Bentley Canal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bentley Canal
The towpath bridge over the entrance to the canal where it joined the Wyrley and Essington
Specifications
Locks	10
Status	filled in
History
Date of first use	1843
Date closed	1960s
Geography
Start point	Wednesfield
End point	Bentley
Branch(es)	Neachells Branch
Connects to	Wyrley and Essington Canal, Anson Branch

The Bentley Canal was once a busy waterway in England. It was part of a big network called the Birmingham Canal Navigations. Today, only a very small part of it still has water. This section is where it meets the Wyrley and Essington Canal in Wolverhampton.

From there, the canal used to stretch southeast. It passed through towns like Willenhall and Walsall. It also connected to the Anson Branch and the Walsall Canal. The main part of the Bentley Canal opened in 1843. A smaller section, called the Neachell Hall Branch, opened two years later. The Neachell Hall Branch closed in 1953. The main canal stopped being used in the early 1960s.

History of the Canal

Canals were like old highways for boats. They were very important for moving goods. In 1820, a big canal company, the Birmingham Canal Company, wanted to join with the Wyrley and Essington Canal. This idea didn't happen at first.

Why the Canal Was Built

But by 1825, mine owners in the Walsall area really wanted a connection. They needed an easier way to move coal and other materials. Walsall Town Council also pushed for this connection in 1837. After some disagreements, the two canal companies finally agreed to work together. They signed an agreement in 1840. They also got a special law, called an Act of Parliament, to allow them to join.

The Bentley Canal was one of three new links built after this agreement. These links helped connect the different canal systems. The other two were the Walsall Junction Canal and the Rushall Canal.

When the Canal Opened and Closed

The Bentley Canal opened in 1843. It was about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) long. Along its path, it had 10 locks. Locks are like water elevators that help boats move up or down hills.

The canal became unused and fell apart in the 1960s. The Neachells Branch was a shorter section, about 0.4 miles (0.6 km) long. It opened in 1845 to serve the Neachell Hall Colliery (a coal mine). This branch closed earlier, in 1953.

Exploring the Canal's Path

The Bentley Canal started at Wednesfield Junction. This is where it left the Wyrley and Essington Canal. A special bridge made of cast iron carried the towpath over the junction. This bridge is still there today. It was built in the mid-1800s and is a protected historical structure.

The Remaining Section

A small part of the canal still has water. It is used for boats to tie up near a pub called the Nickelodeon. The first lock on the canal was right after this watery section. Two more locks followed it. The canal headed east, and the towpath was on the south side.

In the past, there were old quarries and factories along the canal. For example, there was a metal works washing plant on the north side in the 1950s.

Key Bridges and Factories

Bradburn's Bridge carried a railway line over the canal near the third lock. Further along, there were metal works and a foundry. Interestingly, one of these places used to be a chocolate factory in 1902!

Well Lane Bridge was next, followed by Neachells Bridge. This whole area has changed a lot since the canal closed. However, Well Lane and Neachells Lane still follow their original paths.

The Neachells Branch

Two more locks were in the next section. Merrills Hall Bridge carried Merrills Hall Lane over the canal. On the north side, there was a steel works and a sports ground. A footbridge also crossed the canal here. On the south side, Reliance Works made steel tubes.

The Neachells Branch split off from the main canal here. It headed south. This branch had a railway bridge and also served a sewage treatment works. A wide basin at the end of the branch served the Neachell Hall colliery, a coal mine that was no longer used by 1919.

The Final Stretch

Back on the main canal, there were more factories like the Weldless Steel Tube Works. Several footbridges, like Hill's Bridge and Fly Bridge, crossed the canal. Fibbersley Bridge, which now carries the B4484 road, was also a key crossing.

The path of the canal is still clear in some places, especially north of a housing area. Dingle Bridge and two bridges at Monmer Lane allowed people to cross. An industrial area was on the south side as the canal turned southeast.

After Spring Bank Bridge, there was a wharf and a short arm. This served the Spring Vale iron foundry, which later became a stamping works. The canal then passed between brick works. There were two more locks in this section, with a small arm and wharf between them.

Sandbeds Bridge connected Charles Street and Stringers Lane. A third lock was under a railway bridge. The fourth lock was just before Clarke's Lane Bridge, which is now the A462 road. Farm Bridge joined the end of Durham Avenue.

The canal turned south to go under Wolverhampton Road West (now the B4464) at County Bridge. It then continued southeast at Hopyard Bridge. A large cemetery is on the north side between these two bridges. Pendlebury Colliery was on the south side, with its own small arm.

Today, the canal's path is no longer visible here. County Bridge Primary School now stands where the canal used to be. Beyond the school, Bentley Road North crossed at Bentley Lane Bridge. The canal then joined the Anson Branch near Bentley Mill Bridge. The Anson Branch is no longer used by boats, but it still has some water.

Points of interest