Devizes and south of Marlborough, centred on the town of Pewsey.-Geography:...
and the surrounding hills, and it has been responsible for the development of the habitation in this area for many centuries.
It was created between 1794 and 1810, by damming a narrow branching valley and is fed by natural springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
. In addition to providing water for the canal, which is pumped by Crofton Pumping Station
Crofton Pumping Station
Crofton Pumping Station is a pumping station near the village of Great Bedwyn in the English county of Wiltshire: it supplies the summit pound of the Kennet and Avon Canal with water....
, it provides a haven for wildlife.. It has been stocked with rainbow trout.
When the canal was built, there were no reliable water sources available to fill the summit by normal gravitational means. However a set of usable springs were found adjacent to the canal route about one mile (2 km) east of the summit pound, and about 40 feet (12 m) below it. Arrangements were made for these springs to feed the pound below lock 60 at Crofton Locks
Crofton Locks
Crofton Locks are a flight of locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal, near the village of Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, England.The nine locks achieve a total rise/fall of 61 ft 0 in and were built under the supervision of engineer John Rennie...
. Some years later the reservoir was created to enhance the supply to this pound.
The reservoir outfall and sluices are designated as a grade II listed building.
See also
- Canals of the United KingdomCanals of the United KingdomThe canals of the United Kingdom are a major part of the network of inland waterways in the United Kingdom. They have a colourful history, from use for irrigation and transport, through becoming the focus of the Industrial Revolution, to today's role for recreational boating...
- 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...