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Chalford Picture Gallery Back to T&S Canal Index

Chalford is the first substantial place on the canal west of the tunnel. Boating activity on the canal here lasted until its abandonment in 1933 and was largely centred around the activities of James Smart whose business was located just upstream of Chalford Roundhouse.

Road "improvements" in about 1967 resulted in the infilling of Bell, Chalford Chapel and Ballinger Locks an the infilling with road earthworks on to the canal bed in a number of places. Ballinger and Chalford Chapel Bridges were demolished in the process; the latter was a skew bridge and possible the first ever built anywhere of this type.

Remarkably, Bell Bridge which itself was modified in 1933 to straighten the road, survives under the A419 to this day although the Bell Lock and a short piece of the canal on the east side of it have been culverted.

The area in front of Chalford Roundhouse was landscaped but has turned into a bit of a silt trap leading to shallow water and excessive weed growth. A milestone plate has been repositioned above the culvert outfall from Chapel Lock nearby.

Between this outfall and the Roundhouse, the gable end of James Smart's house still faintly advertises his coal and canal carrying business 70 years after the last boat left - it is best viewed when wet. The coal merchant business is still operating today but is no longer based here.

Ballingers Lock has been infilled and now has 4 garages built on it although the lock is probably intact under the infill.

Below Ballingers Lock, the canal resumes intact and with a reduced level of water it for the short distance to Grist Mill or Illes Lock. This lock still has one of its top gates in situ on the offside all be it somewhat withered with age.
Like many of the locks at Chalford, Grist Mill has a bridge at the tail of the lock and this has survived in good condition.

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