Chester Canal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chester Canal
Chester Canal basin, on the Wirral Line of the Ellesmere Canal, at Raymond Street, near the junction with the Chester Canal and the River Dee
Specifications
Maximum boat length	72 ft 0 in (21.95 m) (originally 80 ft 0 in or 24.38 m)
Maximum boat beam	9 ft 0 in (2.74 m) (originally 14 ft 9 in or 4.50 m)
Locks	14
Status	Navigable
Navigation authority	Canal & River Trust
History
Original owner	Chester Canal Company
Date of act	1772
Date of first use	1779
Geography
Start point	Nantwich
End point	Chester
Branch of	Now part of Shropshire Union

The Chester Canal is an English canal that connects the town of Nantwich in south Cheshire with the River Dee in Chester. It was first planned to link Chester to Middlewich, with a branch to Nantwich. However, the Trent and Mersey Canal company did not want a connection at Middlewich. So, the canal to Nantwich was opened in 1779 instead.

The canal faced many challenges. It struggled to make money because it couldn't connect to other major waterways. In 1787, part of it even closed when some locks collapsed, and there was no money for repairs. But then, the Ellesmere Canal was planned in 1790. This gave the Chester Canal company hope, and they managed to keep their canal going.

The Ellesmere Canal opened a link to the River Mersey at Ellesmere Port in 1797. This helped the Chester Canal become more successful. Later, in 1805, the Ellesmere Canal also connected to the Chester Canal at Hurleston Junction, near Nantwich. This made the Chester Canal a key part of a much longer and busier waterway. The two companies joined together in 1813, forming the Ellesmere and Chester Canal.

More connections were added over time, like the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal in 1835. This linked Nantwich to the Birmingham canal system. The Middlewich Branch also opened in 1833, connecting to Manchester. In 1845, the companies merged again, keeping the Ellesmere and Chester Canal name. The next year, they became part of the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company. Even though railways became popular, these canals continued to operate well. They were kept open when many other canals closed in 1944.

The canals became government-owned in 1948. By the 1950s, most long-distance boat traffic had stopped. In 1963, the British Waterways Board took over. The canal was then marked for leisure use in 1968. Today, it is enjoyed by people who like boating, walking, and fishing. The Canal & River Trust now looks after it.

Building the Canal: A Tricky Start

In 1771, people in Chester worried that a new canal, the Trent and Mersey Canal, would take away their city's trade. They wanted to build their own canal to connect Chester to Middlewich and Nantwich. The River Dee was important for Chester, but a canal connection was needed for the city's future.

The idea for the canal had been around for a few years. But there wasn't much excitement for it at first. Other canal companies, like the Weaver Navigation and the Trent and Mersey, were not supportive. They feared losing business. Even the powerful Duke of Bridgewater only agreed not to oppose the canal if it didn't directly connect to his canal at Middlewich.

Getting Permission and Starting Work

On April 1, 1772, a special law was passed, allowing the canal to be built. It would run "from the River Dee... to or near Middlewich and Nantwich." The company could raise £42,000 to build it. Work began near Chester, with Samual Weston as the engineer. Weston had some experience but had never managed such a big project.

The canal was designed to be wide, with locks that were 80 feet (24 m) long and 14 feet 9 inches (4.50 m) wide. This was for large barges. However, many other canals, like parts of the Trent and Mersey, used narrower boats.

Problems and Setbacks

Building the canal was slow because of money problems and engineering challenges. At the Chester end, the final lock into the River Dee was made very narrow, only 7 feet (2.1 m) wide. This caused arguments for four years. Eventually, they agreed on a wider entrance into a basin. But the River Dee Company owned this land and charged tolls for using it. In 1774, part of an aqueduct (a bridge for water) even collapsed and had to be rebuilt.

Several engineers worked on the project, but none stayed for long. The canal finally opened from Chester to Huxley Aqueduct in 1775, and to Beeston in June. By 1777, the company had spent almost all its money. They had to get another law passed to raise more funds. They managed to borrow some money and finish the canal to Nantwich in August 1779. They also built a reservoir at Bunbury Heath to supply water.

The company hoped to build the Middlewich section next, but shareholders wouldn't support it. They tried to find salt near Nantwich and even ran boats to carry goods over land to connect with other canals. But by 1781, the company was out of money. Then, in November 1787, the Beeston Staircase Locks collapsed, and there was no money to fix them.

The Ellesmere Canal: A New Hope

In 1790, plans for the Ellesmere Canal were announced. The Chester Canal directors saw this as a chance to save their canal and finally build the Middlewich branch. They managed to raise some money for repairs, and by the end of the year, the canal was "nearly filled with water."

The Ellesmere Canal was a huge project. It planned to connect the River Mersey at Ellesmere Port to the River Dee near Chester, and have branches to places like Shrewsbury and Llangollen. Even though it was very expensive, many people wanted to invest during the "Canal Mania" period.

Connecting to the Ellesmere Canal

Work on the Ellesmere Canal's Wirral line (from Ellesmere Port to Chester) began in 1793. Packet boats (for passengers) started using it in 1795. The connection to the Chester Canal opened in January 1797. The Chester Canal supplied water to this new section.

Passenger boats became very popular, especially those connecting Ellesmere Port to Liverpool. Trade also grew steadily. New basins were built in Chester, and a special lock into the Dee made it easier for boats to access the lower basin.

The Ellesmere Canal was also building branches in North Wales. In 1802, the two companies agreed on a route from near Whitchurch to Hurleston Junction, just north of Nantwich. This section opened on March 25, 1805. A new water supply channel was also built from Horseshoe Falls on the River Dee.

Joining Forces

In 1804, the Ellesmere company offered to buy the Chester Canal. The Chester Canal held out for more money, and talks failed. But by 1807, the Chester Canal was in a better financial position. Finally, in 1813, they agreed to merge. The Ellesmere and Chester Canal Company officially took over on July 1, 1813. A new iron lock was built at Beeston in 1827 to fix ongoing leakage problems.

Expanding South and Becoming Part of a Bigger Network

In 1826, the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal was approved. This canal would connect Nantwich to the Midlands. This meant the Ellesmere and Chester company could finally push for the Middlewich Branch, which would link them to Manchester.

The Middlewich Branch was built as a narrow canal and cost £129,000. It opened on September 1, 1833. The Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal opened on March 2, 1835. Both were narrow canals, suitable for boats about 7 feet (2.1 m) wide.

Facing Railway Competition

The two canal companies worked together to stay profitable, especially as railways began to appear. Railways offered faster transport. Experiments were even done with steam tugs to pull canal boats. In 1845, the Ellesmere and Chester company merged with the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, keeping the same name.

Soon after, the company considered turning some of their canals into railways. However, other canal companies opposed this. In 1846, the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company was formed. This new company included the Ellesmere and Chester Canal, along with other canals like the Montgomeryshire Canal and the Shrewsbury Canal. The route from Ellesmere Port to Middlewich was kept as a waterway.

In 1847, the Shropshire Union company was leased to the London and North Western Railway. This meant the railway company controlled the canals. But the canals continued to make money. By 1849, the idea of converting them to railways was dropped.

The canals remained profitable for many years. When most of the Shropshire Union network was closed in 1944, the sections that were originally the Chester Canal, the northern Ellesmere Canal, the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, and the Middlewich Branch were all kept open. The Llangollen branch was also kept, mainly for water supply.

The Canal Today: For Fun and Leisure

On January 1, 1948, the remaining Shropshire Union canals, including the Chester Canal, became government-owned. At first, canals were still seen as mainly for business. But attitudes slowly changed.

Control of the canal moved to the British Waterways Board in 1963. For the first time in over 100 years, it was not managed by a railway company. In 1968, the canal was officially marked as a "cruising waterway," meaning it was good for leisure use. By then, there was very little commercial boat traffic left.

Today, the canal is very popular for pleasure boating. Much of it passes through beautiful countryside. The city of Chester and Ellesmere Port, with its waterways museum, add extra interest. The towpath through Chester is a great route for walkers.

The canal is well connected to other waterways. You can reach the Trent and Mersey Canal, the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, and the Llangollen Canal. From the Llangollen Canal, you can even get to the Montgomeryshire Canal, which is being restored. Boaters can also access the River Dee at Chester, though you need to give notice and use it around high tide. At Ellesmere Port, the canal connects to the Manchester Ship Canal.

The Chester Canal Heritage Trust was set up in 1997. They work to promote the canal and its history. In 2012, the Canal & River Trust took over responsibility for the canal.

What Was Carried on the Canal?

At first, the Chester Canal didn't have much traffic. But this changed once it connected to the Ellesmere Canal. The Ellesmere company hoped to carry limestone from quarries, iron from ironworks, and coal from mines to places like Chester, Liverpool, and Shrewsbury.

Even though some planned routes weren't built, trade in coal, limestone, lime, and building materials grew. Traffic between the canals and Liverpool steadily increased, with much of it passing along the old Chester Canal. The Ellesmere Canal's income grew from £12,568 in 1807 to £15,707 just two years later.

By 1836, limestone and coal were used to make lime along the canals. Coal was carried for homes and industries. Iron was also transported from Ruabon to Chester. In 1838, the canals carried over 60,000 tons of iron goods to Liverpool. Much of this came from Staffordshire, North Wales, and Shropshire.

The canal company also carried goods in its own boats. A report from 1851 showed that carrying iron goods from Wolverhampton to Liverpool was very profitable. So was carrying limestone and general goods between Chester and Liverpool.

When the canals were owned by the London and North Western Railway, there were rules about what they could carry. The canals still made a good profit for some years. In 1850, the average yearly income was £104,638, with a profit of £45,885. Total traffic was 855,462 tons in 1858, but it dropped to 742,315 tons by 1868.

After the First World War, costs went up, and losses increased. The company stopped carrying goods in 1921 to try and reduce these losses. By 1940, traffic had dropped significantly.

Exploring the Canal Route

Boats passing on the Northgate Staircase. The boat on the left is ascending the flight, and is moving from the bottom to the middle chamber. The boat on the right is descending.

The River Dee branch of the canal goes east from the river. It passes through two locks before turning north. Two more locks raise its level to meet the Ellesmere Canal. There are moorings at Tower Wharf, near the bend.

To the south of the canal is the old city of Chester. It has nearly all of its city walls, the cathedral (built in 1092), and King Charles' Tower, which overlooks the canal. After rising 33 feet (10 m) through the Northgate Staircase locks, which were carved from solid rock, the canal enters a deep rock cutting. Further along, there are five more locks that raise the canal's level by another 43.3 feet (13.2 m). Between the fourth and fifth locks, the North Wales Coast railway line goes under the canal in a tunnel.

The canal goes along the edge of Christleton and through Waverton. In Waverton, there's a large old mill building, once powered by steam, where boats were loaded. Several old bridges, built when the canal was new, can be seen here. The railway line to Crewe follows the canal's path, a bit further south.

The canal crosses the River Gowy on an aqueduct. It then passes the impressive ruins of Beeston Castle, built in the 1220s on a steep hill. The castle overlooks the countryside.

Locks and Junctions

Near Beeston Castle is Wharton's Lock. After a bridge carrying the A49 road, you reach the two Beeston locks. The first is Beeston Iron Lock, built from cast iron plates in 1828 by Telford. It's unique in England and is a very important historical structure. The second is Beeston Stone Lock, built with traditional materials.

The next lock is Tilston Lock. About 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Bunbury are the Bunbury Staircase Locks. These are two locks that share the same middle gates. They are the last locks that wide-beam boats can use when heading south.

As the canal nears Barbridge Junction, the railway turns east. The canal turns south. Barbridge Junction is where the Middlewich Branch begins. This branch goes down through four locks to reach the Trent and Mersey Canal at Middlewich.

After another 1.3 miles (2.1 km), the Llangollen Canal turns off at Hurleston Junction. It immediately goes up through four locks. Soon after, you reach Nantwich Basin, which was the original end of the Chester Canal. The Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal joined the canal just north of the basin. Dorfold Hall, a grand mansion built in 1616, is to the west of the basin.

Boat Sizes on the Canal

When the Chester Canal was first built, its locks were 80 by 14.75 feet (24.38 by 4.50 m). This meant they could handle large boats. Over the years, the maximum size of boats that could use the canal changed. By 1985, boats had to be no more than 72 by 13.25 feet (21.95 by 4.04 m). In 2009, the sizes were listed as 72 by 9 feet (21.9 by 2.7 m).

Places of Interest Along the Canal