The Chard Canal was a 13.5 mile tub boat canal that ran from Bridgwater and Taunton through three tunnels and 4 inclined planes to Chard. Work in the canal stated in 1835 and the canal was completed in 1842 at a cost of about £140,000. The main cargo of the canal was coal along with stone. The canal was heavily over budget and since income was only a third of what had been expected the canal company was never able to meet even the interest payments on its debts. As a result the canal went into receivership in 1853. It closed in 1866.