A large number of canals were built in Cheshire, England, during the early phases of the Industrial Revolution to transport goods and raw materials. This resulted in a significant canal network which is now enjoyed by holiday-makers, anglers, walkers, and others.
Routes of navigable canals
Bridgewater Canal
The Bridgewater Canal runs from Preston Brook, near Runcorn, to Leigh in Greater Manchester. The original section of the canal starts at Castlefield Basin in Manchester city centre where it joins the Rochdale Canal. The canal runs west from Manchester for about , where it splits into two parts at "Waters Meeting" junction. It then passes Hulme Lock, an unused connection to the River Irwell and the Manchester Ship Canal, and a new lock at Pomona which accesses the Ship Canal.
From Waters Meeting, the original part of the canal passes over the Manchester Ship Canal on the Barton Swing Aqueduct at Salford and travels about to Leigh, where it makes an end-on connection with the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
The other part of the canal travels about south-west to Runcorn, passing through the towns of Sale and Lymm, and to the south of central Warrington. At Preston Brook, the canal connects with the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Trent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal links the River Trent at Derwent Mouth (in Derbyshire) to the River Mersey. The second connection is made via the Bridgewater Canal, which it joins at Preston Brook in Cheshire. Although mileposts measure the distance to Preston Brook and Shardlow, Derwent Mouth is a mile or so beyond Shardlow.
Peak Forest Canal
The Peak Forest Canal runs from a junction with the Ashton Canal at the southern end of the Tame Aqueduct at Dukinfield through Newton, Hyde, Woodley, Bredbury, Romiley, Marple, Strines, Disley, New Mills, Furness Vale, and Bridgemont. It terminates at Bugsworth Basin, and there is a short branch at Bridgemont to Whaley Bridge. This canal is just over long.
At Marple, the canal crosses Marple Aqueduct and then rises through 16 locks and makes a junction at Top Lock with the Macclesfield Canal.
Wardle Canal
The Wardle Canal is located in Middlewich, Cheshire, and connects the Trent and Mersey Canal to the Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich branch). It is the shortest canal in the UK, at approximately long, and terminates with a single lock (known as Wardle lock).
Macclesfield Canal
The Macclesfield Canal runs from Marple Junction where it joins the Peak Forest Canal, southwards (through Bollington, Macclesfield, and Congleton), to a junction with the Trent and Mersey Canal near Kidsgrove.
Shropshire Union Canal
The Shropshire Union Canal links Wolverhampton (and the Birmingham Canal Navigations) with the River Mersey.
History
The Bridgewater Canal is often considered to be the first true canal in Britain. However, the Sankey Canal also has good claim to that title. Although the Sankey Canal was originally contained within the old county of Lancashire, the transfer of Warrington and Widnes to Cheshire means that it now lies partly in the county. Preston Brook also lies in Cheshire, south of the River Mersey.
Opening dates Where possible, opening dates for the entire length have been used. Otherwise the date indicates when the Act of Parliament was granted.
1721 – River Weaver (canalised) 1757 – Sankey Brook Navigation – Engineer Henry Berry and William Taylor, 1761 – Bridgewater Canal – Engineer James Brindley 1772 – Chester Canal 1777 – Trent and Mersey Canal – Engineer James Brindley 1796 – Ashton Canal 1800 – Peak Forest Canal – Engineer Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown 1804 – Rochdale Canal 1829 – Wardle Canal 1831 – Macclesfield Canal 1835 – Shropshire Union Canal – Engineer Thomas Telford and others 1894 – Manchester Ship Canal – Engineers Edward Leader Williams
List of canals in Cheshire The following is an incomplete list of canals (or navigable rivers) which pass (at least in part) through Cheshire:
Trent and Mersey Canal Shropshire Union Canal Macclesfield Canal Ellesmere Canal Llangollen Canal Chester Canal Manchester Ship Canal River Weaver Rochdale Canal Ashton Canal Peak Forest Canal Bridgewater Canal Cheshire Ring Wardle Canal
Structures found on canals
Anderton Boat Lift Red Bull Aqueduct Marple Lock Flight
The Cheshire Ring
The Cheshire Ring is a popular canal cruise which includes six of the canals in Cheshire. Because it takes approximately a week to complete, it is suited to narrowboat holidays which start and return to the same location. The route has 92 locks and is long. It is popular because it offers a contrast between the city centre of Manchester, views of the Peak District, and the Cheshire Plain.
See also
Geography of England Transport in England Transport in the United Kingdom History of the British canal system
References