The River Wey and Godalming Navigations
The Wey Navigation opened in 1653 and was one of the first British rivers to be made navigable. In 1764 the Godalming Navigation opened, creating a 20-mile waterway running from the Thames at Weybridge to Godalming - now the southern-most part of the inland waterway network.

Originally the Wey Navigations were used for transporting barge loads of heavy goods via the Thames to London. Timber, coal, corn, flour, wood and even gunpowder were regularly moved up and down the waterway.

Later in 1796 the Basingstoke Canal was dug and connected to the Wey and in 1816 the Wey and Arun Junction Canal was opened, connecting with the Wey at Stonebridge.

Surviving the railway era
The Wey, unlike many other less efficient waterways, survived the railway era and under private ownership continued to trade until well after the Second World War. The last owners, Stevens & Sons, donated the Wey to the National Trust in 1964 and today it is one of the few financially self-supporting waterways, having no call on the Trust's general finances or on public funds.

It is now managed and protected for its long-term preservation as a recreational asset and a living piece of industrial archaeology.

Dapdune Wharf
Dapdune Wharf became the barge building site of the River Wey Navigations. Today, parts of the Wharf have been restored with a stable, smithy, barge-building shed and an original Wey barge, 'Reliance'.

Through exhibitions, models and displays visitors to Dapdune Wharf will be able to discover the history of the waterway, see how bargemen and their families lived and find out about the work of making and maintaining the Navigations.