A History

1. The Arrival of “The Cut” (1768–1771)

The Coventry Canal was not just a waterway; it was the high-speed railway of the 18th century, designed to bring cheap coal from Bedworth and Nuneaton into Coventry.

The Construction Timeline: The Act of Parliament to build the canal was passed in January 1768. The famous engineer James Brindley was the original surveyor. Construction gangs (navvies) worked rapidly north from Coventry. By June 1771, the water had reached Nuneaton, and by December 1771, it reached Atherstone. This places the digging of the Hartshill section squarely in 1770–1771.
The “Great Pause”: A fascinating historical quirk of the Hartshill section is that for nearly 11 years, it was part of a “dead-end” canal. In 1771, the money ran out at Atherstone. Construction stopped completely. Until work resumed in 1782 (eventually linking to the Trent & Mersey in 1790), Hartshill was on a short, isolated waterway. Despite this, the section was busy from day one, ferrying coal south to Coventry.
Engineering: Unlike other canals that required massive embankments or deep cuttings, the canal through Hartshill follows the natural contour of the land (the 300ft contour). This “contour canal” design meant fewer locks were needed, which is why the stretch through Hartshill is a long, level pound—perfect for the horse-drawn boats of the era.

2. The Stone Trade: Tramways and Wharves

While coal was the initial driver, Hartshill’s unique geology—its hard granite and quartzite—soon became the canal’s lifeblood. The canal allowed Hartshill stone to be exported cheaply to pave the rapidly growing streets of London and Birmingham.

The Tramways: Before the canal, moving stone was a slow, grueling process using carts on muddy tracks. With the canal, quarries built private “tramways” (light railways) to roll heavy stone directly to the water’s edge.
- Jees Tramway: The most famous was connected to Jees Hartshill Granite and Brick Company (founded 1822). They operated a narrow-gauge railway that ran from the quarry down to the canal wharf.
- Locomotives: For years, these trams were horse-drawn, but in 1908, Jees bought a steam locomotive named “Norwood” (built by Hunslet) to haul the stone tubs. The noise of the steam engine and the clatter of stone being tipped into barges would have been the soundtrack of Hartshill for decades.
The Wharves: You can still spot the remains of the loading wharves (near Bridge 33 and the Anchor Inn). In its heyday, this area would have been a hive of activity, with “checker” offices counting the loads and mountains of “Hartshill Hart” (a type of road stone) waiting for shipment.

Jees steam locomotive

3. The Hartshill Maintenance Yard

The jewel in the crown of this stretch is the Canal & River Trust maintenance yard, located just south of Bridge 32 (Atherstone Road).

Why Hartshill? As the canal network grew, the Coventry Canal Company needed a central depot to repair locks, bridges, and barges. Hartshill was chosen for its location and abundance of stone/brick for repairs.
The Architecture: The yard is famous for its Clock Tower, a Grade II listed structure that looks more like a country estate building than an industrial workshop. This “polite architecture” was intentional—it projected the wealth and prestige of the Canal Company.
The Dry Dock: The yard features a covered dry dock (still in use today). This is a chamber where water can be drained out, allowing boat builders to work on the hull of a narrowboat. In the 19th century, this would have been constantly occupied by wooden working boats (known as “joeys” or “day boats”) undergoing caulking and repairs.

4. Life on the Cut

The canal brought a transient population to Hartshill—the boat people.

Living Aboard: By the mid-19th century, entire families lived in the tiny “back cabins” of the boats (roughly 10ft x 7ft). The children of these families often had little schooling, but they knew the geography of the canal—including the Hartshill stretch—better than anyone.
The Anchor Inn: Located at Bridge 33, The Anchor was a vital watering hole. For boatmen who spent days walking behind a horse, the pub offered stabling for the animal and ale for the man. It also served as a message drop and a place to pick up news on toll rates or lock closures.

The Anchor Inn today

Rocking the Icebreaker. Keeping the canal free of ice was a necessity.

The Canal Today: A Green Ribbon Through Hartshill

Today, the Coventry Canal is no longer a smoky industrial highway for coal and stone. It has reinvented itself as a “linear park”—a peaceful corridor of green that offers some of the best leisure opportunities in North Warwickshire.

1. Walking the Towpath For walkers, the Hartshill stretch is one of the most forgiving and scenic routes in the region. Because James Brindley designed this as a “contour canal” (hugging the natural level of the land to avoid building locks), the towpath is wonderfully flat.

The Experience: You can walk for miles without encountering a hill. The path takes you past the historic Hartshill Yard, under quaint brick bridges, and offers glimpses of the Anker Valley below.
The Loop: A popular modern pastime is the “pub-to-pub” walk, using the towpath to connect The Anchor Inn at Hartshill with the pubs in Mancetter or Atherstone, returning via the country lanes or the ridge for a circular route.

2. Electric Day Boats (Springwood Haven) You don’t need to own a narrowboat to enjoy the water. Just a mile south of Hartshill (on Mancetter Road) lies Springwood Haven Marina.+1

Eco-Friendly Cruising: They offer a modern twist on the old tradition: electric day boat hire. Unlike the noisy diesel engines of the past, these electric boats are virtually silent.
A Perfect Day Trip: Hiring an electric boat here is ideal for beginners. If you head north from the marina, you can cruise gently past Hartshill, wave to walkers at the Maintenance Yard, and continue all the way to Atherstone without having to work a single lock. It is the perfect way to see the village from a new perspective—gliding silently at 4mph, just as the boatmen did (albeit without the horse!).

3. A Haven for Wildlife As the barges stopped carrying coal, nature reclaimed the banks. The water quality has improved dramatically, turning the canal into a thriving ecosystem.

What to Spot: Keep your eyes peeled for the flash of electric blue from a Kingfisher, often seen darting near the bridge holes. Grey Herons are a common sight, standing statue-still on the bank waiting for fish, while the hedgerows along the towpath are bustling with dragonflies and damselflies in the summer months