Parrett Navigation

Last Updated on Monday, 04 January 2010 18:10 Wednesday, 30 December 2009 12:07

Parrett Navigation and Ivelchester Navigation

Total length 13_ miles to Thorney and Westport

Act of Parliament 1795 and 1836
Completed and opened 1840

The early scheme foundered through lack of funds and traffic passed up river on tidal waters as far as Load Bridge on the River Yeo with trans-shipment required at Langport Bridge. The 1836 Act authorised building locks at Langport, Middleney, Oath and Thorney, replacing Langport Bridge to allow through navigation and cutting the Westport Canal from near Hambridge to Westport where substantial warehouses were erected. Traffic declined after the railway from Durston to Yeovil opened in 1853 and in 1878 the Somerset Drainage Commissioners abandoned the navigation works. Some boats managed to reach Load Bridge and even Ilchester up until the 1930s!!

The Waterway Today – Interest in these former navigations has never completely disappeared. The creation of the Parrett Trail, much of which uses the former towing path between Burrowbridge and Thorney has enabled more people to view the remains of the locks, wharves and bridges. The Langport Area Development Trust recently commissioned a corridor study of the river from Oath to Kingsbury Episcopi. A “Highway” Right of Navigation exists on the Rivers Parrett, Isle and Yeo where formerly navigation improvements were made but there is no liability or responsibility on the current management body, ie The Environment Agency to maintain navigation structures such as locks, even though the locks at Middleney and Thorney appear structurally sound and could easily be reinstated.

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