Uttoxeter Canal
Encyclopedia
The Uttoxeter Canal was a thirteen-mile extension of the Caldon Canal
running from Froghall as far as Uttoxeter
in Staffordshire
, England
. It was authorised in 1797, but did not open until 1811. With the exception of the first lock and basin at Froghall, it closed in 1849, in order that the Churnet Valley Railway could be constructed along its length. The railway has since been dismantled and there are plans to reinstate the canal.
Company and authorised by an Act of Parliament
in 1797. This was a political move, designed to prevent a rival scheme for a canal to Uttoxeter. The planned Commercial Canal was intended to link the Chester Canal
at Nantwich
to the Ashby Canal at Moira, passing through Stoke on Trent and Uttoxeter, and would have had a serious impact on the profitability of the Trent and Mersey Company if it had been built.
Powers to alter the proposed route at Alton were included in an act of Parliament obtained in 1802, but because the new canal was not expected to be profitable, construction was delayed. Ten years after the Act was passed, work began under the direction of the canal engineer John Rennie
, with the 13 miles (20.9 km) canal opening on 3 September 1811. It is sometimes referred to as a branch of the Caldon Canal. 19 locks were required to drop the level of the canal as it passed down the valley of the River Churnet.
There was a proposal to construct a branch to Ashbourne, and another in 1839 to extend the canal along the Dove Valley to link up with the Trent and Mersey Canal
, but no details of the precise routes have survived. The canal was not a financial success, and the Trent and Mersey Company made plans to close it. However, the Company was taken over by the North Staffordshire Railway, and with the exception of the first lock and the basin at Froghall, which remained in use until about 1930, the canal was closed by the railway company on 15 January 1849. A large part of it was subsequently filled in, and used for the route of the Churnet Valley Railway
(which incidentally, although it is now dismantled, had the first automatic, train-operated level-crossing in the UK, at Spath
, just outside Uttoxeter.)
A few bridges from the Uttoxeter Canal still exist, with the occasional milepost
visible, including two which have been relocated to the bowling green in Denstone village. Very little can be seen of the canal in Uttoxeter, but there is still evidence it existed, as there is an area called "The Wharf".
If the canal is reopened, the original route is now occupied by a JCB factory at Rocester, and so there is a proposal to construct a new route from Denstone which would follow the River Churnet more closely to a new terminus near the Uttoxeter gravel pits, which are nearly worked out. The first lock and Frogall basin have been restored and were opened in July 2005.
Caldon Canal
The Caldon Canal , opened in 1779, runs 18 miles from Etruria, in Stoke-on-Trent where it leaves the Trent and Mersey Canal at the summit level, to Froghall, Staffordshire...
running from Froghall as far as Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter is a historic market town in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. The current population is approximately 13,711, though new developments in the town will increase this figure. Uttoxeter lies close to the River Dove and is near the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was authorised in 1797, but did not open until 1811. With the exception of the first lock and basin at Froghall, it closed in 1849, in order that the Churnet Valley Railway could be constructed along its length. The railway has since been dismantled and there are plans to reinstate the canal.
History
The Uttoxeter Canal was promoted by the Trent and Mersey CanalTrent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal is a in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and North West of England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities—east of Burton upon Trent and west of Middlewich—it is a wide canal....
Company and authorised by an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1797. This was a political move, designed to prevent a rival scheme for a canal to Uttoxeter. The planned Commercial Canal was intended to link the Chester Canal
Chester Canal
The Chester Canal was a canal linking the south Cheshire town of Nantwich with the River Dee at Chester, providing a route for produce from Nantwich to reach Chester and, beyond it, the sea via the Dee estuary.-History:...
at Nantwich
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
to the Ashby Canal at Moira, passing through Stoke on Trent and Uttoxeter, and would have had a serious impact on the profitability of the Trent and Mersey Company if it had been built.
Powers to alter the proposed route at Alton were included in an act of Parliament obtained in 1802, but because the new canal was not expected to be profitable, construction was delayed. Ten years after the Act was passed, work began under the direction of the canal engineer John Rennie
John Rennie
-People:* John Rennie the Elder , engineer * Sir John Rennie the Younger , engineer * John Rennie , naval architect...
, with the 13 miles (20.9 km) canal opening on 3 September 1811. It is sometimes referred to as a branch of the Caldon Canal. 19 locks were required to drop the level of the canal as it passed down the valley of the River Churnet.
There was a proposal to construct a branch to Ashbourne, and another in 1839 to extend the canal along the Dove Valley to link up with the Trent and Mersey Canal
Trent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal is a in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and North West of England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities—east of Burton upon Trent and west of Middlewich—it is a wide canal....
, but no details of the precise routes have survived. The canal was not a financial success, and the Trent and Mersey Company made plans to close it. However, the Company was taken over by the North Staffordshire Railway, and with the exception of the first lock and the basin at Froghall, which remained in use until about 1930, the canal was closed by the railway company on 15 January 1849. A large part of it was subsequently filled in, and used for the route of the Churnet Valley Railway
Churnet Valley Railway
The Churnet Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway to the east of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. The CVR has two main operational headquarters - Cheddleton station, where the motive power department is based and where the first trains ran, and Kingsley and Froghall station, where...
(which incidentally, although it is now dismantled, had the first automatic, train-operated level-crossing in the UK, at Spath
Spath
Spath, is a small village north of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England.Spath is on the River Tean and is divided from Uttoxeter by the A50 road....
, just outside Uttoxeter.)
A few bridges from the Uttoxeter Canal still exist, with the occasional milepost
Milestone
A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road or boundary at intervals of one mile or occasionally, parts of a mile. They are typically located at the side of the road or in a median. They are alternatively known as mile markers, mileposts or mile posts...
visible, including two which have been relocated to the bowling green in Denstone village. Very little can be seen of the canal in Uttoxeter, but there is still evidence it existed, as there is an area called "The Wharf".
Restoration
The Caldon and Uttoxeter Canals Trust are looking at the feasibility of restoring the canal from Froghall to Uttoxeter. The situation is complicated by the fact that the revived Churnet Valley Railway terminates at Froghall, and they were originally going to reopen the railway to Oakamoor, but they are currently engaged in extending their line at the opposite end towards Leek.If the canal is reopened, the original route is now occupied by a JCB factory at Rocester, and so there is a proposal to construct a new route from Denstone which would follow the River Churnet more closely to a new terminus near the Uttoxeter gravel pits, which are nearly worked out. The first lock and Frogall basin have been restored and were opened in July 2005.
External links
- See the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust's restoration progress of the Uttoxeter Canal at Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust