Ashton Canal
Encyclopedia
The Ashton Canal is a canal
built in Greater Manchester
in North West England
.
at Ducie St. Junction in central Manchester
, and climbs for 6.7 miles (10.8 km) through 18 locks, passing through Ancoats
, Holt Town, Bradford-with-Beswick
, Clayton, Openshaw, Droylsden, Fairfield and Audenshaw
to make a head-on junction with the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
(formerly the Huddersfield Canal) at Whitelands Basin in the centre of Ashton-under-Lyne
. At Bradford, the canal passes by the venue of the 2002 Commonwealth Games
.
Apart from the Rochdale and Huddersfield Narrow canals, the Ashton Canal only currently connects with one other canal. Just short of Whitelands, at Dukinfield Junction/Portland Basin
a short arm crosses the river Tame on the Tame Aqueduct, and makes a head-on junction with the Peak Forest Canal
.
There used to be four other important connections to branch canals: the Islington Branch Canal
in Ancoats; the Stockport Branch Canal
from Clayton to Stockport (Heaton Norris); the Hollinwood Branch Canal
from Fairfield to Hollinwood; and the Fairbottom Branch Canal
(itself a branch of the Hollinwood Branch Canal
) from Waterhouses to Fairbottom. There was to have been a fifth branch, namely the Beat Bank Branch Canal
(itself a branch of Stockport Branch Canal
) from Reddish to Beat Bank in Denton, but this was abandoned before completion.
Many of the canal locks are now listed buildings.
and Fairbottom in 1797. Although there were plans to link it to the Rochdale Canal
, it opened as an isolated waterway.
The canal received its Act of Parliament in 1792.
Benjamin Outram
was retained to complete the final section between Ancoats Lane and the Rochdale Canal including the Piccadilly Basin. It included the unique Store Street Aqueduct
, built on a 45 degree skew and believed to be the first major such structure in Britain
and the oldest still in use today.
The section was completed by 1798, but the necessary extension by the Rochdale proprietors to the Bridgewater Canal
was not built until 1800. Although the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
was open as far as Woolroad by 1798, neither it, nor the Peak Forest Canal
were complete. In fact it was another ten years before the former connected to Yorkshire
and the east coast.
With little but local trade in its early years, the canal struggled financially and a dividend was not paid until 1806.
It then prospered until competition from railways, and later road transport, greatly diminished traffic, and through traffic had ended by 1945. Traffic on the branches ended in the 1930s. Following nationalisation in 1947-8, traffic did not revive, and all traffic had ceased by 1958, after which maintenance was run down. By 1961, combined with vandalism, the canal had become unnavigable, and its retention for pleasure use seemed unlikely.
The Ashton Canal was one of seven stretches of canal, formerly designated as remainder waterways, which were re-classified by the British Waterways Act of 8 February 1983. Under the act, a total of 82 miles (132 km) of canal were upgraded to Cruising Waterway Standard.
The restoration of these two canals opened up the Cheshire Ring
, an immediately (and still) popular one-week leisure cruise circling much of east Cheshire. With the opening of the Southern Pennine canals, the Ashton is now also part of the South Pennine Ring
(Rochdale and Huddersfield Narrow) and the longest Pennine Ring of all (Outer Pennine Ring
- Leeds & Liverpool
and Huddersfield Narrow).
It used to be common to hear reports of unfortunate incidents along the Ashton, such as thefts from boats and intimidating, or at least unnerving, behaviour on the part of some local youths and children. This, for a time, caused boats to go through in convoys. Today the Ashton Canal is increasingly valued by the communities through which it passes, and although many boaters still advise others to cover the Ashton during early hours, and not in school holidays, reports of problems often turn out to be the repeated telling of old stories. The locks are renowned for debris (shopping trolleys, wheely bins, rocks etc.) which can result in blocked lock gates, but BW workers are soon on site to clear any reported incidents. Portland Basin is a good overnight mooring after ascending the Ashton locks, for those who do not wish to proceed beyond Romiley.
There are current campaigns to restore the Hollinwood Branch and Stockport Branches.
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
built in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
.
Route
The Ashton leaves the Rochdale CanalRochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
at Ducie St. Junction in central Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and climbs for 6.7 miles (10.8 km) through 18 locks, passing through Ancoats
Ancoats
Ancoats is an inner city area of Manchester, in North West England, next to the Northern Quarter and the northern part of Manchester's commercial centre....
, Holt Town, Bradford-with-Beswick
Bradford-with-Beswick
Bradford-with-Beswick is an area in Manchester, England.-Bradford-with-Beswick:The name Bradford-with-Beswick appears to have been coined by Christ Church, the 19th-century church that served the communities of those growing villages to the east of Manchester...
, Clayton, Openshaw, Droylsden, Fairfield and Audenshaw
Audenshaw
Audenshaw is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It is located on the east side of the River Tame, along the course of both the M60 motorway and the Ashton Canal, southwest of Ashton-under-Lyne and east of the city of Manchester...
to make a head-on junction with the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
Huddersfield Narrow Canal
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal is an inland waterway in northern England. It runs just under from Lock 1E at the rear of the University of Huddersfield campus, near Aspley Basin at Huddersfield to the junction with the Ashton Canal at Whitelands Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne...
(formerly the Huddersfield Canal) at Whitelands Basin in the centre of Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
. At Bradford, the canal passes by the venue of the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
.
Apart from the Rochdale and Huddersfield Narrow canals, the Ashton Canal only currently connects with one other canal. Just short of Whitelands, at Dukinfield Junction/Portland Basin
Dukinfield Junction
Dukinfield Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Peak Forest Canal terminates and meets the Ashton Canal near Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England...
a short arm crosses the river Tame on the Tame Aqueduct, and makes a head-on junction with the Peak Forest Canal
Peak Forest Canal
The Peak Forest Canal, is a narrow locked artificial waterway in northern England. It is long and forms part of the connected English/Welsh inland waterway network.-General description:...
.
There used to be four other important connections to branch canals: the Islington Branch Canal
Islington Branch Canal
The Islington Branch Canal was a short canal branch at Ancoats in north-west England, which joined the main line of the Ashton Canal between locks 1 and 2.-History:...
in Ancoats; the Stockport Branch Canal
Stockport Branch Canal
The Stockport Branch Canal was a 5 mile branch of the Ashton Canal from Clayton to Stockport-Route:The canal left the main line of the Ashton Canal at Stockport Junction , between locks 10 and 11 at Clayton, and it terminated at Stockport Basin just beyond the top of Lancashire Hill...
from Clayton to Stockport (Heaton Norris); the Hollinwood Branch Canal
Hollinwood Branch Canal
The Hollinwood Branch Canal was a canal near Hollinwood, in Oldham, England. It left the main line of the Ashton Canal at Fairfield Junction immediately above lock 18. It was just over long and went through...
from Fairfield to Hollinwood; and the Fairbottom Branch Canal
Fairbottom Branch Canal
The Fairbottom Branch Canal was a canal near Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, England.-Route:The canal left the Hollinwood Branch Canal at Fairbottom Junction immediately above lock 22. It was just over one mile long and it was lock free...
(itself a branch of the Hollinwood Branch Canal
Hollinwood Branch Canal
The Hollinwood Branch Canal was a canal near Hollinwood, in Oldham, England. It left the main line of the Ashton Canal at Fairfield Junction immediately above lock 18. It was just over long and went through...
) from Waterhouses to Fairbottom. There was to have been a fifth branch, namely the Beat Bank Branch Canal
Beat Bank Branch Canal
The Beat Bank Branch Canal was an abortive canal near Manchester, England. It was to leave the Stockport Branch Canal in South Reddish and it was to be lock free but with a short tunnel. It was to follow the contour above the right bank of the River Tame, firstly in a northerly direction and then...
(itself a branch of Stockport Branch Canal
Stockport Branch Canal
The Stockport Branch Canal was a 5 mile branch of the Ashton Canal from Clayton to Stockport-Route:The canal left the main line of the Ashton Canal at Stockport Junction , between locks 10 and 11 at Clayton, and it terminated at Stockport Basin just beyond the top of Lancashire Hill...
) from Reddish to Beat Bank in Denton, but this was abandoned before completion.
Many of the canal locks are now listed buildings.
History
The first section between Ancoats Lane to Ashton-under-Lyne and Hollinwood was completed in 1796, followed by the lines to Heaton NorrisHeaton Norris
Heaton Norris is now a mainly residential area of Stockport, England bordering on Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey and Heaton Moor. Formerly it was the name of the parish, that included Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey and Heaton Moor and was in Lancashire....
and Fairbottom in 1797. Although there were plans to link it to the Rochdale Canal
Rochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
, it opened as an isolated waterway.
The canal received its Act of Parliament in 1792.
Benjamin Outram
Benjamin Outram
Benjamin Outram was an English civil engineer, surveyor and industrialist. He was a pioneer in the building of canals and tramways.-Personal life:...
was retained to complete the final section between Ancoats Lane and the Rochdale Canal including the Piccadilly Basin. It included the unique Store Street Aqueduct
Store Street Aqueduct
The Store Street Aqueduct in central Manchester, England was built in 1798 by Benjamin Outram on the Ashton Canal. A Grade II* listed building it is built on a skew of 45 degrees across Store Street, and is believed to be the first major aqueduct of its kind in Great Britain and the oldest still in...
, built on a 45 degree skew and believed to be the first major such structure in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the oldest still in use today.
The section was completed by 1798, but the necessary extension by the Rochdale proprietors to the Bridgewater Canal
Bridgewater Canal
The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester...
was not built until 1800. Although the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
Huddersfield Narrow Canal
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal is an inland waterway in northern England. It runs just under from Lock 1E at the rear of the University of Huddersfield campus, near Aspley Basin at Huddersfield to the junction with the Ashton Canal at Whitelands Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne...
was open as far as Woolroad by 1798, neither it, nor the Peak Forest Canal
Peak Forest Canal
The Peak Forest Canal, is a narrow locked artificial waterway in northern England. It is long and forms part of the connected English/Welsh inland waterway network.-General description:...
were complete. In fact it was another ten years before the former connected to Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and the east coast.
With little but local trade in its early years, the canal struggled financially and a dividend was not paid until 1806.
It then prospered until competition from railways, and later road transport, greatly diminished traffic, and through traffic had ended by 1945. Traffic on the branches ended in the 1930s. Following nationalisation in 1947-8, traffic did not revive, and all traffic had ceased by 1958, after which maintenance was run down. By 1961, combined with vandalism, the canal had become unnavigable, and its retention for pleasure use seemed unlikely.
The Ashton Canal was one of seven stretches of canal, formerly designated as remainder waterways, which were re-classified by the British Waterways Act of 8 February 1983. Under the act, a total of 82 miles (132 km) of canal were upgraded to Cruising Waterway Standard.
Leisure use
Pressure from the Inland Waterways Association, combined with the formation of the Peak Forest Canal Society, led to a campaign to reopen the Ashton, with the major organised volunteer clearance of the section though Droylsden in September 1968, known as Operation Ashton. Further campaigning, and the growth of local authority support, led to its restoration, along with the adjacent lower Peak Forest Canal, and reopening on 1 April 1974.The restoration of these two canals opened up the Cheshire Ring
Cheshire Ring
The Cheshire Ring is a popular canal cruising circuit, or canal ring which includes six of the canals in and around Cheshire, England.Because it takes approximately a week to complete, it is suited to narrowboat holidays which start and return to the same location. The route has 92 locks and is long...
, an immediately (and still) popular one-week leisure cruise circling much of east Cheshire. With the opening of the Southern Pennine canals, the Ashton is now also part of the South Pennine Ring
South Pennine Ring
The South Pennine Ring is a canal ring which crosses the pennines between Manchester and Huddersfield.-History:Whilst the concept of canal rings had begun in the 1960s with the Cheshire Ring, the South Pennine Ring is a recent addition, as it was only with the restoration of the Huddersfield Narrow...
(Rochdale and Huddersfield Narrow) and the longest Pennine Ring of all (Outer Pennine Ring
Outer Pennine Ring
The Outer Pennine Ring is an English canal ring which crosses the Pennines between Manchester, Leeds and Castleford. Its route follows parts of eight canals, and includes the longest canal tunnel in England. The ring was completed in 2001, with the opening of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal...
- Leeds & Liverpool
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
and Huddersfield Narrow).
It used to be common to hear reports of unfortunate incidents along the Ashton, such as thefts from boats and intimidating, or at least unnerving, behaviour on the part of some local youths and children. This, for a time, caused boats to go through in convoys. Today the Ashton Canal is increasingly valued by the communities through which it passes, and although many boaters still advise others to cover the Ashton during early hours, and not in school holidays, reports of problems often turn out to be the repeated telling of old stories. The locks are renowned for debris (shopping trolleys, wheely bins, rocks etc.) which can result in blocked lock gates, but BW workers are soon on site to clear any reported incidents. Portland Basin is a good overnight mooring after ascending the Ashton locks, for those who do not wish to proceed beyond Romiley.
There are current campaigns to restore the Hollinwood Branch and Stockport Branches.
See also
- Canals of the United KingdomCanals of the United KingdomThe canals of the United Kingdom are a major part of the network of inland waterways in the United Kingdom. They have a colourful history, from use for irrigation and transport, through becoming the focus of the Industrial Revolution, to today's role for recreational boating...
- History of the British canal systemHistory of the British canal systemThe British canal system of water transport played a vital role in the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution at a time when roads were only just emerging from the medieval mud and long trains of pack horses were the only means of "mass" transit by road of raw materials and finished products The...