Distance: 0.5 mile Click on an image to view a larger version of the picture in a separate window. The file size of the larger version is given in brackets after the caption. For more pictures of this part of the Navigation see the gallery. |
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The official head of navigation is marked by Blackbridge which is situated in College Walk, at the foot of Wharf Hill. This bridge is a single arch of stone. It is documented that barges sometimes travelled the few yards upstream of the bridge to Wharf Mill which has now been converted into flats.
Blackbridge Wharf lies on the east bank of the Navigation immediately below the bridge. The wharf area, now in the hands of Winchester College, contains the former manager's house (now a private house), warehouse (recently converted to residential) and stables. In former times, there was also a malthouse and a further warehouse on the site.
 Blackbridge Wharf from College Walk 16.03.2003 (72.0k) |
 Blackbridge Wharf from Black Bridge 16.03.2003 (107.2k) |
Immediately below the wharf, Wharf Bridge crosses the Navigation. This single brick span has a headroom of about 6 feet and is the oldest bridge surviving on the waterway being built in the 1760's. Access to the bridge can made down a footpath which leaves the unmade Domum Road about 30 or 40 yards from College Walk.
 Wharf Bridge and College Boathouse 16.03.2003 (73.3k) |
 Old Barge Cottages 16.03.2003 (84.6k) |
Downstream of Wharf Bridge and also on the east bank is the Winchester College boathouse, with its concrete slipway. Next to this are the fairly modern New Barge Cottages. This was also the site of Scard's Wharf in the days of commercial traffic. For half a mile below here to Tun Bridge, there is a public footpath on each bank. However, the eastern one does not pass in front of the boathouse to Wharf Bridge but has a separate access from Domum Road. A short distance below the New Barge Cottages and separated from them by some recent housing, can be found the Old Barge Cottages. These were once lived in by some of the barge masters working the Navigation. Domum Wharf used to be situated just below these cottages, on the bend where the waterway is a little wider. Now occupied by modern houses, no trace of the wharf now remains.
The waterway to St Catherine Lock is reasonably well maintained, being used for rowing by Winchester College and is occasionally dredged to a depth of around 4 feet.
 Looking south towards St Catherine's Hill 16.03.2003 (61.9k) |
 Looking north from Tun Bridge 16.03.2003 (68.0k) |
More pictures of this section of the Navigation.
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Send your comments to the Web Site manager (Peter Oates) Text © Southampton Canal Society 1999 - 2003. Original page covering Winchester to St Catherine Lock created 11 June 1999 - split into two pages 10 April 2003 - last updated 9 May 2004. |
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