Fields End

Replica Grand Union milestone on towpath below Bourne End Bottom Lock 59

Along the Grand Union Canal near Berkhamsted.

Crossing the Grand Union Canal between Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead.

Crossing the Grand Union Canal between Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead.

The house is The Maltings along Sharpes Lane.

The Grand Union Canal was formed from an amalgamation of several formerly separate canals. Until the 1920s these had been independently owned and operated. The original part of the system was the Grand Junction Canal between Braunston and Brentford, constructed to reduce the route from the Midlands to London by sixty miles. This had locks fourteen feet wide, many branches to major towns and broad beam boats carrying up to seventy tons. Earlier linking canals were built with seven foot wide locks. The Regent's Canal acquired the Grand Junction and other canals in 1929 and created the new Grand Union Canal Carrying Company (GUCCC). In 1932, with government aid, extensive modernisation was carried out, including the widening of 52 locks between Braunston and Birmingham (Camp Hill), and the demolition and replacement of many 18th and early 19th century bridges; then the money ran out - and the World War II started, so the task was never completed. Waterways absorbed into the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company include: London area: Regent's Canal – original company Hertford Union Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1857 Main Line*: Warwick and Napton Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Warwick and Birmingham Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Grand Junction Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Leicester Line: Old Grand Union Canal – bought by the Grand Junction in 1894 Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal – bought by the Grand Junction in 1894 Leicester Navigation – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 Loughborough Navigation – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 Erewash Canal – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 *The current main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham (Digbeth), stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. For more details, a good start is: Link

The Grand Union Canal was formed from an amalgamation of several formerly separate canals. Until the 1920s these had been independently owned and operated. The original part of the system was the Grand Junction Canal between Braunston and Brentford, constructed to reduce the route from the Midlands to London by sixty miles. This had locks fourteen feet wide, many branches to major towns and broad beam boats carrying up to seventy tons. Earlier linking canals were built with seven foot wide locks. The Regent's Canal acquired the Grand Junction and other canals in 1929 and created the new Grand Union Canal Carrying Company (GUCCC). In 1932, with government aid, extensive modernisation was carried out, including the widening of 52 locks between Braunston and Birmingham (Camp Hill), and the demolition and replacement of many 18th and early 19th century bridges; then the money ran out - and the World War II started, so the task was never completed. Waterways absorbed into the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company include: London area: Regent's Canal – original company Hertford Union Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1857 Main Line*: Warwick and Napton Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Warwick and Birmingham Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Grand Junction Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Leicester Line: Old Grand Union Canal – bought by the Grand Junction in 1894 Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal – bought by the Grand Junction in 1894 Leicester Navigation – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 Loughborough Navigation – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 Erewash Canal – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 *The current main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham (Digbeth), stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. For more details, a good start is: Link

The Grand Union Canal was formed from an amalgamation of several formerly separate canals. Until the 1920s these had been independently owned and operated. The original part of the system was the Grand Junction Canal between Braunston and Brentford, constructed to reduce the route from the Midlands to London by sixty miles. This had locks fourteen feet wide, many branches to major towns and broad beam boats carrying up to seventy tons. Earlier linking canals were built with seven foot wide locks. The Regent's Canal acquired the Grand Junction and other canals in 1929 and created the new Grand Union Canal Carrying Company (GUCCC). In 1932, with government aid, extensive modernisation was carried out, including the widening of 52 locks between Braunston and Birmingham (Camp Hill), and the demolition and replacement of many 18th and early 19th century bridges; then the money ran out - and the World War II started, so the task was never completed. Waterways absorbed into the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company include: London area: Regent's Canal – original company Hertford Union Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1857 Main Line*: Warwick and Napton Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Warwick and Birmingham Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Grand Junction Canal – bought by the Regent's Canal in 1927 Leicester Line: Old Grand Union Canal – bought by the Grand Junction in 1894 Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal – bought by the Grand Junction in 1894 Leicester Navigation – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 Loughborough Navigation – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 Erewash Canal – bought by the Grand Union in 1932 *The current main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham (Digbeth), stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. For more details, a good start is: Link

Along the Grand Union Canal at Bourne End.

Along the Grand Union Canal at Winkwell Dock.

Along the Grand Union Canal near Bourne End.