Stoke Bruerne Canal Corridor Management and Improvement Plan 2014 -2024
‘The construction of the canal, its tunnel and associated locks and the subsequent operation of the canal have given Stoke Bruerne its unique character. The location of the Museum in the village in 1963 has both complemented and emphasised this special historic interest.’ Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan, 2008
The Stoke Bruerne Canal Corridor Management and Improvement Plan was initially produced in July 2012 following consultations with Brenda Harvey MRTPI, BA of Harvey Management and Advice Ltd to whom the Canal Partnership is deeply indebted. This document is an amended form of that Plan following comments from members of the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership on the original draft. The Plan may need further amendment as discussions continue. It will certainly need updating as time moves on, aspirations become achievements and circumstances change. The Stoke Bruerne Canal Corridor is a beautiful place with an interesting history. It has many friends interested in enhancing both of these characteristics. The Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership members hope that this Plan will make a helpful contribution to their continuing work.
Helen Westlake, Chair, Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership November 2014 2
Contents Glossary
page 4
Section 1 - The context
page 5
Section 2 - The Vision and Aims
page 10
Section 3 - The Proposals
page 11
Section 4 - Implementation
page 31
Appendix 1 - A Brief History of the Canal Corridor
page 32
Appendix 2 - Local Enterprise Partnership Areas
page 36
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Glossary of Abbreviations APCO C&RT DDA GJCC HLF IWA LEP NEP NCC SBPC SEMLEP SNC
Association of Pleasure Craft Operators Canal and River Trust Disability Discrimination Act (Now Equality Act 2010) Grand Junction Canal Company Heritage Lottery Fund Inland Waterways Association Local Enterprise Partnership Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership Northamptonshire County Council Stoke Bruerne Parish Council South East Midlands LEP South Northamptonshire Council
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Section 1 – The Context Why have a Plan?
Stoke Bruerne is a popular and attractive village with a unique history. It attracts visitors, boaters and canal enthusiasts as well as being a beautiful place to live. The fact that the canal was driven through the heart of the village gives it a unique place in the history of the inland waterways. Many buildings and sites which are important to this waterways story remain and are an integral part of the scenery in and around the village. In the heart of the village is the Museum which interprets this story for everyone to appreciate. However these features, which make Stoke Bruerne the attractive place that it is, do not survive and thrive without intervention. There are costs to be met, decisions to be made and strategies to be put in place to ensure that the Stoke Bruerne of the future, and particularly the canal corridor, is as least as good in the future as it is now. There are a number of groups concerned that everything necessary is done to ensure the successful future of Stoke Bruerne and its canal heritage. They have been actively working for many years to improve and sustain the village, the Museum and the waterway setting. Over this time ideas have been suggested, some of which have been implemented, and detailed analysis of the total historical, geographical and social context of the village has been undertaken (Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan published in 2008). In 2012 however another change in the history of the waterways in England and Wales took place. In July 2012 national responsibility for canals transferred from British Waterways to a newly created charity – the Canal & River Trust (CRT). For Stoke Bruerne this means that a new body has overall responsibility for the canal, significant areas of land alongside the canal and the Museum itself. It is not expected that this change will have a significant impact on what happens day to day in Stoke Bruerne. The same local bodies will be involved in very much the same way. However it is timely and appropriate to set down in a clear way – for the benefit of the Canal & River Trust and all the parties involved – what the plans are for the canal corridor and the Museum in Stoke Bruerne over the next ten years. This is particularly apposite as CRT’s SE Waterways Partnership has (October 2014) published its own strategic plan for the next ten years. This ‘Management and Improvement Plan’, which was subject to consultation at the beginning of 2014, has therefore been prepared to provide a succinct statement of plans for the next ten years in the Museum and the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne.
The Plan Area
The area covered by this Plan is the Grand Union canal corridor through Stoke Bruerne from the southern portal of the Blisworth Tunnel to the bottom lock of the Stoke Bruerne flight of locks. The Plan takes into consideration areas of adjacent land where they may be relevant 5
to achieving the aims of the plan. There is a particular emphasis on the Canal Museum and adjacent areas in the village centre. Scope of the Plan
This Plan aims to provide a guide as to what the agencies, local authorities, partner groups, volunteers, employees, businesses and individuals with an interest in the Stoke Bruerne Canal Corridor and the Canal Museum should be aiming to achieve in the period 2014 – 2024 The need for a Management and Improvement Plan was made apparent by the publication of the Partnership’s Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan of 2008. The impetus for developing such a strategy arose from discussions at the Museums Management Board meetings of The Waterways Trust which was previously responsible for the Museum. This responsibility now lies with CRT. The role and future of the Museum is therefore an important part of this plan but it is recognised by all that this needs to be seen in the context of the plans for the whole canal corridor.
Ownership of the Plan
This Plan has been prepared under the auspices of the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership. The Partnership brings together a number of bodies comprising: • • • • • • • •
The Friends of the Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne Parish Council (SBPC) South Northants Council (SNC) The Canal & River Trust (CRT) The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) Northampton County Council (NCC) Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire & Bedfordshire Wildlife Trust Independent villagers & businesses
Local Context
The Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership has undertaken a number of planning and consultation exercises in the past to help formulate their plans for the future. The outputs from these previous exercises have been built into this document.
South Northamptonshire Policy Context
In South Northamptonshire district there are more than 25 miles of canal including the Grand Union Canal which runs through Stoke Bruerne. The District Council recognises the value of canals to the area and its residents and is currently preparing a Conservation Plan for the entire canal system within its area. A report quotes the following valuable attributes: • • •
The excellent opportunities for leisure and recreation along the towpath and connections into the wider rights of way network. The variety of employment opportunities mainly relating to tourism. The contribution to quality of life through the historic built environment (including the canal and all its associated structures, listed buildings, conservation areas and other historic assets) and the natural environment (as a source of biodiversity and part of the council’s Green Infrastructure offer). 6
• •
The contribution to tourism as a major draw to the District, for boaters, walkers, fishing and events. Boat maintenance.
Stoke Bruerne, the Museum and the Blisworth Tunnel are mentioned specifically as major tourist draws in the district with the Museum described as ‘an important asset to our tourism offer’. Policies protecting the canal are an integral part of the developing West Northamptonshire Core Strategy the context for the district’s Development Plan Documents. Through its Economic Development Strategy, SNC Tourism guide and Conservation Strategy the Council recognises that using the strengths and opportunities offered by the canal network are ‘essential to the future of the district and to securing Council Objectives – ‘Preserving what is special’ and maintaining a high quality of life and dynamic economy’. The South Northamptonshire Economic Development Strategy was adopted in 2010 and sets out the Council’s policy position on Economic Development and Tourism. In support of the ‘visitor economy’ and ‘rural economy’ themes of this strategy the council has produced a number of guides and enhanced its web site to promote increased numbers and length of visits to the area. It is also undertaking a detailed assessment of village services and the local transport issues faced by the 16 largest villages in the district. Of immediate relevance for Stoke Bruerne; the council has also prepared a Canal Strategy which covers planning, economic development and tourism issues and opportunities along the corridor of the 2 canals in the District. Conservation proposals for the canal corridor will form an essential part of this. The importance of canals in South Northamptonshire is reflected in the fact that the council’s report on the creation of the Canal & River Trust urges the participation of CRT in the South East Midlands Local Enter prise Partnership (SEMLEP) to contribute to the development of a strategy ‘which can reflect the significance of canal based tourism, and promote the canal network as a whole as well as specific key destinations’. Note: Information in this section is based on the following South Northamptonshire Council reports: •
‘A new era for the waterways – a consultation response’ Policy Review and Development Committee report June 2011
•
‘Economic Development Strategy Implementation Update’ Policy Review and Development Committee report 4th July 2011.
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Local Enterprise Partnership Context
SEMLEP is the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership which was set up as a company in May 2011 and is one of 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in England established by the Coalition Government. SEMLEP is operated jointly by private and public sectors in the area, to promote the south east midlands as a prime growth location for business, investors and visitors. SEMLEP has identified the visitor economy as an important topic it will concentrate on within the remit of its Arts, Heritage, Sport, Visitor Economy, Cultural and Creative Industries Group. Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) was approved in September 2011. The priority of the private sector-led NEP is stated to be to promote growth and create jobs in the area with an aim to create 70,000 new jobs over the next 15 years. Its priorities include increasing the coverage of super-fast broad band, regenerating and improving connectivity between the main population areas, supporting the tourism industry and helping to realise the potential of the growth sectors like advanced manufacturing and engineering, information technology and logistics. A short study of the village (David Blagrove, May 2007) estimated that in the summer of 2006, “some 110 jobs (35 of them full time) were physically based on the canal side and thus dependent on the canal for their existence. A further 18 were largely dependent upon the attraction of the canal”. The same study also points out that during the closure of the Blisworth Tunnel between 1980 and 1984 considerable numbers of employees were laid off in local enterprises. A further study was commissioned by British Waterways into the economic benefits derived from the NEL-funded work. It was dated March 2010. Note: Information in this section is extracted from: • •
The SEMLEP website http://www.semlep.com A Department of Business, Innovation and Skills Press Release http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=421333&NewsAreaID=2
•
The NEP website http://www.northamptonshireep.co.uk/promoting-northamptonshire
Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan Context
The Conservation Plan was commissioned in August 2007 by a steering group led by British Waterways and funded by them together with Northamptonshire Enterprise Limited, South Northamptonshire Council and The Waterways Trust. The conservation plan aimed to provide the starting point from which 'a long term management plan can be agreed to maximise the potential of the village both as a place to live and visit without undermining its historical integrity'. The analysis, findings and recommendations from that document have been built into this plan.
Analysis of Issues To be addressed
Previous pieces of work have identified the following issues which the Plan seeks to address (the order below is not relevant): • •
Lack of adequate car parking space in the village – particularly at busy times or during special events Limited public transport access to the village 8
• • •
• • • • •
•
• • •
•
The future of the side lock, weighing machine, lock gates and boat The state of the four poplar trees next to the Museum Safeguarding existing vehicular access points or wharfage, since such points are essential to the everyday servicing and operation of boats Poor toilet facilities for visitors to the village Mooring policies for the canal near the village centre and the Museum Future uses for historic canal-related buildings The need for improved interpretation of the history of the area and the canal corridor in particular Lack of or difficult access for disabled persons or those with limited mobility to the canal bank from the car park next the Museum and within the Museum itself – particularly its main exhibition area Shortage of facilities in the Museum which could be expected in a top quality museum such as a good library, good archival facilities, a study area, space for public lectures and demonstrations, good toilet facilities No suitable external space for securely displaying larger artefacts such as boats, other than a short length of canal bank The degree to which the Mill Arm adjacent to the Museum (currently a grassed area) should be interpreted or reinstated The extent to which some of the issues identified can be addressed through new uses for land in the current ownership of CRT. Enhancement of key areas.
Vision The Stoke Bruerne of 2024 will be a desirable and flourishing community which welcomes visitors to share its history, waterway and canal side setting.
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Section 2 – Vision and Aims Introduction
There are a great number of different ideas and opportunities which could shape the future activity of those concerned with the future of the Stoke Bruerne canal corridor. The purpose of a vision is to set out context in which these different options can be assessed.
Vision
The Stoke Bruerne of 2024 will be a desirable and flourishing community which welcomes visitors to share its history, waterway and canal side setting.
Aims
In the light of this vision and within the remit of this Plan, with its concentration on the canal corridor, the following aims have been identified:
By 2024 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be: •
A leading location in the region for learning about canals - their history, boats, people, buildings and artefacts
•
A well-interpreted, well maintained and sympathetically conserved and enhanced canal corridor
•
An important resource for local residents for leisure, recreation and learning
•
An important walking route for those wishing to enjoy the Northamptonshire countryside
•
One of the most popular stopping places for boaters on the Grand Union Canal
•
A leading example of good practice in welcoming visitors and integrating them harmoniously into a village setting
•
Playing an important part in a local network of canal locations
•
Valuing the employment and business opportunities that the canal brings
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“Stoke Bruerne – the village with the canal at its heart” Section 3 – The Proposals Introduction
This section takes each of the aims set out in section two and sets out what will be done over the next ten years (up to 2024) to achieve these aims. In many cases succeeding in these ambitions requires the involvement and support of all the groups represented on the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership and other bodies or agencies not yet involved. These proposals are therefore aspirations but set out the desirable direction of travel. Once this Plan is finalised the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership will work with CRT and all the other partner bodies to try to deliver the agreed aims. Aim 1: By 2024 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be: A leading location in the region for learning about canals, their history, boats, people, buildings and artefacts
Blisworth Tunnel, South Portal
Background
The history and character of Stoke Bruerne is dominated by the canal running through its centre. The canal corridor is an attractive open air resource for local residents and visitors as well as remaining a valuable route for waterborne traffic. This traffic is serviced when required at several points in the village where an interface with road vehicles is possible. However the appreciation of this area is greatly enhanced by under standing something of its history. The history of the Grand Junction Canal is uniquely told through Stoke Bruerne’s Canal Museum which adds to the appeal of the village for visitors. The historical legacy of the canal, and its interpretation, is something that should be protected for future generations. The attraction of visitors from the local area or further afield assists this process. They can support the area through their spending or more directly through volun teering to support the maintenance and improvement of the canal corridor. Visitors also bring the canal scene to life and the boaters in particular make an invaluable contribution demonstrating the continu ing importance of the canal as a transport corridor and reflecting the original reason for its existence.
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The juxtaposition of the Museum, working canal, locks and tunnel make Stoke Bruerne unique. This Plan is concerned with the future of the canal corridor and the Museum in the context of the village as a whole. The Canal Museum itself is the main focus of achieving Aim 1 of this Plan. The Museum
The existence of the Museum in Stoke Bruerne is very important to the village and to those wishing to learn about canal history.
Background
The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne was first established in 1963. During the late 1940s and early 1950s the then lockkeeper, Jack James first began displaying canal memorabilia in the lockkeeper’s hut at Stoke Bruerne where once leggers had waited to “leg” horse boats through the tunnel. Jack James and Charles Hadlow, a canal engineer based at nearby, Gayton Junction, then persuaded the British Transport Commission, who succeeded the Grand Union Canal Co, to allow the creation of a home for canal bygones in the old and empty, previously steam-driven, mill on the canal side in the village centre. The aim of these founding fathers was to preserve as much of the disregarded past of the Midland Canals as was possible. At the time of its creation in 1963 it was the first and only museum dedicated to Britain’s inland waterways. (Information extracted from Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan 2008) The Museum was operated by British Waterways until 1999 at which time it was transferred to the newly formed Waterways Trust. In July 2012 it rejoined the rest of the British Waterways estate as part of the responsibility of the newly created CRT.
The Canal Museum
In 2006 the Friends of the Canal Museum was formed to assist in ensuring a viable future for the Museum after a period of declining visitor numbers and financial difficulties. The Friends are one of the organisations in the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership. The continuation of the Museum relies on the income it derives from admissions, the shop and the café. At present there are many more visitors to the canal corridor than paid entrants to the Museum. It is ex pected that as a result of the implementation of this plan the number of visitors to the canal corridor will increase. In order to ensure that this Aim is achieved it is important that these visitors are attracted to use the Museum, shop and café and any other fund raising initiatives to support the continuation, improvement and development of the Museum.
The Museum Site and Responsibilities
The main body of the Museum is housed in a Grade 2 Listed former corn mill building, dating from c1842. The Mill building is set on a steeply sloping site immediately next to the canal in the village centre. It comprises four floors including a base ment (with ground level access at the rear). There is an extension used as a café. This was built on the site of the former engine house in 12
1969, and extended in 1987 to provide the museum office with toilets. The main entrance to the Museum is on the ground floor of the main Mill Building off the canal towpath which gives immediate access to the shop and café. The main display area of the Museum is on the two up per floors of the Mill access to which is via steep wooden stairs. The basement is used for storage and staff toilets. Close to the rear of the Mill there is a range of outbuildings housing a schoolroom, capable of seating about twenty five; a small conference room, a library room and a general room. Toilets for Museum visitors are at the rear of the building accessed from the outside. As well as the core buildings the Museum currently has responsibility for: •
The former Mill Basin area adjacent to the Museum currently used as a green space and picnic area and bordered on one side by four iconic poplar trees which are a feature of the village. This canal basin was accessed under a steeply arched bridge which carried the towpath. The basin came to serve the mill as an offloading point for coal and flour, preventing congestion forming on the canal.
•
The car park, entered from Chapel Lane, capable of holding some 40+ cars (resurfaced during the winter of 2007-2008).
•
The original top lock, a listed structure, and the exhibits in it, currently a Birmingham Canal Navigation “Station” boat and a pair of cast iron lock gates from the Montgomeryshire Canal. This lock lies on the earliest line of the Grand Junction Canal and was the highest of the flight of seven leading up to Stoke Bruerne, which were built in, or just before, 1805. A parallel lock to the north east was added in 1835, whilst this lock was converted for use as a side pond some time after 1851.
•
The Grand Union Canal Carrying Company’s motor boat ‘Sculptor’. Sculptor is a 71ft 6ins long composite boat (iron sides and wooden bottom), built in 1935 for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company. During World War II Sculptor served as a fire fighting vessel in the London area, and after the war was passed on to British Waterways ownership. She moved to Stoke Bruerne in 1986. In 2011/2012 restoration work was carried out on Sculptor supported by National Historic Ships, the Boat Museum Soci ety, the Heritage Boatyard at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port and The Friends of the Canal Museum. The interior of the cabin is shown to visitors to illustrate the cramped con ditions and is a popular part of the Museum’s exhibition. When fully restored, Sculptor will return to her other role as a mobile ambassador for the Museum attending waterway festivals and rallies.
Former Mill Basin
Top Lock
Sculptor
Other historic buildings along the canal corridor which make an interesting contribution to the story of the canal include: . 13
Tug Stores and Forge
The Stables
•
The Tunnel Tug Stores and Forge – built in 1902 it provided storage for parts and fuel for the canal’s steam tugs as well as a blacksmith’s forge for repair work. This building has been reoccupied by a blacksmith since 2011.
•
The Stables -This building provided shelter for boat horses at the point where they were unharnessed from the boats to be taken on the boat horse path over Blisworth Hill (the boats being propelled through the tunnel by legging or steam tug).
•
The Leggers Hut - originally used by ‘leggers’ who legged boats through the Tunnel.
Additionally there was previously a ropewalk behind the Museum outbuildings, which was in private ownership; a brick bin still exists adjacent to Lock 15 for the reception of boiler ash from steamers; there is a boat horse stable beside Lock 20, dating from 1846. Other buildings associated with the operation at Locks 14,15,16 and 20 have been sold into private hands but are still relevant to the story. The freehold of the Museum and much of the surrounding land was formerly owned by British Waterways and was transferred to CRT in the summer of 2012.
Leggers’ Hut
Collection and Archives
At present archival research into waterway history through primary sources is difficult for the serious student since such archives are widely scattered. For example: those researching the Grand Junction Canal may need to consult the official minutes of the GJCC and its successors. These are currently held at the National Record Office at Kew. The Millner photographic archive, highly relevant to the Grand Junction Canal, is at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, whilst Millner’s letter books covering the local administration of the canal from 1895 to 1929 are held at the Northamptonshire County Record Office at Wootton Park. The Stoke Bruerne Museum contains virtually no archival primary source material; although a transcription of some of the Grand Junction minutes are held. Currently there is a lack of storage facilities for any such archival or documentary material. As a result the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne cannot currently provide original material to support research by individuals but concentrates on its collection of artefacts and interpreting the past for the benefit of the public.
Archives
During 2011 and early 2012 the archive from Gloucester was moved to Ellesmere Port. This consolidation will allow for better cataloguing and conservation and enhance its accessibility. It is important in this process that the potential role provided by the Canal Museum as a Midlands access point to this information is recognised and enhanced. This can be done by means of electronic access to information in the collection and occasional special exhibitions at Stoke Bruerne focusing on the Midlands Canals. The collection at the Canal Museum forms part of a nationally designated collection (with those held at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port and the Waterways Museum at Gloucester Docks). The Designation Scheme is administered 14
by the Arts Council and is a mark of distinction, identifying and celebrating pre-eminent collections of national and international importance in non-national institutions. During 2009 a Curatorial Advisory Group was set up under the auspices of the Museums and Attractions Partnership which provides expert local support in advising on, implementing and maintaining standards in respect of the collections at the Canal Museum. This additional professional resource was critical in allowing the Museum to apply for, and attain, accredited status. However this accreditation (see below) requires constant vigilance to maintain. At its inauguration in 1963 the Canal Museum was the first of its kind and hence the only home for the preservation of canal relics that would otherwise be lost. Against this background the museum’s two founding fathers aimed to preserve as much of the past of the Midland Canals as was possible. To this was added the British Transport Commission’s collection of waterway artefacts and lots of other collections and memorabilia, even before the Museum opened to the general public. Since then new material has arrived and some of the original collection has gone to other waterways museums. There are now many more such museums dedicated to preserving the history of the canals in this country. It is therefore timely, as the Museum celebrates its first 50 years, to look forward and define its focus for the next 50 years. The Museum’s main relevance is to the Grand Union (or more correctly, the Grand Junction) Canal and its connections with Oxford and Banbury, Birmingham and the Black Country, Merseyside and Manchester, the Potteries, the Coventry and North Warwickshire industrial area, the East Midlands and the Nene Valley in one direction and London, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex in the other. In the absence of a collection relating to the Wilts & Berks Canals, these could also be included, for until the early-twentieth century they were still considered part of the network. Links could also be made to the Kennet and Avon Canal Museum. All these areas at one time fed their produce or drew their imports through Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth Tunnel. These two latter features should be always at the centre of the Museum’s collections and displays, with what might be termed the “catchment area” always borne in mind. Similarly the life of boat people, contrary to what many writers have asserted, was intimately bound up with that of the local populace, while the maintenance staff were as much a part of the local community as any other villagers. Therefore the heart of the social aspects of the Museum’s displays should always rest with local people and spread out to include more distant communities. In the light of its size and local context it is appropriate for the museum to have the following focus in respect of the recording and preservation of artefacts and documents, at least for the period up to 2024:
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a)
the history of Stoke Bruerne as a unique village where the canal was driven through the heart of the village and using the Stoke Bruerne history as a key to unlock the wider study of canals in the Midlands particularly
b)
the way of life of the people of the canals of Northamptonshire and the Midlands,
c)
the construction and development of the Midland canal system and its engineering features,
d)
the operation, past and present of these canals, including the boats that worked them and
e)
the interrelation of the canals with the wider community
The heart of the Museum’s displays should always rest with the local and spread out to include more distant areas. In focusing on these, and in line with the stated aim of becoming ‘The main location in the midlands for learning about canals -their history, boats, people, buildings and artefacts’ it is important that links are forged with collections and archives across the country which are relevant to this story. The Museum could be at the forefront for the innovative use of electronic access to written and photographic materials through partnerships with other institutions and museums. Accreditation
The Arts Council in England administers an Accreditation Scheme which sets nationally agreed standards for museums in the UK. The Accreditation standard has recently been updated to reflect the changing world in which museums operate. People's expectations of museums are increasing whilst operational challenges continue to grow and museums rely more on volunteer support. The Accreditation Standard examines aspects of a successful museum under three headings: •
Organisational Health - Accredited museums are responsible, responsive and resilient.
•
Collections - Accredited museums manage collections effectively and make them and the information they hold about them available to everyone.
•
Users and their experience - Accredited museums are welcoming and accessible. They exhibit collections and have a planned approach to identifying and providing a good-quality service for a broad range of users.
•
Accreditation is reviewed every two to three years and assessment against the standard is an important measure of the museum’s continued progress. The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne is fully accredited.
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The Future
The Museum is successful through the efforts of all those concerned with its future. However, as with all museums, it is a challenge to main tain its financial viability. This is particularly true for locally-based, weather-related venues linked to open air attractions – such as the canal corridor at Stoke Bruerne. To retain visitor numbers the Museum must be changed and refreshed on a regular basis. This work is constantly in hand – notably the very popular dummy boat horse complete with harness and tackle and the mock-up boat’s cabin, fully fitted out with authentic boat decorations and artefacts of the period 1900-1950 which have recently been moved into the main Museum from the school room where access was limited. Also repair work has been carried out to the historic boat Sculptor (described above). At the time of writing new display cases have been installed. Thirty new audio trail units have been purchased (for the interpretation of the ca nal corridor) and the audio trail itself has been updated. The Arts Coun cil recently funded the replacement of gallery lighting alongside other upgrading work to the fabric of the building. However: • • •
insufficient exhibition space, poor accessibility to the existing space and limited visibility to attract in the canal corridor visitors
remain three of the key challenges in achieving the aspirations for the Museum and the achievement of Aim 1 of this plan – to establish the Stoke Bruerne Canal corridor as the main location in the midlands for learning about canals their history, boats, people, buildings and artefacts. Proposals
In the light of these challenges it is proposed that during the Plan period up to 2024 the following activities are carried out: Creating More Exhibition Space Proposal 1. Other historic buildings in the canal corridor (the Stables and the Leggers Hut) are interpreted and used for exhibition space. Proposal 2. The School Room building, and the area between it and the Museum, is brought into use as part of the Museum whenever the Museum is open. This will provide an opportunity – with the provision of suitable paths and doorways – to provide some internal exhibitions and information which can be accessed by the less mobile. However it is important to retain a space for school groups and so this could be used for video and TV presentations and wall hung material with seat ing. The area between the Museum and the School room can be used for the display of artefacts which can bear being outside. Proposal 3. Reuse of the top lock in line with the focus of the Museum on the history of Stoke Bruerne and the canals of the Midlands to correctly interpret its place in the history of the village and the more general information about the way in which locks work by allowing the nor-
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mally underwater parts of the lock to be seen. In the first stage this would be without complete reinstatement of the lock itself but this could be explored and costed as a second stage of the works. Consideration could be given to covering the site of the lock with a transparent cover, simulating water at a high level. Subsidiary Proposal
It has been suggested (but neither discussed nor agreed by the Canal Partnership) that, should water conservation become an issue in the operation of the canal at some future date, the side pond usage could be reinstated at Lock 15. Currently the existence of back-pumping facilities between Locks 14 and 21 renders the provision of side ponds largely unnecessary but the ponds could still be used as a means of demonstrating the use of such features.
Accessibility and ‘Visibility’
The Mill housing the Museum is a listed building with quite a small foot print and therefore the significant internal reworking of the space to accommodate disability compliant lifts and stairs is unlikely to be permit ted (and may in any case be undesirable given the remit of the Museum itself in preserving historical materials). The steepness and nature of the existing stairs do however present a psychological barrier to accessing the museum exhibitions even for those who may physic cally be able to use them. Proposal 4. Make a thorough exploration of the feasibility of achieving alternative means to access upper floors (including lift) firstly within the building and, if this is not achievable, then the scope for an external lift using the warehouse doors at the rear of the building. Exploration to include technicalities, cost and whether listed building consent is likely to be granted. Proposal 5. Discuss with South Northamptonshire Council, Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire EP, South East Midlands LEP and CRT whether there would be support for the construction of a visitor centre in Stoke Bruerne adjoining the Museum and using the between (and connecting) the museum and the schoolroom. This could provide a focus for visitor information about attractions in the area in of the aims of these organisations to promote tourism. This centre, which would have to be the responsibility of one of the public sector agencies to create and maintain (perhaps in partnership with CRT), could be managed alongside the Museum and could provide: •
Space for a larger café area
•
An alternative access to the Museum through an attractive new entrance to the visitor centre and museum at the rear of the current building with access to the lift at the rear
•
Improved access between the car park and towpath by use of the lift within the visitor centre taking people up to the towpath level
•
More internal space to encourage ‘wet weather’ visits to the museum and provide for lectures and reading room space
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•
Space for more facilities for boaters (and villagers) such as newspaper and other sales (but avoiding conflict with the current small shop in the Boat Inn)
•
Improved toilet facilities
The detail of the sharing of the management, costs and profits from the co-located visitor centre and Canal Museum would have to be resolved in the course of defining the proposal. The implementation of Proposal 2 will not prevent the later implementation of this proposal. The work derived from Proposal 4 can inform the discussions recommended in this Proposal. Conclusion
In looking to the future the aim is to ensure that the Museum not only interprets the past for the benefit of the public but is also seen as central to the life and future of the community, an integral part of the Stoke Bruerne Partnership and a key part of the Partnership’s Plan for Stoke Bruerne. These aspects are covered in the remaining sections in this Plan. The proposals are grouped together in the ‘implementation’ section at the end of the Plan.
Interpretation along the Canal Corridor
In achieving Aim 1 (That by 2024 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be the main location in the midlands for learning about canals their history, boats, people, buildings and artefacts) the contribution of many other aspects of the canal corridor outside of the Museum itself cannot be ignored. The protection and interpretation of these features is covered under Aim 2 below.
Working with other sites in Northamptonshire and the Canal & River Trust Network
Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership is a strong local alliance bringing together a number of agencies concerned with the future of the village, the Museum and the Canal corridor. However it is just one of many bodies in and across the country which is concerned with the maintenance, interpretation, use and even extension of the remaining canal network. The wording of Aim 1 is not intended to play down the current contribution from other local partnerships or their plans. Indeed co-operation and liaison with these partnerships is seen as an important part of activity up to 2024. This is set out under Aim 7 below. The future of the Mill Basin is covered under Aim 2 below.
Quality of the Canal Corridor
Aim 2: By 2022 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be: A well-interpreted, well maintained and sympathetically conserved and enhanced canal corridor The canal corridor from the Boat Horse Road where it leaves the Blisworth Road to the junction with the River Tove just below the bottom lock of the Stoke Bruerne flight of locks is the focus of this plan.
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‘The exceptional interest of the canal corridor lies in the fact that, despite the passing of 200 years, much of the built heritage survives, generally in good condition, thereby providing a visible record of the development of the canal system. Where historic features no longer exist, for example, archaeological potential still exists as the sites in question have not been developed. Not only does much of the canal’s built heritage survive but the general public can view the features from the canal towpath and elsewhere.’ Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan 2008
Along this route there are many attractive scenes and buildings and sites of historic interest which are part of the story of the development of the canal. In order to maintain and improve this area as a resource for local people and villagers a number of proposals are included below covering notable sites and features in the corridor. Lock 15 and Museum Area
Within this corridor may be defined a smaller area in the vicinity of Lock 14 and the Museum for which a detailed action plan covering and enhancing its focal points will be required. Proposal 6. Develop detailed plans for the interpretation and enhance ment of key features in the Lock 15/Museum area.
The Poplar Trees
Next to the canal towpath alongside the Museum building in the centre of Stoke Bruerne are four poplar trees which were planted in 1964 and are now the subject of a Tree Preservation Order. Records show that there have been similar trees in this location since the 1800s and so they are regarded as characteristic of the village. Poplars are noted for their invasive root systems which is a cause for concern given their location close to the canal.
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The Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan 2008 notes that ‘Any plans to replace the poplar trees should include consideration of the desirability of preserving subsurface archaeological remains of the mill dock and future interpretation or use of this structure’.
The Poplar Trees
The issue of the poplar trees must therefore be addressed but their iconic status in the village means that local villagers must be involved in this decision making process as well as the landowner (CRT). The following course is recommended: Proposal 7. Seek discussions with CRT as owners and with residents as stakeholders regarding the long-term future of the poplar trees.
The Mill Basin
The history of the former Mill Basin is summarised in the section Museum Site and Responsibilities’ above. Options for this area range from doing nothing to excavating it for water and boats once again. This latter option would be extremely expensive and complex and, given all the other more pressing proposals set out in this plan it is recommended that any further consideration of this is held over to the next plan period (i.e. after 2024). In the interim improvement to the interpretation of the filled in dock area could be undertaken through signing and potentially marking the outline of the dock in the grassed area. To be this would require some excavation to ascertain the exact location of underground features.
The Mill Basin
As the 2008 Conservation Plan states ‘The advantages of this option is that there is no loss of historic resource and opportunity to carry out further works at a later date. However, the option provides some interest and interpretation of this ‘hidden’ historic feature whilst keeping the land in recreational use’. The work in this area must be tied into the plans for the trees outlined in Proposal 7. Proposal 8. Provide enhanced interpretation of the former Mill Arm whilst protecting the site for potential reinstatement in the next plan period (after 2024).
Quarry Field and Rectory Fish Ponds
Quarry Field lies to the east of the canal just north of the village. It contains a number of important historical features relating to the history of the canal’s construction and its later use including a former stone quarry and tramway, the early course of the canal, and fish ponds be longing to the Rector of Stoke Bruerne in the 18th century which were in part destroyed by the construction of the Grand Junction Canal. CRT own that part of the field containing the archaeological features. Alongside Quarry Field on the towpath the remnant of the stone quarry wharf can be seen in a slightly raised section. The quarry tramway ran back from this point to the stone quarry. The scope for adding to the interest of the canal corridor through open ing up these features for the public interest has been considered with ideas ranging from leaving as it is at present to using the site to enhance the facilities in the village.
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The potential value of the features of Quarry Field to the achievement of the aims of this plan should be considered in this plan period. The following proposal is therefore made:
The Stone Quarry Wharf
South Portal of Blisworth Tunnel
Blisworth Tunnel South Portal
Locks and Side Ponds
Side Pond at Lock 20
Steamer Ash Box at Lock 15
Proposal 9. That the open space and historical features of the Quarry Field should be opened up to views from the towpath and limited pedestrian access and recreational use with some interpretation provided along the towpath frontage. This could be achieved relatively inexpensively by trimming the towpath hedge to improve visibility. The Blisworth tunnel is one of the longest tunnels built on Britain’s canal network and has been in operation since 1805. Construction of the tunnel and servicing the passage of boats through it played a very important role in the development of Stoke Bruerne in the late 18th and early 19th century. The tunnel under went renovation, including Relining of part of its course during the 1980s and a section of the new lining is displayed on the bank to the right of the portal with a plaque recording the event. The tunnel was awarded a Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque in August 2014.
There is a flight of seven locks in the canal corridor. In the 1830s a duplicate flight of parallel locks was built in the 1830s to increase the speed of traffic through the lock flight consequent upon the advent of the London & Birmingham Railway. Only Locks 14 and 20 survive of the 1835 duplicate series. All the others are the original chambers. The locks are Grade II listed buildings and are therefore considered to be of special historic and architectural interest. The side ponds were built as a response to the shortage of water from the canal’s upper level by reusing some of the water when emptying the lock in order to refill it when next required. They are now no longer used since a pump recirculates the water from the Bottom Lock to the Top Lock. As part of the historic mechanism of the flight of locks, each of which is a listed structure, these devices would be regarded as curtilage structures of the listed buildings and therefore equally protected and of the same level of significance historically and architecturally. Their historic function could be better interpreted for the visitor, a matter which is being addressed by the installation of a series of new interpretation boards being funded by Heritage Lottery Fund. There is a steamer ash box by Lock 15 which local volunteers have begun to restore.
Former brickworks This is the site of old brickworks which started in 1845, opened a new dock off the canal in 1846 and operated on this site until the 1920s. The redundant clay pits and canal arm provide a number of valuable habitats for wildlife and are now managed as a nature reserve by the Wildlife Trust for Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. Site of Entrance to Old . Canal Arm serving Clay Pits and Brickworks
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Wildlife Reserve (Former Canal Arm, Clay Pits and Brickworks)
As well as a variety of plant life, the ponds provide an important habitat for invertebrates, and a number of dragonfly species occur on the re serve. White-legged damselflies have been recorded here, a species which has a very limited distribution in Northamptonshire. Interpretation of the site would be valuable in presenting the impact of canal building on the wider landscape in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This is being addressed by the series of Interpretation boards funded by the Heritage Lottery fund. There is hard standing beside Lock 19 which can accept heavy vehicles and cranes. This has direct road access to the A508. This has been used for loading and discharging maintenance craft and working craft as well as craning craft in and out of the canal. Similarly there is access for light vehicles to the public mooring place immediately beyond Bottom lock (No 20). It is important that these functions be recognised and retained for occasional use.
Horse Plateway
The Horse Plateway
After the unsuccessful first attempt of the excavation of the Blisworth tunnel, an iron plate railway (or plateway) was constructed from a point below the current lock No. 20 across Blisworth Hill to join the Grand Junction Canal at Blisworth. Horses pulled wagons with flangeless wheels in both directions on the rails. Opening in December 1800 this was the first iron railway in southern England. When the Blisworth tunnel was finally excavated and the canal between Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth opened in 1805 the plate way was no longer required and was dismantled. The iron rails were sold off and transported elsewhere. Now marked by an earthwork bank and/or flanking stone lined drainage ditches, the plateway was the first iron railway in lowland England and is therefore an important archaeological feature strongly related to the regionally, or even nationally, important Grand Union Canal and The significant engineering achievement of the Blisworth tunnel. The Plateway would benefit from interpretation linked to the display about it in the Canal Museum.
Stoke Wharf and Transhipment Point
Stoke Wharf and Transhipment Point
This overgrown area of land just below lock 20 marks the location of part of the former transhipment complex and the point at which the plateway started. This is the transhipment point where between 1800 and 1805 goods were unloaded from barges to be taken by horse drawn wagon along the iron plateway to Blisworth for onward carriage by canal. For this short period it formed one of the busiest inland ports in England. This site, which is in the ownership of South Northampton shire Council, was probably used for storage. This site is not currently accessible by the public and neither is its historic interest interpreted. However being in public ownership opens up possibilities for improvement as a visitor attraction or for use in connection with canal operations, such as a horseboat operation. The public moorings below Lock 20 and the Transhipment Point are accessible by light vehicles. Other features of the area include a pumphouse immediately below Lock 20, originally erected by the Grand Union Canal company for the
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Pumphouse below Lock 20
Cottages at Lock 20
Boathorse Stables at Lock 20
purpose of maintaining a regular supply of water to the locks by backpumping, and the 1846 stable building beside Lock 20. The two cottages beside Lock 20 have been sold out of canal ownership, but form part of the ambient scene, as does the farmhouse adjoining, once used as a beerhouse and later as a shop for boating people. The northernmost cottage contains a pit in the cellar that would appear to have been the site of the weighbridge that was part of the plateway until 1805. The aim should be to create a planned space, combining areas of wellmaintained public open space, enhancement of the historic elements of the canal and areas of improved wildlife habitat. This brief summary conveys the wealth of visually and historically interesting detail that lies along the route of the Stoke Bruerne Canal corridor. Much work has been done by members of the Canal Partnership to improve interpretation with new signboards, refreshed audio trail and improvements within the Museum. However more can still be done to convey to the casual visitor the full depth of interest in the scenery they are walking, or boating, through. The following proposals are therefore made: Proposal 10. Prepare a detailed environmental management strategy for the canal corridor. An environmental management strategy should identify suitable sites for ‘rough’ wildlife friendly edges and well maintained grassed areas running up to the canal’s edge and make for provision for larger hedgerow trees that will provide some sense of enclosure without creating significant screening of views. Maintaining hedgerows to a suitable height to allow views out of the southern part of the canal to the wider landscape should also form a consideration. (This will complement CRT’s existing Vegetation Management Strategy.) Proposal 11. Continue to develop a coherent interpretation strategy to improve appreciation and interpretation of historic features. On-site interpretation should be maintained and enhanced to ensure that visitors to the site understand: a) The historical development of the study area and its buildings; b) The relationship of the buildings to the development of the vil lage and/or canal and its landscape setting; c) Connections with the social and economic development of the area. Access routes and interpretative features should be maintained and enhanced to provide a coordinated and coherent experience for the visitor as follows: a) Interpretative media should be designed to be accessible to visitors with all abilities and be in accordance with best practice; b) Generally visitors to the site should be allowed access to as much of the study area as possible, unless it is unsafe to do so, particularly vulnerable to damage, or required for an operational function.
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It may be noted that at the time of writing (Autumn 2014) an interpretation strategy is being progressed with the aid of the Heritage Lottery fund and is due for completion in 2015. A Local Resource
Aim 3: By 2024 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be: An important resource for local residents for leisure, recreation and learning CRT wishes to increase the number of education volunteers supporting the Museum who would like to work with school groups in introducing children to the canals. Work is currently in hand to generate more volunteers. The Museum provides educational programmes with popular school visits and these could be further developed with input from local volunteer education experts. Development of a visitor centre alongside the Museum as set out in Proposal 5 could provide space for enhanced learning for adults and specialist courses. Sites along the canal corridor can provide other experiences: examples such as the blacksmith in the old forge and the nature reserve at the old brickworks all provide diversity of experience and learning.
Blacksmith in the Forge
The Canal corridor and the implementation of this plan can also provide an opportunity for self and skills development whilst making a real difference to the local environment for example for groups with special needs or undergoing rehabilitation. Proposal 12. Recruit further volunteers to support the learning aspects of the canal corridor experience to provide teacher packs and curriculum related packages. Proposal 13. Promote the opportunities provided by the canal corridor for volunteering, work experience and skills development to agencies working in the Northamptonshire area.
A Walking Route
Aim 4: By 2024 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be: An important walking route for those wishing to enjoy the Northamptonshire countryside
Footpaths and towpaths are mostly accessible for able-bodied and less able users
The canal side provides an easy route with lots of interest for walkers. South of Stoke Bruerne there are opportunities for a circular canal walk but this is not so readily achieved north of the village. It is therefore important that the canal side walks are linked to, and promoted with, other footpaths in the area and initiatives to create longer distance paths.
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Proposal 14. Liaise with the rights of way and countryside officers from the local authorities to produce a plan for the village showing all the footpaths that link to the route along the canal corridor and how these can be used as part of a circular route. Ensure that leaflets of walks of different lengths and character based around the Museum and the Canal corridor are regularly kept up to date. Good for Boaters
Aim 5: By 2024 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will: Remain one of the most popular stopping places for boaters on the Grand Union Canal The attractiveness of Stoke Bruerne as a place for boaters will be enhanced by all the other activities in this plan which should attract visitors in general. However the boaters do have particular needs particularly for moorings and facilities. CRT regularly monitor and review visitor mooring policy. There is a lack of good facilities for boaters stopping at Stoke Bruerne. There is a shop within the Boat Inn which whilst small, provides some very basic grocery supplies. Many boaters and villagers are unaware of its existence and consequently it is underused. There is potential for expanding the services it offers and some marketing should result in an increase of customers especially if coupled with some investment to increase stock levels and variety of goods available. A leaflet or signboard giving boat visitors basic information on the village, its amenities, bus services to nearby towns with shopping facilities, doctors surgeries, hospitals, dentists, taxi companies, etc would be useful and could be funded by advertising from local businesses. Limited boating supplies such as gas bottles, diesel, oil, grease, coal and other solid fuels are available from The Wharf and diesel, oil and grease are available below Lock 20 or distributed by boat.
Diesel, oil and solid fuels delivered by boat
Beer delivery to Boat Inn
Slipway above Lock 19
Although the one-time heavy commercial traffic through Stoke Bruerne has long ceased some commercial activities still take place on the canal and these require loading and discharge facilities. At present the place mainly used for such activities is the hard standing beside Lock 19 which has a direct connection with the A508. This is also used by CRT for operational purposes and by the Trust and others for the removal or launching of craft. Other wharfage facilities exist at the Wharf and adjacent to the Boat Inn. These are used on a regular, if infrequent, basis. Such operations are by their very nature intermittent but add both to the interest and the general utility of the canal environment and should be retained. Similarly the slipway above Lock 19 is a useful asset for small craft. There are currently no sanitary disposal facilities in the heart of the village. The nearest are below lock 20 or at Gayton Junction. The high number of visiting boats and presence of permanently moored boats could warrant such provision in the future.
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There are currently recycling bins for glass and paper at the rear of The Boat Inn which are accessible to boaters through an unmarked door adjacent to the water point. These recycling facilities are part of a SNC neighbourhood recycling centre, now rendered largely obsolete by kerbside collections for residents, but they are used by such local boaters and villagers as are aware of them and they would benefit from signage to enable visiting boaters to recycle waste. New and/or better facilities at the sanitary station would be beneficial. Proposal 15. Produce an analysis of boaters’ practical experience whilst visiting Stoke Bruerne and use this to liaise with CRT, businesses in the village and the Museum itself to see how the experience could be improved with new or enhanced facilities. Villagers and Visitors
Aim 6: By 2022 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be: A leading example of good practice in welcoming visitors and integrating them harmoniously into a village setting
‘So long as the canal retains its attraction, visitors will come to Stoke Bruerne. However it is vital to ensure that visitors are sensitively managed in order to maintain the correct balance between the village as a place to live and the village as a place to visit. A good relationship between villagers and tourists is essential to the future well-being of Stoke Bruerne.’ Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan 2008
The successful implementation of this plan should increase the attractiveness of the Stoke Bruerne Canal Corridor as a place to visit. Strengths of the Canal Corridor as a visitor attraction include its accessibility with easy access to the primary road network and the M1 and significant numbers of people living within a 10 mile radius.
Rose and Castle Morris based at The Boat Inn
However, although the economic and social benefits of the trade generated by visitors is good for the whole village, the Canal Partnership recognises the importance of ensuring that the result of this activity is to generate only that number of visitors that the village can satisfactorily accommodate. The Partnership is formed of various groups with interests in the village and its canal. These include the Parish Council (SBPC), South Northants Council (SNC), CRT, Inland Waterways Association (IWA), Northamptonshire County Council, The Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire & Bedfordshire Wildlife Trust and independent villagers and businesses. Thus it is possible to achieve some sort of consensus among villagers and outside organisations over the best way to deal with the village’s future development; to prevent outside interests overriding the 27
best interests of residents and to provide a coordinated plan to keep Stoke Bruerne as an attractive place to live in and to visit, and also to allow it to continue to thrive as a working village. Visitor Survey findings conducted by British Waterways in 2006 indicated that at that time Stoke Bruerne had a draw mainly from Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire areas with just over one third of interviewees travelling 30 minutes or less to visit the site. However, the majority of visitors to the Museum travelled for more than one hour. Managing car parking, peak traffic flows at the time of events, pedestrian routes and the safety of residents and visitors on the roads and by the water are important aspects of future planning. The Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership has obtained funding for Interpretation at Stoke Bruerne and volunteers from members of the Partnership including the Friends have attended training courses to learn how to lead Heritage Walks and become involved in Oral History Projects. The Partnership is currently organising a number of participative heritage activities involving local schools and the community in connection with the project. Proposal 16. Prepare a visitor management strategy in conjunction with CRT that identifies the impact of additional visitors to Stoke Bruerne and makes appropriate proposals for the resolution of adequate parking provision, movement of visitors around the site, provision of facilities and waterside safety.
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The strategy should address: Interpretation
This issue has been highlighted throughout the plan as a means of adding value to the visitor experience of the Canal Corridor. The Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership is implementing an HLF-funded interpretat ion scheme. Interpretive leaflets have also been produced by the Part nership.
Pedestrian signage Signage for visitors is required to signify safe routes to the canalside area from car parks and around the village. These is also a need to make links between the various facilities within the wider area (e.g. Rookery Open Farm, Stoke Park) and to reinforce the role of the Museum as a central location from which to explore the wider area with the assistance of historical interpretation. Car parking
Better car parking is a key part of attracting and satisfactorily accommodating more visitors to the Museum and the canal corridor. Special arrangements are already made for the large number of visitors who come to one-off events in the village, but outside these times the car park next to the Museum is unable to accommodate the number of cars visiting the village at weekends and holidays. Addressing this problem is one of the key issues in ensuring that visitors do not unduly disrupt the life of villagers. An analysis of the levels of demand for parking throughout the year is needed to allow a long term solution to be devised. Matters to be taken into account in addressing car parking issues are: •
Parking for blue badge holders should be prioritised at the car park next to the Museum.
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DDA compliant access routes to the canal side should be retained and improved wherever possible.
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Car parking should, so far as practicable, be removed from the village centre to its periphery i.e. sited on the roads entering the village from the A508.
•
There are a number of fields between the village and the main A508 that could be suitable for additional car parking.
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Fields adjoined by the road on one side and the canal on the other would seem to be the most desirable for development for car parking, particularly as this could be ancillary to present uses for camping and caravan parking.
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Directional signage should be put in place to assist motorists including directions to disabled and coach parking provision.
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Options for combining a boat trip to and from the Museum from more remote car parking should be explored (‘Park and Boat’)
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Another option to examine is to run a “land train” at peak times from a point adjacent to the A508, along the eastern bank of the canal to the “Navigation” Car Park. 29
Securing funding to invest in additional car parking and links to car parks will require better information on demand and benefits than is currently available. Work should be put in hand in the near future to gather better informa tion about car parking demand across the year. Public Transport
Public transport access to the village is limited particularly in the evenings and on Sundays. This makes the village inaccessible to some and also requires visitors to come by car exacerbating the parking problem. The most pressing aim is to retain the recent diversion of the X4 Peterborough – Milton Keynes or the X7 Leicester – Milton Keynes hourly interurban bus service from the A508 through the village on Sundays and extend this service to weekdays. Marketing ploys such as combining bus ticket with free Museum entrance fee might be consid ered. This matter should be addressed through discussions with the Councils and their transport planning processes.
Visitor Safety
This is a perennial and real issue but installing safety barriers in all areas of potential hazard could never be aesthetically acceptable, espcially given that all the locks are listed structures. However the safety of visitors must be a prime concern and every effort should be made to alert visitors to the hazards inherent in a waterside environment with appropriate awareness raising and signing. CRT reviews visitor safety regularly.
Toilets
The toilets at the Museum are intended to cater for Museum patrons but, because of their location, are serving the role of a public facility. However this facility is not open outside Museum hours. Options for the provision of public toilets during potential visitor’s hours should be explored with the local parish and district councils.
Play Area
There is a lack of play facilities within the central area of the village. The Parish Council maintains a well-equipped play area in the recreation ground to the north west of the village for local residents and the Open Farm and Navigation Public House have good facilities for pay ing customers, however other visitor attractions find that a good play area is always a popular draw.
Litter and Dog Waste
It is important for local residents that their home village remains attractive and is not littered by visitors. If this emerges as a problem then, in discussion with the Parish and District councils, additional bins and litter collections may be required. Previous consultations have highlighted the need for dog waste bins.
Privacy of residents and security of private property/livestock
In implementing any of the aspects of this plan care must be taken to ensure that the reasons that bring people to live in a village (or the expectations of people brought up in the village) are not damaged by bringing visitors in. Regard must therefore be paid to the privacy and security of residents, their property and their livestock.
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Working in Partnership
Aim 7: By 2024 the canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be: Playing an important part in a local network of canal locations For the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership establishing and maintaining links with other canal partnerships in the local area, and further afield, is valuable in strengthening the lobbying voice, gaining knowledge and support and sharing archives and artefacts. In the local area working with neighbouring canal groups helps build a coherent package for fun ders, boaters and visitors to the benefit of everyone. Influence for the Museum and the Canal Corridor as a whole can also be extended by co-operation and mutual assistance programmes with such local institutions as the Towcester Museum, Blisworth Heritage, Northants Iron stone Trust, Northampton Museums, The Northampton & Lamport Rail way and Milton Keynes Museum. These links can be established at very little cost and should be an urgent priority over the next five years. Proposal 17 is drawn up to reflect this and the challenges to be faced up to 2024. Proposal 17. Work with the CRT, IWA and the councils and economic development bodies outlined in Proposal 5 to agree a coherent state ment of the contribution of waterways to the Northamptonshire economy and the role of the local canal bodies. Use this work to form an ongoing alliance of local canal related bodies in the East Midlands.
Business Opportunities
Aim 8: By 2024 the Canal corridor in Stoke Bruerne will be: Valuing the employment and business opportunities that the canal brings. The Canal Corridor in Stoke Bruerne, with its boaters and visitors, is a significant generator of jobs and spend in local businesses. The value of tourism to the local economy is recognised by the local District and County Councils and the economic development partner ships. This economic contribution also helps the village to thrive as a place to live. Proposal 17. Work with SNC, NCC and local economic develop ment partnerships to ensure that the economic benefits of the canal are realised without compromising the environmental integrity of the canal corridor and its surrounding environment.
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Section 4 - Implementation Background
This plan has been prepared for the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership which is an umbrella body bringing together representatives of local bodies concerned about the future of the Canal Corridor. Implementation of this plan will rely on the support and engagement of those groups and existing, and new, volunteers to take the proposals forward. The plan is wide ranging and it can be envisaged that small working groups can be set up to address individual proposals or aspects which will allow people to concentrate on the aspects that interest them. These groups can be supported by CRT and the Museums and Attrac tions Partnership of that Trust but the drive must come from the local area, from people that understand the issues and are on the ground day-to-day in the Museum and the canal corridor. A separate implementation appendix hereto sets out a summary of the main proposals of this Plan with a Time Line indicative of their implementation. Some major schemes and ideas for the Canal Corridor have been mooted in the Partnership – their omission from this plan does not preclude their implementation in the future but the plan urges focus on what is practicably achievable in the ten years up to 2024 with the relatively small numbers of people and limited resources available. (This latter was particularly true at the time of writing this plan with severe public sector spending cuts impacting on grants and support through out the tourist and heritage sectors. Improving economic conditions may cause this to be revised) Investment plans must be examined realistically in terms of their potential for attracting grant and their long term financial sustainability. Even maintaining the status quo is challenging at present with maintenance responsibilities and small improvement programmes to be funded. Continued support from volunteers and extending the volunteer base is an essential part of a sustainable financial future. It is important therefore that attraction, involvement and support for vol unteers is given a high priority in the implementation of this plan.
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Appendix 1 - A Brief History of Stoke Bruerne Canal Corridor (Extracted from Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan 2008) Introduction
The presence of the Grand Union Canal, passing through the centre of the village, has given Stoke Bruerne a unique character. Canal features such as the duplicate flight of locks, former wharfs, Blisworth Tunnel and the site of the historic plateway provide excellent surviving evidence of the technological and social developments of the canal age. Much of the built heritage survives, thereby providing a visible record of the development of the village and canal system.
Pre 19th Century
Until the start of the nineteenth century farming was the mainstay of the Stoke Bruerne community. Lace making was established in the eighteenth century as a means of increasing the earning power of poorer families. Even in the more prosperous mid-nineteenth century over a third of all females in Stoke were lace makers.
The coming of the Canal
The Grand Junction Canal was developed to overcome the shortcomings of the existing canal route from the Midlands to London via Banbury and Oxford to the Thames, which had been completed in 1790 but was proving inade quate to deal with the volume of potential trade. The Grand Junction promised a broad and direct route from Braunston, on the Oxford Canal, to the Thames at Brentford with a branch to Paddington. As planned, it was necessary for the canal to cross the range of hills which separate the Nene and Ouse valleys. The narrowest point of crossing lay between Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth, which was consequently chosen as the place to excavate a tunnel for the canal. Largely as a result of the geological formation of Blisworth Hill, the initial construction of the tunnel encountered significant setbacks. To begin with tunnelling was relatively simple as the labourers drove into clay. However, some thousand yards from either end the line of the tunnel pierced a layer of pervious and water-logged rock. The work on the tunnel, which had begun in late 1793, was halted in 1796 and alternative tunnel plans were drawn up. During this hiatus the canal reached Blisworth from Braunston in September 1796 and the Company concentrated on the completion of its line from London to Stoke Bruerne. At first the Canal Company joined the separate halves of its canal with a toll road over Blisworth Hill. The hill was steep and the connecting lanes were unsurfaced. As the canal from London drew closer, an iron railway was proposed by William Jessop, the consulting engineer, as a stopgap measure to join the two halves of the canal. By October 1800 the canal had reached the foot of the proposed Stoke Bruerne locks and a large temporary transhipment basin was constructed. The railway was under construction and was finished by Christmas of that year. It was what is technically known as a “plateway�. Despite the crude ness of its construction it was an important step forward in transport technology and was the first iron railway to be built in southern England.
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As a result of the construction of the plateway, from 1800 until 1805, the basin adjoining Bottom Lock was one of the busiest inland ports in the Kingdom. In 1802 work began on driving a new tunnel between Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth and this proceeded fairly smoothly. A flight of seven locks was designed to carry the canal down into the Tove and Ouse valleys and, Stoke Bruerne became one of the few villages in the country where a canal was carried through the village centre. The tunnel and locks were opened with great ceremony on 25th March 1805. The canal changed the geography of the village by cutting through and truncating the old village street and the Rector’s fishponds. It also dried up the old watermill, brought in cheap slates, glass, coal and ironware, created new employment and encouraged new industries. After the Canal
After the opening of the canal houses sprang up on the western side of the canal. One of these eventually became “the Boat Inn”, which was probably the last building in Stoke Bruerne built with a thatched roof. The lockkeeper’s house and Wharf Cottage were probably among the first built with slated roofs, the slates being brought by canal from North Wales. For some time the eastern side of the canal was not used for building and remained as orchard or garden ground. After 1821 the Sheppard family, who owned part of the land close to the new bridge below top lock, built a new public house, which they named “the Navigation”, on land between the canal and Green Lane. The village street was diverted from its original line, which ran along Chapel Lane to the Green, to a course over the new canal bridge below the top lock. From 1805 until the late 1830s the canal enjoyed a period of prosperity and use. However, in 1838 the London and Birmingham Rail way was opened. Many canals were taken over by railway companies and by the 1870s rural canals were falling on hard times. During the 1850s steamers were introduced to supersede horse boats and in 1871 steam tugs were introduced to speed the movement of boats through the tunnel. The new industrial enterprises brought a degree of prosperity to the area, as did ironstone quarrying, which was carried out in the Showsley, Tiffield and Blisworth areas. An agricultural depression set in during the last years of the century, but the canal compensated for this by providing comparatively well-paid jobs. The nineteenth century closed with the local economy in relatively good shape, although the population figures for Stoke Bruerne show a decline from a peak of 469 in 1851 to 438 in 1901. Stoke Bruerne’s population declined further in the early twentieth century and this was exacerbated by the First World War (1914-1918). The Grafton Estates in Stoke Bruerne and Shutlanger were sold by auction in 1920; the brickworks closed soon after. Canals and railways were affected by the increased use of roads for transport and horse traffic on the canal declined, although the canal (now under the management of the Grand Union Canal Company which had succeeded the Grand Junction in 1929) remained busy with long distance traffic. A prominent resident of Stoke Bruerne at this time was Sister Mary Ward, who lived in the large house by Top Lock, and she devotedly nursed the people of the canal boats for over 40 years. 34
By 1951 Stoke Bruerne had fallen to its lowest population with just 229 inhabitants. During the second half of the 20th century farming recovered, but became increasingly mechanised and, as a result, the numbers employed on farms continued to fall. The Coming of Tourists
In the 1930s a few tourists had begun to visit Stoke Bruerne, attracted by the combination of locks, cottages, pub and passing boats. During the late 1940s and early 1950s the then lockkeeper, Jack James smartened up the canal side and began displaying items of canal memorabilia in the lockkeeper’s hut where once leggers had waited to “leg” horse boats through the tunnel. The steam mill had been long empty, so Jack James and Charles Hadlow, a canal engineer based at nearby Gayton Junction, persuaded the British Transport Commission (who had succeeded the Grand Union) to set up a home for canal by-gones in the building. In 1963 this opened as the Canal Museum. While Stoke Bruerne has continued to develop as a small centre for tour ism, it has retained a very strong community spirit and the population rose steadily between 1951 and 2001 when it reached 398 people – 71 fewer than its absolute peak 150 years before. The village has increased little in size since 2001.
The Importance of the Stoke Bruerne Corridor
The Grand Union Canal (formerly Grand Junction Canal), which passes through Stoke Bruerne, was London’s principal link with the rest of the UK’s canal system and was, and remains, of national importance. Although the somewhat circuitous route to Birmingham via the river Thames and the Oxford Canal came first, it was the Grand Junction Canal which really provided the transport infrastructure to bring goods from the industrial conurbations of the north and midlands to the capital. The exceptional interest of the canal corridor lies in the fact that, despite the passing of 200 years, much of the built heritage noted above survives, generally in good condition, thereby providing a visible record of the development of the canal system. Not only does much of the canal’s built heritage survive but the general public can view the features from the canal towpath and elsewhere. The presence of the canal has elevated the significance of Stoke Bruerne to one of national and regional importance. It is one of the most important locations on the inland waterways and highly significant for its association with the history of the canal era. It is also unusual in England in having a canal passing through its historic core rather than around the edge.
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APPENDIX 2 - LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP AREAS South East Midlands LEP (SEMLEP) Area
Northamptonshire LEP (NEP) covers the whole of Northamptonshire. This means that Stoke Bruerne appears to be covered by two LEP areas. Sajeeda Rose, Director of Economic Development, Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (Sajeeda.Rose@northamptonshireep.co.uk) explained this in the following way: “The Northamptonshire LEP or NEP covers the whole of the County – part of which also overlaps with SEMLEP. We are both LEPS but have different roles in that we are also the economic 36
development body for Northamptonshire and therefore deliver a range of activities in addition to fulfilling the role of being a LEP. Please see our website for further details of our activity. We work closely with SEMLEP to avoid any duplication and overlap.�
NOTE This Plan was initially prepared by Brenda Harvey on behalf of the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership. It has since incorporated various comments and suggestions from members of the Partnership and also draws very heavily on previous pieces of work by the Partnership and on the Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan 2008. Not all verbatim extractions from previous documents are shown in quotation marks. Some illustrations in this Plan are taken from the Stoke Bruerne Conservation Plan 2008 and are reproduced with the permission of The Conservation Studio. The SEMLEP Area Plan is reproduced with kind permission of SEMLEP. Other images have been supplied by members of The Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership and James Rudd, AboutMyArea/NN12 website. 37
Š Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership. November 2014 website: www.stokebruernecanalpartnership.org.uk 38