From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
Caistor Canal |
|
Water flowing over the weir and through the derelict chamber of
Moor lock. The stonework is still in remarkably good
condition. |
| Original Owner |
Caistor Canal Navigation Company |
| Principal Engineer |
Robert Dickenson |
| Date of Act |
1793 |
| Date of first use |
1800 |
| Date Closed |
1855 |
| Start Point |
Moortown |
| End Point |
River Ancholme |
| Locks |
5 |
| Status |
Derelict but largely extant |
|
Caistor Canal |
|
legend
|
|
|
|
River
Ancholme |
|
|
|
River Ancholme
towpath bridge |
|
|
|
Beck End lock |
|
|
|
Ings lock |
|
|
|
Willow lock |
|
|
|
Brigg Road, South
Kelsey |
|
|
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South Kelsey
basin |
|
|
|
Mill lock |
|
|
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Moor lock |
|
|
|
infilled
section |
|
|
|
Moortown wharf |
|
|
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B1434 Bridge,
Moortown |
|
The Caistor Canal was a 4-mile (6.4km) canal in Lincolnshire, England, constructed in 1800 and abandoned in
1936, although it was not used after 1855. It ran from the River Ancholme,
near South Kelsey
toward Caistor through 5 locks, although it did not reach the town
as it terminated in Moortown 3.5 miles (5.6km)
away.
History
Water transport to the area served by the Caistor Canal were
improved as a result of work carried out on the River Ancholme
between 1767 and 1769. The Caistor Canal was therefore conceived in
July 1792 as a feeder to the river, enabling boats to reach the
marker town of Caistor, some
8 miles (13 km) to the east. An initial meeting was
called by a Mr Hall on 3 July 1792, at which it was decided to ask
the canal engineer William Jessop to prepare a survey of
the route.[1]
His plans were considered by the Ancholme Navigation Commissioners,
in order to assess the risks of flooding caused by such a
proposal.[2]
As they did not oppose the plans, the canal was authorised by an Act of
Parliament passed on 3 June 1793, which created the Caistor
Canal Navigation Company, with powers to raise £15,000 in £100
shares to construct the canal, and an additional £10,000 if
required.[3]
The potential for flooding was to be mitigated by routing the local
springs into the head of the canal.[1]
Work on the construction of the canal began in 1795, when Robert
Dickenson was employed as the engineer, and under his direction,
the canal took about five years to build, opening in 1800.[2]
Traffic consisted of agricultural produce leaving the area, with
lime for fertiliser, coal and general merchandise moving in the
opposite direction.[3]
There were five locks, which lowered the level of the canal by
42 feet (13 m), although Priestley stated that there were
six. The Act authorised the building of the canal to Caistor, and a
lane was constructed from the town centre to the site of the
proposed basin, but the construction stopped at Moortown, some
4 miles (6.4 km) to the west. It is likely that financial
problems were the reason for this, as the company borrowed £4,600
from Francis Foljambe, one of the commissioners of the River
Ancholme Navigation in 1798, and income from the tolls was not
sufficient even to pay the interest, for there were £574 of arrears
on the loan by 1813.[1]
Soon after it opened, there were proposals to extend the canal
to Market Rasen,
but no further action was taken.[1]
The canal had a working life of 55 years, as it was not used after
1855,[2]
but was not formally abandoned until the passing of the Caistor
Canal Act Revocation Order in 1936.[4]
Today
The canal is no longer navigable, as the lock gates have been
removed and replaced by fixed weirs, in order to maintain the water
levels.[2]
The remains of the five locks and the bridge where the River
Ancholme towpath crossed the canal are now grade 2 listed
structures, under the care of West Lindsay Council.[5] Despite
being closed, two narrowboats successfully reached the first lock
in 2002.[6]
Route
See also
References
