Contractors
1795
Contractors John Bosville & Stephen Holland were employed to start at
Outmarsh near Semington, to dig out the canal foundations.
North
of Double Bridge, they met William Edwards who had started at Stanley and
worked his way south, excavating the locks and basins at Pewsham.
1795
– 1799 John Bosville was also a bricklayer, and he was employed with John
Smith to build many of the structures:
·
Swivel bridge at bottom of Naish Hill
·
Double
Bridge
·
Croker’s Bridge
·
Three
locks at Pewsham
·
The
towpath at Pewsham
By
1797, the canal as a navigation had reached Melksham, the locks at Pewsham
were well under way, and the company of John Smith and John Bosville had
completed Derry Hill Bridge under the Chippenham – Calne Turnpike Road.
1797-9 One wall of Pewsham Top Lock had to be pulled down and rebuilt, so
£50 was deducted from Smith & Bosville’s account.
1797
– 1798 William Large and Joseph Camm were contracted to excavate the
Chippenham Arm (‘Ippy Cut’).
1799 John Bosville and Stephen Holland puddled the Pewsham Locks and dug
out the foundations of the Lock Cottage.