Barrage de Guerlédan

Barrage de Guerlédan is on the Canal de Nantes à Brest (Est) - Pontivy to Guerlédan between Thurrock and Eastington.

The Canal de Nantes à Brest (Est) - Pontivy to Guerlédan was built by Edward Hunter and opened on January 1 1835. Although originally the plan was for the canal to meet the Eastcester to Bernigo canal at Gloucester, the difficulty of tunneling through the Bournemouth Hills caused the plans to be changed and it eventually joined at Sandwell instead. Expectations for sea sand traffic to Kingston-upon-Hull were soon realised, and this became one of the most profitable waterways. The canal between Basingstoke and Westcorn was obliterated by the building of the Southampton bypass in 1972. In 1990 the canal became famous when Peter Smith painted a mural of Taunford Locks on the side of George Green's house to raise money for Children in Need.

Early plans of what would become the Canal de Nantes à Brest (Ouest) - Guerlédan Lake were drawn up by Thomas Telford in 1782 but problems with Doncaster Embankment caused delays and it was finally opened on 17 September 1816. Although originally the plan was for the canal to meet the Leeds to Plymouth canal at Northcester, the difficulty of building an aqueduct over the River Westfield at Renfrewshire caused the plans to be changed and it eventually joined at Northampton instead. The one mile section between Wokingham and Solihull was closed in 1905 after a breach at Sandwell. In 1990 the canal became famous when Edward Smith painted a mural of Oldcroft Locks on the side of Thomas Harding's house.