Lost Canals A story of Romantic Decay

There are currently 2,100 miles of canal in the UK but there were more than 4,000 miles in the 1830s. Many canals fell into decline when the railways arrived but their legacy lives on… old buildings with new uses, unusual features which form unexpected landmarks, lost lock flights that resemble Inca ruins... learn about the gigantic Foxton Inclined Plane or the canal that ran right by Alton Towers. And some canals were quite remarkable… the Tamar Manure Canal, the Louth Navigation and the bizarre Somerset Coal Canal. They are all very much part of our national heritage.

How to book this event:

Guests are welcome for a fee of £10 payable on the night but please contact our Membership Secretary at shahazhanchoudhury@yahoo.co.uk to make sure we have space.

THE ARTS SOCIETY ACCREDITED LECTURER

Mr Roger Butler

Roger Butler is a landscape architect and an experienced writer, photographer and lecturer. He has a particular interest in the unique history, architecture and traditions of our canal network and worked on some of the UK’s major canal restoration projects. He has also acted as a consultant to bodies such as Waterways Ireland, Natural England and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

He regularly contributes to waterway and heritage magazines and writes and provides images for a range of countryside and outdoor titles. Roger is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society and a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute. He lives near Stratford upon Avon and lectures to groups such as the National Trust, RSPB, U3A, history societies, etc. across the Midlands and further afield.