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waterways from the air
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Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation C H E L M S F O R D Springfield Basin: Visitor moorings - head of navigation. Known to the Romans as Caesaronmagus, Caesars Market Place, this has been the county town of Essex since 1218, and became a cathedral town in 1914. The Cathedral of St Mary, which dates largely from the 15th Century, is just a short walk north west of the basin, and this approach will afford you the best view of what is an over-restored building. however, Chelmsford's life is very much rooted in the 20th century, with precision and electrical industries securing its importance as a manufacturing centre. Marconi established the world's first radio factory here in a former silk mill in Hall Street in 1898, and in 1920 the first publicised entertainment broadcast was made from their factory in New Street. Those who wish to shop will find High Chelmer and The Meadows shopping centres able to meet their every need.
Activities and Sights
Cathedral St Mary New Street. (01245 265052) www.chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk Dating from 1420 and Perpendicular in style. the interior is rather over-restored. The south porch and the west tower are both quite splendid. Open Mon - Sat 08.15 - 18.00, Sun 07.30 - 12.30 and 14.00 - 19.00. Donations appreciated. Guided tours.
Chelmsford Museum Oaklands Park. (01245 605700). A short walk from the town centre. Local and social history. "The Story of Chelmsford", a Victorian sitting room and a live beehive. Open Mon - Sat and B Hols 10.00 - 17.00, Sun 14.00 - 17.00. Free.
The Stone Bridge Built across the River Cam at the bottom of the High Street, this is the third bridge to be built on this site since 1199.
Moulsham Mill Parkway. (01245 608200) www.moulshammill.co.uk The Marriage family produced flour here until 1963. Now it houses a variety of craft workshops, where leather goods, silk prints, lace, pottery and knitwear can be purchased. Open Mon - Fri 19.00 - 17.30, Sat 09.00 - 17.00. Free. Tea and coffee shop.
Riverside Ice & Leisure Victoria Road. (01245 269417) Ice rink, pool, squash and gym. Bar and restaurant.
Tourist Information Centre County Hall, Market Road. (01245 283400) chelmtic@essex.gov.uk Open Mon - Fri 10.00 - 17.00, Sat 10.00 - 16.00.
Pubs and Restaurants
There are numerous opportunities for eating and drinking in Chelmsford, to the west of the basin. A Taste of Shopping in Chelmsford, available from the TIC (see above), lists town centre pubs and restaurants, including quite a few close to Springfield Basin.
Fox & Raven Chelmer Village (01245 211041) A large characterful pub serving real ale and traditional home cooked food (V) all day, every day. Children welcome. Large garden.
The Barnes Farm Chelmer Village (01245 495336) A Beefeater restaurant and pub in a barn, serving food (V) from noon daily. Real ale, children welcome, garden.
The Queen's Head Boreham Village (01245 467298) North of Little Baddow Lock, this fine old village pub serves good food (V) L and E (not Mon or Tue). Real ale. Children welcome, and outside seating on the patio.
The Rodney Little Baddow (01245 222385) A pub of great character, south of Paper Mill Lock, serving home cooked food (V) L and E (all day Sun and B Hol Mon). Real ale is served, and children are welcome for meals. Garden and patio with heaters.
Walking and Cycling
From Springfield Basin to Chapman's Bridge, to the west of Maldon, the towpath has been designated a footpath and cycling is allowed only by permit from the Navigation Company. Between Chapman's Bridge and Heybridge Basin the towpath is bridleway, and can be used by cyclists. All cyclists must give way to other towpath users. An extremely useful publication - The Essex Directory of Walks and Rides - is available from the TIC in Chelmsford (see above). This is a valuable source of information regarding walking, cycling and horse riding around the navigation, and throughout the county. A leaflet giving details of Canal & Country Walks is available from the Canal Centre at Paper Mill Lock.
Links
Information copyright Chelmer Canal Trust Ltd, reproduced with kind permission:
"In the late 18th century Chelmsford was a small market town where less than a thousand people lived. There were mills, maltings and tanyards to process the produce of the mid-Essex farms, but few other industries. Most of the goods needed in the town were brought by ship to Maldon, then loaded on to horse drawn wagons for the long rough trip over Danbury hill to the County Town. Construction of the Chelmer and Blackwater navigation was begun in 1793. Its opening on 3rd June 1797 marked the start of Chelmsford's industrial development. One broad, flat Chelmer barge, pulled by one horse, could carry the same as six wagons, each pulled by a team of horses. Bulk raw materials such as coal, timber and building materials became cheap and plentiful. The town and its industries grew, and by 1841 the population had more than doubled. By this time Chlemsford's ironfounders and engineers were becoming established, to meet the needs of mid-Essex farmers for agricultural development. In 1843 the railway arrived in Chelmsford and it gradually took over the functions of the Navigation as a carrier of bulk goods. The Navigation remained under the ownership of the original Proprietors of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation, as it still does today. The Navigation is wide and shallow and was mostly formed from the existing rivers Chlemer and Blackwater. It runs from Springfield Basin here in Chelmsford to the sea at Heybridge, near Maldon, a distance of 14 miles. The Navigation's characteristic was the Chelmer lighter, a wide, flat-bottomed barge. The Navigation's sole remaining timber-built Chelmer barge, "Susan", is preserved by Chelmsford Museums Service. Springfield Basin the terminus of the Navigation, quickly became Chelmsford's first industrial area. The first industrial premises in Springfield Basin was the coal and timber wharf set up in 1797 by Richard Coates, the Navigation's resident engineer. This became Brown and Son Limited, which ran their barges on the Navigation until the early 1970's. Lime kilns, maltings, and an iron foundry, had been established by the 1820's, together with a gasworks - the first inland gasworks in Essex, also built by Coates. At the very end of the basin was a wharf for public use. The basin is fed by a stream from the River Chelmer which can be seen on the opposite side of Wharf Road. This was restored in 1993 by volunteers from the Inland Waterways Association."
Pictures
The start of the navigation - Springfield Basin visitor moorings
Canoe Club at Chelmsford - in a cut to the west of Springfield Basin
Trip boat mooring - another cut to the west of the Canoe Club PHOTOGRAPHY from www.aerialcloseup.co.uk We will be adding pictures over the coming months - please check back regularly. Pictures are linked from the mileage charts on the maps. All pictures are copyright Aerial Close-Up Limited and may not be reproduced without permission. Copies will be be available soon in high quality, framed photographic prints and water colour prints.
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