Middlewich Branch
Middlewich Branch | |
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Barbridge | |
Branch of | Shropshire Union Canal |
Connects to | Trent and Mersey Canal |
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The Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal is located in Cheshire, in the north west of England, and runs between Middlewich, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal, and Barbridge Junction, where it joins the main line of the Shropshire Union Canal. It is 10 miles (16 km) long, and was planned as part of the Chester Canal, which was authorised in 1772, but the company ran out of money, and construction did not begin until 1827. The Trent and Mersey insisted that there should be no direct connection at Middlewich, and instead built the short Wardle Canal to join the two, charging large compensation tolls for traffic passing along it.
The canal became part of the Shropshire Union system in 1846, which was taken over by the
The canal follows a rural route through farmland across Cheshire, with a short urban section near the junction at Middlewich. Many of the structures are original, and consequently, most of them are
History
The idea of a canal to Middlewich was first proposed by the
With plans to link Nantwich to the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Autherley, to create the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, talks were again held with the Trent and Mersey Canal about a canal from Barbridge to Middlewich. The Trent and Mersey refused to consider the idea until the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal was authorised, and then insisted that the canal should join a short branch from their canal, which they would build. This would become the Wardle Canal, and goods transferred along it had to pay high compensation tolls. The canal was authorised in 1827, one year after the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, and it was opened on 1 September 1833. The total cost, which included wharves and warehouses at Barbridge Junction, was £129,000, but trade was meagre until the new link to Autherley was completed some three years later.[2]
Since the opening of the Ellesmere Canal in 1797, which linked Chester to the River Mersey at Ellesmere Port,[3] the importance of Chester had gradually declined, while Ellesmere Port had correspondingly become more important. Tolls on the Middlewich Branch were initially maintained at a higher level than on the rest of the canal in order to avoid undercutting traffic on that route. In 1838, the canal carried 60,406 tons of iron to Ellesmere Port, and 10,370 tons along the Middlewich Branch, most of it travelling from North Wales to Manchester.[4] Once the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal was open, the route from Birmingham to Manchester via it and the Middlewich Branch was 5.25 miles (8.4 km) shorter and contained 30 less locks than the route using the Trent and Mersey Canal.[5]
Shropshire Union era
The Ellesmere Canal and Chester Canal companies had amalgamated to become the Ellesmere and Chester Canal company in 1813,
The Shropshire Union attempted to deal with the problem of high tolls on the Wardle Canal by proposing a 327 yards (299 m) bypass in 1852, arguing that the Middlewich Branch was "almost useless" without it. However, the LNWR requested that they withdraw the bill from Parliament and they did so. A similar proposal was made in 1868, for a longer bypass, but this was defeated in the House of Lords.[10] An experiment was carried out on the branch near Worleston in 1888. About 1 mile (1.6 km) of 18-inch (460 mm) railway track was laid alongside the canal, and a small locomotive from Crewe railway works was used to haul barges. The trials were suggested by the LNWR's mechanical engineer Francis Webb, and a report was produced by the Canal's engineer G. R. Jebb in 1889. Although the locomotive had successfully pulled two, four and then eight boats at speeds up to 7 mph (11 km/h; 6.1 kn), no further action was taken.[11]
Some traffic on the branch was lost when the
Route
The canal is 10 miles (16 km) long, and rises from Middlewich to Barbridge through four locks.
The approach to Stanthorne Lock, which raises the level by 11.1 feet (3.4 m)[15] is through a cattle bridge built of red bricks laid in an English garden wall bond, with stone coping and large retaining walls which end in piers with pyramidal stone caps.[24] The relative peace of the branch is disturbed at bridge 22A, which carries the West Coast Main Line railway over the canal, but beyond the bridge, the views over the Weaver Valley and of Winsford Top Flash open out. After several more listed bridges, the canal passes the village of Church Minshull[15] and then crosses over the River Weaver carried on an aqueduct with three arches, a large circular central arch with smaller arches for flood relief on both sides, and curved wing walls.[25]
Nanneys Bridge carries the B5074 road over the canal just before Minshull Lock. It is made of brick with a single basket arch, but the parapets are not original, as they have been rebuilt.[26] The lock raises the canal by 11 feet (3.4 m),[27] and is grade II listed because it shows few signs of having been altered since its construction.[28] Bridge 5A carries the railway line from Crewe to Chester over the canal, and there is a large marina shortly afterwards, followed by Cholmondeston lock, which raises the level by 11.25 feet (3.43 m). Benyon's Bridge,[29] Sandholes Bridge,[30] and Rutters Bridge[31] are the final three accommodation bridges, before the canal arrives at Barbridge Junction, where a graceful roving bridge made of red and blue brick with an elliptical arch, carries the towpath for the main line over the branch.[32]
2018 bank failure
On 16 March 2018 a section of the bank failed next to the aqueduct carrying the canal over the
Points of interest
Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) |
OS Grid Ref | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Jn with Trent and Mersey Canal | 53°11′16″N 2°26′27″W / 53.1879°N 2.4408°W | SJ706657 | |
Stanthorne Lock | 53°11′17″N 2°27′43″W / 53.1880°N 2.4619°W | SJ692657 | |
West Coast Main Line bridge | 53°10′35″N 2°28′58″W / 53.1764°N 2.4828°W | SJ678644 | |
River Weaver aqueduct | 53°07′37″N 2°30′09″W / 53.1270°N 2.5025°W | SJ664589 | |
Minshull Lock | 53°07′22″N 2°31′07″W / 53.1227°N 2.5185°W | SJ654585 | |
Cholmondeston Lock | 53°06′52″N 2°32′55″W / 53.1144°N 2.5487°W | SJ633576 | |
Barbridge Junction | 53°06′33″N 2°34′45″W / 53.1091°N 2.5792°W | SJ613570 |
See also
- Canals of the United Kingdom
- History of the British canal system
- Four Counties Ring - a canal cruising ring that includes the Middlewich Branch
Bibliography
- Cumberlidge, Jane (2009). Inland Waterways of Great Britain (8th Ed.). Imray Laurie Norie and Wilson. ISBN 978-1-84623-010-3.
- Hadfield, Charles (1985). The Canals of the West Midlands. David and Charles. ISBN 0-7153-8644-1.
- ISBN 978-0-00-721112-8.
References
- ^ Hadfield 1985, pp. 42–44
- ^ Hadfield 1985, pp. 179–181
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 169
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 182
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 186
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 166
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 189
- ^ Hadfield 1985, pp. 232–233
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 234
- ^ Hadfield 1985, pp. 236–237
- ^ Hadfield 1985, pp. 241–242
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 244
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 251
- ^ Cumberlidge 2009, pp. 272–273
- ^ a b c d Nicholson 2006, pp. 102–103
- ^ Historic England. "Bridge No. 168, Middlewich (1330030)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Canal Lock, Middlewich (1229519)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Canal Lock Cottage, Middlewich (1138797)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Bridge No. 31, Middlewich (1279043)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Bridge No. 30, Middlewich (1138798)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Bridge No. 28, Middlewich (1330026)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Aqueduct over Nantwich Road (1229541)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Aqueduct over River Wheelock (1138799)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Bridge downstream of Stanthorne Lock (1310417)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Aqueduct over River Weaver (1115811)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Nanney's Bridge (1217566)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Nicholson 2006, pp. 100–101
- ^ Historic England. "Minshull Lock (1138653)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Benyon's Bridge (1320253)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Sandholes Bridge (1217676)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Rutters Bridge (1115816)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ Historic England. "Roving Bridge, Barbridge (1312853)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ "Middlewich canal collapse leaves up to 20 boats stranded". BBC News. 16 March 2018.
- ^ "The Shropshire Union Canal: Middlewich Emergency Appeal". Canal and River Trust. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019.