Coventry Canal Basin

Coventry Canal Basin - Historic Architecture

Jake Davies

Coventry Canal Basin lies on high ground just north of the city centre.

Once a bustling, grimy, site where a lot of coal was unloaded, the listed, brick warehouses have all been refurbished and the basin redeveloped.

With offices, artists' studios, a cafe with outdoor seating, and a couple of other eateries, the area has now become a place of leisure, much like the canal system itself throughout the country.

The Canal Trust operates the canal system and have a shop here with displays of the canal's former days. They also put on various events in the basin area and sometimes on the water with short trips on a narrow boat. A canoe and kayak club are both also based here.

The picturesque Cabal Basin in Coventry. — The picturesque Cabal Basin in Coventry

The old warehouses at Coventry Canal Basin have been refurbished and converted into commercial spaces. — The old warehouses at Coventry Canal Basin have been refurbished and converted into commercial spaces

History

Coventry Canal was opened in 1769 and runs 38 miles to Lichfield where it connects to the Trent & Mersey Canal. Along the way there are several other junctions with major canals such as the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, and just 5 1/2 miles out of Coventry at Hawkesbury Junction it connects with the Oxford Canal. This was the main trade route between Birmingham and London until the construction of the Grand Union Canal.

Part of the Electric Wharf redevelopment that recycled the building materials of the power station to build new apartments and offices. — Part of the Electric Wharf redevelopment that recycled the building materials of the power station to build new apartments and offices

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

A new tunnel on the Coventry Canal built below a major new road layout. — A new tunnel on the Coventry Canal built below a recent major road layout

Redevelopment

As the Industrial Revolution grew many industries and factories set up shop alongside the canal, but over the past 30 years most of them have closed down and been demolished and replaced with new developments.

The canal and its towpath was once disused, dirty, and overgrown, but has been brought back to life, initially by voluntary efforts.

Now they are used in many different ways for pleasure. On the water, the colorful narrow boats are plentiful, both for holiday cruising and as homes, also canoes and kayaks are often seen.

The towpath is used for walkers, joggers, cyclists and fishermen. There is plenty of animal life in the canal, including Mallard ducks and swans. As the main transportation routes in former times there were ample public houses along the canal, and many still remain.

The section of canal from the basin to Hawkesbury Junction has been made into an Art Trail with 27 artworks installed along the route, with the canal conceived of as a 5.5-mile-long urban park.

The canal is an oasis of nature teeming with wildlife such as ducks and swans. — The canal is an oasis of nature teeming with wildlife such as ducks and swans

The Coventry Canal is home to many houseboats. — The Coventry Canal is home to many houseboats

Electric Wharf

Heading north out of the canal basin, you soon come to Electric Wharf, so named as this was Coventry's first electricity-generating power station.

Opened in 1895 it was fueled by coal brought in on the canal from collieries in North Warwickshire. Now it is a mixed redevelopment including various type of residential units as well as commercial properties. Some of the new buildings used recycled materials from demolished ones.

The Cash's Topshop reflected in the Coventry Canal. — The Cash's Topshop reflected in the Coventry Canal

Many small bridges cross the Coventry Canal. — Many small bridges cross the Coventry Canal

Topshops

A little further you pass by Cash's, a company founded in 1846 that wove ribbons and labels and such. Alongside the canal is a housing unit built for the company employees. Known as "topshops", the first two storeys were cottages for the workers, but the uppermost floor was a long open space where the looms were powered by a central steam-powered beam engine.

A series of s-bends in the canal passes through what used to be the huge Courtaulds factory. Once the world's largest producers of man-made fibres, many new materials were invented in the laboratories here.

Electric Wharf Pedestrian Bridge, a modern bridge built as part of the redevelopment of the Electric Wharf area, site of the first power station in Coventry. — Electric Wharf Pedestrian Bridge, a modern bridge built as part of the redevelopment of the Electric Wharf area, site of the first power station in Coventry

Ricoh Arena

Further north the canal passes the Ricoh Arena. Built upon the former gasworks and railways yards for the coal from nearby Keresley Colliery, Rich Arena is primarily a football stadium, home of the Sky Blues, and the Wasps rugby team, and also a casino and exhibition hall, as a well as a hotel - the DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry Building Society Arena. Next door is one of the UK's largest hypermarkets.

Hawkesbury Junction, 5.5 miles from the basin, is where the waterway connects to the Oxford Canal and was once a very busy spot where boatmen waited for instructions on their next loads. The Greyhound Inn here continues to be popular for users of the canal.

Coventry Canal Basin
10a Saint Nicholas Street
Coventry CV1 4LY