Bridgwater docks Ship lock gate

The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal had been built from Taunton to a basin at Huntworth, to the east of Bridgwater, where it entered the River Parrett, and opened in 1826. 

After the Bristol and Exeter Railway obtained an Act of Parliament to construct a railway which would pass through Bridgwater in 1836, to protect its trade the canal company sought their own Act to construct a floating harbour to the west of Bridgwater, and to extend their canal to join it. This was obtained on 21 April 1837, and the works were started. Construction work involved a deep cutting from Albert Street to West Street, a short tunnel at West Street, and an inner basin that covered 4 acres. 

A smaller outer basin covering 0.5 acres was connected to the inner basin by a lock and to the river by a ship lock consisting of a single 40-foot gate, and a barge lock, consisting of a pair of 14-foot gates. 

The whole outer basin could be used as a lock by larger ships up to 600 tons. The estimated cost of £25,000 for the scheme escalated to nearly £100,000, most of which was raised by mortgage.


Closure of docks
By the mid-1950s, the total Port of Bridgwater was importing some 80,050 to 106,800 tonnes of cargo; mainly sand and coal by tonnage, followed by timber and flour. It was also exporting some 7,300 tonnes of bricks and tiles. But the brick and tile industry was in terminal decline, and in the mid-1960s it was clear that they were commercially non-viable. Offered for sale to any buyer; however, with no takers, the last coal was imported on 31st July 1971