Greywell Tunnel
Inside the Greywell Tunnel
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Greywell |
| Coordinates | 51°15′38″N 0°58′44″W / 51.2605°N 0.978849°WCoordinates: 51°15′38″N 0°58′44″W / 51.2605°N 0.978849°W |
| OS grid reference | SU713517 |
| Status | Disused (collapsed) |
| Waterway | Basingstoke Canal |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | brick |
| Opened | 1794 |
| Closed | 1932 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 1,230 yards (1,120 m) |
| Towpath | no |
| Boat-passable | no |
The Greywell Tunnel (grid reference SU713517) is a 0.6 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Hampshire, England, notified in 1985. When opened in 1794 it was the longest tunnel on the Basingstoke Canal. It was closed due to a roof fall in 1932.
The Basingstoke Canal was authorised by an Act of Parliament obtained in 1778. The company was authorised to raise £86,000 by issuing shares, and an additional £40,000 if required. The route was around 44 miles (71 km) long, running from Basingstoke to the Wey and Godalming Navigations near Weybridge, with a large loop running to the north to pass around Greywell Hill. The loop cut through the grounds of Tylney Hall, owned by Earl Tylney, and he objected to the route. At the time, the American Revolutionary War was in progress, and no construction took place for some time. Finally, a favourable forecast of expected traffic was published in 1787, and the committee took action. A survey was made by William Jessop, who was appointed as engineer, and the contract for construction was awarded to John Pinkerton, part of a family of contractors who often worked with Jessop, in August 1788.
The route was changed, with the large contour-following route which had been surveyed around Greywell Hill being replaced by a tunnel through it, cutting nearly 7 miles (11 km) from the length of the canal. Construction started in October 1788, although Pinkerton was not initially responsible for the tunnel, the contract for which was awarded to Charles Jones. Jones had been dismissed by the Thames and Severn Canal company in 1788, after failing to complete the Sapperton Tunnel project. In his defence, he had been asked to build it bigger than originally specified and line it with bricks at no extra cost. He worked on Greywell Tunnel, but was again dismissed in 1789. Pinkerton had complained constantly about him. It is not clear whether Pinkerton supervised the cutting of the tunnel, but in 1789 the company sacked its brickmaker, and in 1790 required Pinkerton to ensure that the quality of the brick was adequate for the tunnel work. 223 yards (204 m) of tunnel had been completed by June 1791, and by November 1792 a similar distance was left to be completed.
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