Walk 3

BRITANNIA AQUEDUCT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Britannia Aqueduct Historical Society Walk
Madeley Court, Windmill Farm and the eastern arm of the canal

Commencing from the Britannia Inn, turn north along Aqueduct Road, then left under the LNWR railway bridge into the new Aqueduct estate. Take the first turning on the left and continue through the archway. Follow the road round to the right then turn left onto the footpath which goes under the lronbridge bypass. Follow the path under the GWR railway bridge, turning left just beyond the bridge onto Rough Park Way.

Just after reaching the top of the next rise, look for a path on the right which leads through the trees and between the Madeley Court fish ponds. Continue around the garden wall turning left across the gravel car park. Through the garden gateway can be seen an unusual sun dial.

Continue across the driveway to a public footpath on the opposite side. You will then find on the left, fine views of the Madeley Court, now a hotel, and the gatehouse.

Continuing along the footpath, the last building on the left is what used to be a water mill, known to have worked since 1660 for the milling of corn. The Wash Brook which drove the mill has been long since diverted.

Turn left beyond the mill to the fish pond. On the right can be found the present course of the Wash Brook.
Continue up the hill and under the bridge which used to carry the LNWR railway. Just beyond the bridge are the ruins of the old windmill.

Turn left onto the Silkin Way and towards Brookside. On the right is the Court Industrial Estate, named after Madeley Court Ironworks which originally occupied the site.
Continue over the bridge which crosses the GWR railway. Here is the site of Madeley Salop Station.

Continue under the Ironbridge Bypass and turn right to Brookside. Turn right along Brookside perimeter road until you reach a bus stop. Tum left, following the footpath uphill. This is the approximate line of the Windmill Farm Incline.

Upon reaching the top of the hill and turning left, traces of the canal exist between this point and the site of the former Brindleyford School. Upon reaching the school fence near to a large oak tree, at this point there once stood a bridge over the canal. This carried the foot­path from Aqueduct Village up to Windmill Farm (which stood on Bishopdale) across the bridge and on towards Stirchley and Holmer farm.

Turn right and then left around the former school boundary. Continue on the path straight on over the brow of the hill. You are now following the approximate route of the canal from the incline to its junction with the main canal which is where the Silkin way is now. Turn right onto Burnside, then at the road junction at number 8 Burnside turn left. Just af­ter the bend in the road take the path on the right. At the T junction tum left. When you reach number 100 Burnside turn right and continue straight on until you reach Brookside perimeter road.

Cross the perimeter road at the bus stop on the far side and take the adjacent path into Lambeth Drive. When just into the woods, the boundary fence on the left marks the approximate line of the canal. Follow the path around to the left to Aqueduct Lane near to Tunnel Houses. Turn left,where on the hill is a stone packed bridge which car­ried the Stirchley to Aqueduct Road over the canal.

Take the next path on the right to the Silkin Way then turn left towards Aqueduct. This was once the route of the canal and the LNWR railway. Leave the Silkin Way at its junction with Chapel Lane.

The Aqueduct bridge built in 1792 is just to the side of the first house in the lane. Turn left and then right into Aqueduct Road past St Paul’s Church on the left then back to the Britannia passing the houses once called Fosters Row.

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