Wardle Canal facts for kids
The Wardle Canal is a very special waterway in the United Kingdom. It holds the record for being the shortest canal in the entire UK! It's only about 154 feet long. You can find this tiny canal in a town called Middlewich, located in Cheshire, England.
This small but important canal connects two much larger canals: the Trent and Mersey Canal and the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. It ends with a single lock, which is like a water elevator for boats, known as Wardle Lock. The canal was built way back in 1829. Its main purpose was to help the Trent and Mersey Canal company keep control over where their canal met the other one. This made sure their boats could travel smoothly and safely.
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Discovering the Wardle Canal
The Wardle Canal might be short, but it plays a big role in connecting different parts of England's canal network. It's like a tiny bridge between two busy highways for boats!
Where is the Wardle Canal?
This unique canal is found in the heart of Cheshire, a county in the northwest of England. Middlewich is a historic town known for its salt production, and the canals were once vital for moving goods like salt around the country.
Why Was It Built?
The Wardle Canal was built in 1829. At that time, canals were like the motorways of today, used for transporting goods and people. The company that owned the Trent and Mersey Canal wanted to make sure they had a good connection to the Shropshire Union Canal. Building this short canal helped them manage the flow of boats and traffic at this important meeting point. It gave them a way to control who used the junction and how.
What is a Canal Lock?
A canal lock, like the Wardle Lock, is a clever invention. It's a section of a canal with gates at both ends. Locks help boats move between different water levels. If a boat needs to go uphill, the lock fills with water. If it needs to go downhill, the water is let out. This allows boats to travel across land that isn't perfectly flat.
Remembering Maureen Shaw
For many years, a wonderful woman named Maureen Shaw lived in the Lock Cottage right next to Wardle Lock. She was a well-known and loved figure among the boaters and the local community. Because of her, the lock was often lovingly called 'Maureen's Lock'.
A Special Memorial
Maureen was a true part of the canal community. She knew many of the people who traveled the waterways. After she passed away in 2012, a special memorial panel was placed at the lock. This panel helps everyone remember Maureen and her important connection to the Wardle Canal. It's a way to honor her memory and the friendly spirit she brought to the area.
