Bude Canal

The coastal area at Bude has sand unusually rich in minerals, and the poor agricultural land of the locality was found to benefit considerably from application of the sand. In the pre-industrial age, actually transporting it was difficult, even to land relatively close to the coast. | repeal_date = | repealing_legislation = | related_legislation = | status = Current | original_text = https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WrmXQpgmfMAC&pg=PA410 | collapsed = yes }} Several schemes were put forward for canals to bring the sand to the countryside, and these proposals did not lack ambition. One early scheme, conceived by Cornish engineer John Edyvean, aimed at distributing Welsh coal from the port…

The project: The main line of the canal ran south east from Bude to Druxton Wharf near Launceston, with an easterly branch to Blagdonmoor, beyond Holsworthy. There was a northerly feeder arm leading from a new reservoir at Virworthy, now called Lower Tamar Lake. There were two conventional locks in the short broad canal section, each with a vertical interval of 5 ft. This section terminated at Helebridge, about 2 mi from Bude, and ordinary coastal barges travelled this far up the canal. The tub boats were designed to use the main part of the system, and they generally made the transit from the harbour at Bude, or from Helebridge if trans-shipping from coastal vessels there. After…