The canal has a history that reads like a novel. Many crimes took place there, including murders. During its 200-year history, the canal has been involved in countless scams, with owners committing fraud by selling fake shares in the shipping. The waterway has always been a commercial failure and has repeatedly ended up in the hands of receivers.
In 1872 it became apparent how expensive it was to maintain the canal as a transport route when the roof of the Greywell Tunnel collapsed, blocking the passage to Basingstoke. Subsequent roof falls made the tunnel impassable. Since then, one of Britain's largest bat colonies has taken up residence there.
The canal has become a refuge for wildlife, and I write about it in my novel. When the owner announced her intention to close the navigation, she offered part of it to the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves (the precursor to the Wildlife Trusts we have today in the UK).
In the 20th century, the canal probably made more money through recreational use than as a transportation business. Summer regattas and canal carnivals were held at various locations along the navigation.
In The Body at Carnival Bridge I describe how every year decorated boats sailed from King John's Castle in Odiham to Carnival Bridge in Crookham, where everyone disembarked to follow a procession through town led by the Carnival Queen.
Iris Woodmore's hometown of Walden is based on the town of Fleet in Hampshire, where a carnival takes place every year. I have participated in the procession for many years in many different costumes: pirate, swan and ship captain, to name a few!
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