The canal was built by James Brindley and was opened in 1777 and one of its principal uses was the smooth transportation of chinaware from the Potteries and Josiah Wedgwood was one of the prime movers behind its construction.
The canal follows the path of the River Trent through some pleasant countryside and at Stenson runs close to the railway line towards Willington, with good moorings, watering holes and shops. Continuing South, the canal runs through the outskirts of Burton-upon-Trent - a place of pilgrimage for anyone with an interest in beer - and there are moorings near Shobnall Basin for access to the town.
A little further on is Branston, original home of the famous pickle, after Barton-under Needwood is the charming village of Alrewas, for many people probably the archetypal English village and well worth a visit. Fradley Junction, where the Coventry Canal begins, is a well-known spot on the network and the canal then runs northwestwards through Rugeley and on to Great Haywood.
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