Experts Pulled The Plug On This Old London Canal – And Made A Startling Discovery In The Mud

At the edge of a leafy park in London, England, a ramrod-straight channel of murky water bores a determined path below the city’s streets. But for the first time in decades, someone has pulled the plug. As the level of the Hertford Union Canal drops, secrets hidden for generations are suddenly exposed. And it’s down to a team of volunteers to recover them.

Aquatic Passage

For almost 200 years, this historic canal has provided an aquatic passage through East London’s Tower Hamlets, collecting plenty of human detritus along the way. Then, in January 2021 experts decided to drain its muddy waters in order to carry out a program of repairs. And when they did, a number of startling artifacts were revealed on the bed below.

One Man's Trash...

Strapping on waders and reflective jackets, the dedicated volunteers climbed down into the belly of the canal, keen to take a closer look. As they sifted through beer cans and discarded trash, they realized that there were some much more valuable treasures lurking there too. So what exactly did the team uncover?

A Long History

Given the long and varied history of the Hertford Union Canal, it should come as no surprise that all manner of artifacts have slipped beneath its waters over the years. First opened back in 1830 the mile-long channel was intended to act as a shortcut between two of London’s busiest waterways.

Taking A Toll

With the construction of the canal, traffic traveling from the River Lea was able to bypass the challenging Bow Back Rivers area and emerge directly onto the Thames. But despite this convenience, the waterway was not a success. And after just a year of operation, its owners were already considering scrapping the access toll.