Wilton Water

Reservoir in Wiltshire

51°21′25″N 1°37′30″W / 51.357°N 1.625°W / 51.357; -1.625TypereservoirBasin countriesUnited Kingdom

Wilton Water (or Wide Waters)^[1] is a small reservoir, southwest of the village of Great Bedwyn in the English county of Wiltshire, which supplies the summit pound of the Kennet and Avon Canal with water. The reservoir lies in the parish of Grafton and collects rainfall from the eastern end of the Vale of Pewsey and the surrounding hills.

It was created by John Blackwell in 1836, by damming a narrow branching valley, and is fed by natural springs. In addition to supplying water for the canal, which is pumped by Crofton Pumping Station, it provides a haven for wildlife.^[2] It has been stocked with rainbow trout.

When the canal was built, there were no reliable water sources available to fill the summit by normal gravitational means. However, a set of usable springs were found adjacent to the canal route about one mile (2 km) east of the summit pound, and about 40 feet (12 m) below it. Arrangements were made for these springs to feed the pound below lock 60 at Crofton Locks. Some years later, the reservoir was created to enhance the supply to this pound.

The reservoir outfall and sluices are designated as Grade II listed structures.^[3]

References

^ "History of the hamlets". Grafton Parish. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
^ Allsop, Niall (1987). The Kennet & Avon Canal. Bath: Millstream Book. ISBN 0-948975-15-6.
^ Historic England. "Reservoir outfall and sluices (1034022)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 October 2020.

Kennet and Avon Canal

Kennet Navigation
Avon Navigation

Features

Locks	1 Hanham 2 Keynsham 3 Swineford 4 Saltford 5 Kelston 6 Weston 7–13 Bath Locks 14 Bradford 15–16 Semington Locks 17–21 Seend Locks 22–50 Caen Hill Locks 51 Wootton Rivers 52 Heathy Close 53 Brimslade 54 Cadley 55–63 Crofton Locks 64 Bedwyn Church 65 Burnt Mill 66 Potter's 67 Little Bedwyn 68 Oakhill Down 69 Froxfield Middle 70 Froxfield Bottom 71 Picketfield 72 Cobbler's 73 Hungerford Marsh 74 Hungerford 75 Dun Mill 76 Wire 77 Brunsden 78 Kintbury 79 Dreweatt's 80 Copse 81 Hamstead 82 Benham 83 Higg's 84 Guyer's 85 Newbury 86 Greenham 87 Ham 88 Bull's 89 Widmead 90 Monkey Marsh 91 Colthrop 92 Midgham 93 Heale's 94 Woolhampton 95 Aldermaston 96 Padworth 97 Towney 98 Ufton 99 Tyle Mill 90 Sulhamstead 101 Sheffield 102 Garston 103 Burghfield 104 Southcote 105 Fobney 106 County 107 Blake's¹
Tunnels	Sydney Gardens Tunnels Bruce Tunnel
Bridges	New Bridge Victoria Bridge Midland Bridge Newbury Bridge Burghfield Bridge High Bridge
Aqueducts	Dundas Aqueduct Avoncliff Aqueduct Biss Aqueduct Ladydown Aqueduct Semington Aqueduct New Semington Aqueduct Summerham Aqueduct River Dun Aqueduct
Pumping stations	Claverton Pumping Station Crofton Pumping Station
Museums	Kennet and Avon Canal Museum Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock
Misc.	Wilton Water

Connecting navigations

Engineers and proprietors

Kennet Navigation	John Hore Francis Page Sr. Francis Page Jr. Frederick Page
Avon Navigation	John Padmore
Kennet and Avon Canal	John Rennie John Thomas Dudley Clark John Blackwell Thomas Evans Blackwell