Promotional feature: The Wey and Arun Canal was built in 1816 to link the Rivers Wey and Arun to form an inland barge route between London and the south coast. It was used to transport valuable cargo (gold bullion, gunpowder, coal, bricks, chalk and agricultural produce) until the coming of the railways.

The Wey and Arun Canal was primarily built between 1813 and 1816. It was originally proposed in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars as a strategic, safe inland transport link between London and the naval ports of Portsmouth, allowing barges to bypass the hazardous English Channel. The canal, which stretched 18.5 miles with 23 locks, was completed in September 1816. Unfortunately, by the time it opened, the war with France had ended, and the canal was only moderately prosperous. It was eventually officially abandoned in 1871 due to competition from the burgeoning railway system and issues with its water supply. In 2026, it is famously known as "London's Lost Route to the Sea," and significant restoration efforts by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust have made several miles of the waterway navigable once again for pleasure boats and hikers seeking a glimpse into Britain's industrial past.