The rivers Kennet and Avon were made navigable in the early 18th century. Between 1794 and 1810, a 57 mile canal section was constructed linking them together and the whole waterway is now known as The Kennet & Avon Canal
Following this it has had a turbulent past going from a thriving transport network to falling into disuse with the opening of the Great West Railway. Towards the end of the 20th century, with the creation of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, it was restored in sections and fully opened in 1990 and is now enjoyed by many visitors to this day.
An overview of the history of the canal and the early work of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust is here
Devizes Museum
You can find out more about the history of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust by visiting our museum at Devizes Wharf or one of our information centres for more exciting articles, displays and exhibits.
Archives
The Trust maintains an archive which is looked after by our dedicated volunteers, it holds a wide range of documents relating to the canal’s history and the work of the Trust.
If you have something you would like to contribute to our archives or have any questions regarding your research please email us at archiveadmin@katrust.org.uk
