Editing Yiewsley (section)

====The Opening of Grand Junction Canal 1794====
Yiewsley's agrarian way of life started to change with the opening of the [[Grand Junction Canal]]. Construction began with cuttings on Uxbridge Moor on 1 May 1793 and in early May at [[Brentford]] and [[Braunston]].<ref name="Faulker 1972" /> From the Thames at Brentford to [[Hanwell]], the canal was engineered from the [[River Brent]]. At Hanwell the canal parted from the Brent and was routed west, following the natural 100 foot contour to avoid the building of expensive and time consuming [[Lock (water navigation)|locks]].<ref name="BBS" /> It was cut through Yiewsley, turning north to follow the route of the [[Colne, Hertfordshire|River Colne]], crossing over the [[Fray's River]] in an aqueduct at [[Cowley, London|Cowley]] Lock.<ref name="Faulker 1972" />

[[File:Yiewsley Colham Wharf 1.jpg|thumb|The Foundation Stone of Colham Wharf incorporated in the wall of Waterways House]]
On Monday 3 November 1794 the canal was opened between the [[River Thames]] and [[Uxbridge]]. However toll collectors weren't appointed at Uxbridge and Brentford until May 1795. It is likely the aqueduct over the Fray's River at Cowley Lock wasn't completed until the Autumn of 1795 with measures undertaken there to allow traffic to pass through.<ref name="Faulker 1972" /> In the next year 1796, Yiewsley's first dock, Colham [[wharf]] was opened next to Colham Bridge. In 1801 the [[Paddington Arm]] of the canal opened from Bulls Bridge near Hayes and would be of national importance as a trade route into and from the Capital.<ref name="Faulker 1972">{{cite book |last1=Faulker |first1=Alan H. |title=The Grand Junction Canal |date=1972 |publisher=David and Charles (Publishers) Limited Newton Abbot |isbn=0715357506}}</ref>