Hardham Canal Tunnel is a Grade II listed building in the South Downs National Park local planning authority area, England. First listed on 18 October 2019. A Late 18th century Canal tunnel. 6 related planning applications.

Hardham Canal Tunnel

WRENN ID
moated-rafter-elm
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
South Downs National Park
Constituency
Arundel and South Downs MP: Andrew Griffith (Con)
Country
England
Date first listed
18 October 2019
Type
Canal tunnel
Period
Late 18th century
Address
Hardham Canal Tunnel, Southern Water Services Ltd, Hardham Supply Works, London Road, Pulborough, Coldwaltham, Horsham, RH20 1LA
OS grid reference
TQ 032 173
Coordinates
50.94607, -0.53126
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: sale history · EPC · related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

This is a canal tunnel, built in 1790 by James Edwards. The tunnel is constructed of brick. It is 357 metres long, 3.7 metres wide, and blocked 205 metres from the southern portal by a mound of chalk and clay. Originally, the tunnel had a height of 3.7 metres from the base of the tunnel (invert) to the top (crown). Above the blocking mound, a ladder leads to a concrete-lined vertical tunnel and an inspection hatch.

The northern portal is brick, featuring a small parapet built with bricks laid in a stretcher bond pattern above a semicircular, stilted arch. The arch is made of brick voussoirs (the individual pieces forming the arch) and has brick spandrels (the areas to either side of the arch). Two iron tie bolts secure the parapet, held in place by crossed anchor plates. A section of the left (east) side of the arch's face has collapsed. The southern portal lacks a parapet and features a semicircular, stilted brick arch with voussoirs, many of which are missing. Since the canal closed, rising water levels have submerged the arch, obscuring its sides.

The tunnel’s interior walls are lined with brick laid in a header bond pattern, but the tunnel beyond the south portal's entrance was not accessible.

Local climate

Hardham Canal Tunnel receives an average of 810 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 51% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 86% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 13 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 89% of listed buildings. Of these, 6 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
  • Sale history — 8 transactions since 1996
  • Related listed building consents — 6 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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