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The Ellesmere Canal was a canal in England and Wales, originally planned to link the Rivers Mersey, Dee, and Severn, by running from Netherpool (now known as Ellesmere Port) to Shrewsbury. The canal that was eventually constructed was very different from what was originally envisioned. Part of the Ellesmere Canal has now become known as the Llangollen Canal, part forms a section of the Montgomery Canal, and part forms a section of what is now called the Shropshire Union Canal main line.

History

The plan

The formal proposal for the canal was launched at a meeting in Ellesmere in 1791 for a canal from Netherpool (now known as Ellesmere Port) on the River Mersey to the River Dee, and from there via Overton (south of Wrexham) to the River Severn at Shrewsbury. This proposed canal would have branches, to the iron making and coal mining areas at Bersham between Wrexham and Ruabon, and to Llanymynech.

However, there were suggestions that it would be better to take a more westerly route from the Dee to the Severn, passing directly through the Ruabon industrial area, and John Duncombe was asked to survey such a route. The engineer William Jessop was called in to advise, and he recommended Duncombe's route. This route posed formidable engineering obstacles, with deep valleys to be crossed and high ground to be tunnelled. Duncombe's survey involved a climb of 92m (303ft) from Chester to Wrexham, a 4212m (4607 yard) tunnel at Ruabon, a high level crossing over the Dee at Pontcysyllte, a further tunnel and aqueduct near Chirk, and a tunnel in Shropshire near Weston Lullingfields.

A plan of the canal, published in 1795 shows the intended route, with the main line running from the River Mersey to the River Severn passing through or past: Great Stanney; Stoke; Wervin; Caughall; Chester; Saltneyside; Leech Hall; Rough Hill; Cuckoos Nest; Wrexham; Ruabon; Plas Maddock; Chirk; Hordley; Dandyford; Shade Oak; Weston Lullingfield; Eyton; Walford; Hancott; Shrewsbury. This plan showed four branches. A three mile (5 km) branch would run to Holt. A five mile (8 km) branch would from near Wrexham to Brumbo. A branch would run from near Hordley to Llanymyneck, via Maesbury, Morton and Crickheath. A 17-mile (27 km) branch would run from near Tetchill to Prees Heath, via Welshampton, Fenns Moss and Whitchurch.

An Act of Parliament was passed in 1793, and Jessop was appointed engineer while Thomas Telford was appointed as General Agent. The easy section from the Mersey to the Dee near Chester, was first used in 1795. This allowed the company to generate revenue from tolls in order to help finance construction of the rest of the canal.

For the second, upstream, crossing of the River Dee, rather than crossing at full height, Jessop had offered a cheaper solution using locks on both sides of the valley to take the canal down to a more manageable height, although this would have required backpumping the water they would use. Although it is not clear exactly with whom the credit should lie, between them Jessop and Telford developed a proposal for a cast-iron aqueduct at Pontcysyllte in 1795 without any locks or backpumping, thus maintaining the original level.

Construction

In 1796 the Llanymynech Branch was opened, linking the main line at Frankton Junction with Llanymynech. This joined the Montgomeryshire Canal at Carreghofa Locks when the Montgomeryshire opened in 1797.

In 1796 construction on a feeder reservoir at Moss Valley was started. In 1798 work on this section of canal was ceased. This isolated section ran from Ffrwd to a basin in Summerhill.

The Mersey to the Dee section was joined to the Chester Canal in 1797.

On the main line section, the Chirk Aqueduct was opened in 1801, and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in 1805. However, by this time the proposed line from the Dee at Chester to Ruabon had been abandoned as uneconomic. The canal was therefore terminated at Trevor Basin, 2 miles southwest of Ruabon.

Also abandoned was the plan to reach the Severn, as the Shrewsbury Canal was already serving the town, and the poor navigational state of the Severn meant that additional traffic would not justify the cost of the building works.

As the canal would now not reach its proposed main source of water northwest of Wrexham, a feeder was constructed along the side of the Dee valley to Horseshoe Falls at Llantisilio. This narrow feeder branch was made navigable, allowing boats to reach Llangollen.

What was originally to be constructed as the main line of the canal in fact only ran from Pontcysyllte Basin to Weston Lullingfields, some 29 kilometres (18 mi) long. This left the canal isolated from the rest of the waterways network, so so the planned Whitchurch branch was re-routed to link the canal to the rest of the waterways network. The 47 kilometres (29 mi) "branch" was constructed, from Frankton via Ellesmere to the Chester Canal at Hurleston Junction. It was finished in sections between 1797 and 1806 and became considered the main line. As the new route by-passed Whitchurch, the extension included a short arm to reach the town. Another branch originally intended to reach Prees; however this never reached its destination, and was only constructed as far as Quina Brook.

The section from Frankton Junction to Weston Lullingfields, originally intended as part of the main line, was then considered a branch, known as the Weston Branch. The uncompleted section between Weston Lullingfields and the River Severn Shrewsbury would have been 9.5 miles (15.3 km) long, with 107 feet (33 m) of lockage and a 487-yard (445 m) tunnel at Weston Lullingfileds.^[1]

Later history

The Ellesmere Canal merged with the Chester Canal in 1813, forming the Ellesmere and Chester Canal Company.

A merger with the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal in 1845 was followed in 1846 by the formation of the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company.

Decline

In 1917 the Weston Branch was closed following a breach near Hordley Wharf,.

By 1939 traffic on the line from Hurleston to Llangollen had ceased, and the whole of the Ellesmere Canal network other than the line from Ellesmere Port to Chester was closed to navigation by Act of Parliament in 1944. However, the line from Hurleston to Llangollen was retained purely as a water feeder for the Shropshire Union Canal main line and for drinking water, with an agreement in 1955 with the Mid & South East Cheshire Water Board securing the line's future.

Today

Despite the formal closure, increasing popularity of the canal with pleasure boats led to its acceptance as an important amenity, and the rebranding as the Llangollen Canal. As the canal was never intended to go to Llangollen, this renaming is an ironic twist symbolic of the canal's convoluted development.

The Ellesmere Canal south of Frankton Junction, including the Llanymynch Branch and the Montgomeryshire Canal, is nowadays referred to as the Montgomery Canal, and the isolated northern section from Chester to Ellesmere Port considered part of the main line of the Shropshire Union Canal.

The Weston Branch is now infilled, save for a very short section, which has a British Waterways amenity block.

Route

Ellesmere Port to Chester

Starts at the junction of the with the Manchester Ship Canal at Ellesmere Port Dock.

Whitby locks, Ellesmere Port basin

Ellesmere to Chester
legend Manchester Ship Canal Swing bridge Ellesmere Port Basin Whitby Locks (4) M53 motorway railway M53 motorway A5117 road M56 motorway A41 road railway A5480 Deva aqueduct Start of Chester Canal Chester Dee Locks River Dee

The configuration of the locks at Chester was altered when the Ellesmere Canal was joined to the Chester Canal, with the original 5-lock staircase being replaced by the three Dee locks. This section is now part of the Shropshire Union Canal.

Hurleston to Frankton Junction

Hurleston to Frankton Junction

legend Hurleston Junction (Shropshire Union Canal main line) Hurleston Lock Hurleston Lock Hurleston Lock Hurleston Lock 1 A51 Road Bridge 1A Hurleston Bridge 2 Bache House Bridge 3 Martin's Bridge 4 Lees Bridge 5 Platts Bridge 6 Wrexham Road (Ravensmoor) Bridge Swanley No 2 Lock 8 Swanley Bridge 9 Butcher's Bridge Swanley No 1 Lock 10 Stonely Green Bridge 11 Bethills Bridge 12 Hall's Lane Bridge 13 Grange (Greenfield) Bridge Baddiley No 3 Lock Baddiley No 2 Lock 14 Baddiley Bridge Baddiley No 1 Lock 15 Wrenbury Heath Bridge 16 Wrenbury Heath Footbridge 17 Wrenbury Hall Bridge 18 Starkeys Bridge 19 Wrenbury Church Bridge 20 Wrenbury Bridge 21 Wrenbury Frith Bridge 22 Thomason's Bridge 23 Church Bridge Marbury Lock 24 Steer Bridge 25 Quoisley Bridge Quoisley Lock Willey Moor Lock Povey's Lock 26 Jackson's Bridge 27 Railway Bridge 28 Grindley Brook No 1 Bridge Grindley Brook Lock Grindley Brook Lock Grindley Brook Lock 29 Grindley Brook No 2 Bridge Grindley Brook Staircase Lock (3 chamber) 30 Danson's (Dawson's) Farm Bridge 30A A41 Road Bridge 31 New Mills Bridge Whitchurch Arm 31A A41 Road Bridge 32 Wrexham Road Bridge 33 Hassell's No 1 Bridge 34 Hassell's No 2 Bridge 35 Spark's Bridge 37 Dudlestone Bridge 38 Old Man's Bridge 39 Cambrian Railway Bridge 40 Blackoe (Hughes) Bridge 41 Springhill Bridge 42 Tilstock Park Bridge 43 Platt Lane Bridge 44 Roundhorn Bridge 45 Morris Bridge 46 Roving Bridge Prees Branch 47 Cornhill Bridge 48 Bettisfield Bridge 49 Clapping Gate (Knowles) Bridge 50 Hampton Bank Bridge 51 Lyneal Lane Bridge 52 Greaves Bridge 53 Lyneal Bridge 54 Miss Each Bridge 55 Little Mill Bridge 56 Burns Wood Bridge 57 Ellesmere Tunnel (80m) 58 Red Bridge Ellesmere Arm (with White Bridge 59 over) 60 Stank's Bridge 61 White Mill Bridge 62 Coachman's Bridge 63 Clay Pit Bridge 64 Val Hill No 1 Bridge 65 Val Hill No 2 Bridge 66 Val Hill No 3 Bridge 67 Broom Farm Bridge 68 Pryce's Bridge 69 Peter's (Frankton Junction) Bridge Junction with Llanymynech Branch of the Ellesmere Canal Junction with Llangollen Branch of the Ellesmere Canal

This section was added to link the canal to the national network. It is now part of the Llangollen section of the Shropshire Union Canal

Frankton Junction to Trevor Basin

Frankton Junction to Trevor Basin

legend Junction with Ellesmere Branch of the Ellesmere Canal Junction with Llanymynech Branch of the Ellesmere Canal 1W Rowson's (Frankton Junction) Bridge 2 Nicholas Bridge 3 Rodenhurst Bridge 4 Maestermyn House Bridge 5 Maestermyn Bridge 6 Pollet's Bridge 7 Broom's Bridge 8 Paddock No 1 Bridge 9 Paddock No 2 Bridge 11 Hindford Bridge New Marton Bottom Lock New Marton Top Lock 12 New Marton Bridge 13 St. Martin's Bridge 14 Sarn Bridge 15 Preeshenlle Bridge 16 Belmont Bridge 17 Moreton Bridge 18 Rhoswiel Bridge 19 Gledrid (O'Leord) Bridge 21 Monk's (Chirk Bank) Bridge Chirk Aqueduct Chirk Tunnel (459 yards) Chirk Marina 25 Whitehouses Tunnel (191 yards) 26 Whitehouse Bridge 27 Irish Bridge 28 Fron Bridge Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Llangollen navigable feeder 29 30 Trevor Basin

This was the principal part of the original main line of the canal. It is now part of the Llangollen section of the Shropshire Union Canal.

Trevor Basin to Horseshoe Falls

Trevor Basin to Horseshoe Falls

legend Ellesmere Main Line junction 31 Rhos-y-coed Bridge 32 Roving Bridge 33 White Bridge 34 Plas-yn-y-pentre Bridge 35 Millar's Bridge 36 Bryn-Ceirch Bridge 37 Plas-Isaf Bridge 38 Bryn Howel Bridge 39 Great Western Railway Bridge 40 Plas Ifan Bridge 41 Sun Trevor Bridge 42 Wenffrwd Bridge 43 Llanddyn No 1 Bridge 44 Llanddyn No 2 Bridge 45 Siambra-Wen Bridge Llangollen Wharf Llangollen Marina Limit of navigation 46 Pen-y-ddol Bridge 47 Tower Bridge 48 Pentrefelin Bridge 48A Ty-Craig Bridge 49 Llantisilio Bridge 49A King's Bridge Horseshoe Falls Gauging Station

This section of the canal was added as a navigable feeder. It is now part of the Llangollen Canal.

Frankton Junction to Llanymynech

Frankton Junction to Llanymynech

legend Frankton Junction (Llangollen Canal) Frankton (Top) Staircase Lock (2-chamber) Frankton (Middle) Lock Frankton (Bottom) Lock Weston Arm (full Branch now infilled) 71 Lockgate Bridge Graham Palmer Lock Hawkswood Winding Hole (New) Perry Aqueduct 73 Keeper's Bridge (dismantled) Rednal Basin (disused - now a nature reserve) Railway Bridge 74 Heath House Bridge 75 Corbett's Bridge Queen's Head Winding Hole 76 Queen's Head Bridge 76A (New A5 Bridge) Aston Top Lock Aston Middle Lock Aston Bottom Lock 77 Red Bridge Park Mill Bridge Winding Hole 78 Park Mill Bridge 79 Maesbury Marsh Bridge 80 Spiggots (or Spiket's) Bridge 81 Crofts Mill Lift Bridge Mill Arm (or Peate's Branch) Gronwen Wharf Winding Hole - limit of navigation 82 Gronwen (or Gronwyn) Bridge New Lift Bridge Limit of restored canal (northern section) 83 Redwith Bridge (B4396) 84 Pryce's (or Price's) Bridge Crickheath Wharf Winding Hole 85 Crickheath Bridge 86 Schoolhouse Bridge (dropped bridge) 87 Waen Wen Bridge 88 Pant Bridge 91 Old Rail Road Bridge Limit of restored canal (middle section) New Winding Hole Llanymynech Wharf arm Llanymynech Wharf arm 92 Llanymynech Bridge (A483) - Wales-England border Llanymynech Winding Hole Carreghofa Lane (barrier to navigation) 93 Walls Bridge Carreghofa (or Wern) Aqueduct 94 Causeway Lane Junction with the Montgomeryshire Canal

The section from Frankton Junction to the Weston Branch was originally intended to be the main line of the canal. This section is now considered to be part of the Montgomery Canal.

Frankton Junction to Weston Lullingfields

This section was originally intended to be the main line of the canal, and is now infilled. The 5.5-mile (8.9 km) long arm had wharves at Hordley, Dandyford, Pedlar's Bridge, Shade Oak and Weston Lullingfields. At Weston Lullingfields the canal company built a wharf, four lime kilns, a public house, stables, a clerk's house and weighing machine. These were opened in 1797 and closed in 1917 when the Weston branch was closed following a breach of the canal. ^[2]

See also

UK Waterways portal

• Canals of Great Britain
• History of the British canal system

References

• Todd, John (2003) "A canal of many parts", Waterways world, 32 (2: Feb.), p. 46–49 & (3: Mar.), p. 48–51.
• Wilson, Edward A. (1975) The Ellesmere and Llangollen Canal : an historical background, London : Phillimore, ISBN 0-85033-109-9
• Denton, John Horsley (1984). Montgomershire Canal and the Llanymynech Branch of the Ellesmere Canal. Lapal Publications. ISBN 0950923818.  
• Waterways World (2005). Canal Guide 2 - Llangollen and Montgomery Canals. Waterways World Ltd. ISBN 187000289X.  

Coordinates: 53°17′N 2°53′W / 53.283°N 2.883°W / 53.283; -2.883