The Oldest Canal in Britain? The Exeter Ship Canal

In this episode Dr Sam Willis explores the Exeter Ship Canal which, with the exception of the Roman 'Fossdyke' is the oldest manmade waterway in Britain. Canal building is usually associated with the canal mania which gripped Britain between 1790 and the 1820s as the early years of the industrial revolution both posed problems and created solutions for those wishing to travel and transport goods across Britain. But the Exeter ship canal is 230 years OLDER than that. It was built in various stages but the first section was built in 1563 - in the Tudor period when Elizabeth I was queen. Sam meets Todd Gray a historian of Devon to find out more. The episode was filmed with incredible new done footage that shows the navigation from the city centre to the heart of the Exe estuary as never before.

[mavericktriple]

As a school child we had a trip from that was the maritime museum in Exeter. We got on a boat and went right
Down through the lock system. We got off the boat at Exmouth to catch our bus to be taken home. We had a lovely day as kids and many things were learnt from the day's experience.

[fenham]

Excellent. Loved the pod so had to have a sticky beak at the movie
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[ArfurFoolkesAche]

No idea why this appeared after three years, but I’m glad it did. Studied at St Luke’s in Exeter in the seventies and can highly recommend the Double Locks pub on the canal!

[paulberen]

Fascinating video missing out views of all the most interesting places up and down the canal.

[ArfurFoolkesAche]

No idea why this appeared after three years, but I’m glad it did. Studied at St Luke’s in Exeter in the seventies and can highly recommend the Double Locks pub on the canal!