Old Dock
Encyclopedia
The Old Dock, originally known as Thomas Steer's dock, was the world's first commercial wet dock
.
It was built on the River Mersey
in Liverpool
, England
, starting in 1709 and completed in 1715, by enlarging a previous natural tidal creek which was the "Pool" that Liverpool was named after. Thomas Steers
was the engineer responsible; additional advice was obtained from George Sorocold
.
Old Dock could accommodate up to 100 ships. Originally a tidal basin accessed directly from the river,
from 1737 access was via Canning Dock
. The dock was built with one graving dock; a second and third graving dock where added in 1746 and the 1750s.
The dock walls were constructed from brick laid directly on to sandstone bedrock. The dock gates would have allowed as much as 10% of the water out between high tides, resulting in a water level drop of several feet. This may have been offset by water entering the dock from a stream.
Although Liverpool vessels were involved in the slave trade
before the dock opened, it would have served ships involved in the Africa-America trade, propelling Liverpool to world leader of this trade. The dock led to Liverpool's establishment as the leading European port and subsequent world trading port.
In the early 19th century, the dock was considered too small for the growing size of shipping using the port; the quays were too narrow; the city's sewage
polluted the dock's water; and the narrow wooden drawbridge
across its entrance channel caused traffic jams.
Sentiment saved the Old Dock for 20 years, but the Old Dock closed on 31 August 1826
and was filled in. Liverpool’s fourth Custom House, designed by John Foster
, was built on the site between 1828 and 1837, and was demolished after severe bomb
damage during World War II
.
car park until 2004, when the site was incorporated into the Paradise Project
. A water feature has been built on the site of Old Dock to commemorate its history. A portion of the dock wall is exposed in the basement of the new development, and can be viewed from the pavement above through a viewing window in the ground. Tours of the Old Dock are currently operated by National Museums Liverpool on a weekly basis.
special, broadcast on Channel 4
on Monday 21 April 2008.
of its entrance is used in and around Liverpool as a height datum called Old Dock Sill or ODS.
Wet dock
A wet dock is a dock where the level of water in the dock is maintained despite the raising and lowering of the tide. This makes transfer of cargo easier. It works like a lock which controls the water level and allows passage of ships.-External links:...
.
It was built on the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, 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...
, starting in 1709 and completed in 1715, by enlarging a previous natural tidal creek which was the "Pool" that Liverpool was named after. Thomas Steers
Thomas Steers
Thomas Steers was thought to have been born in 1672 in Kent and died in 1750. He was England's first major civil engineer and built many canals, the world's first commercial wet dock, the Old Dock at Liverpool, and a theatre...
was the engineer responsible; additional advice was obtained from George Sorocold
George Sorocold
George Sorocold was an engineer in Derby, England in the eighteenth century.- Biography :He was born in Derby some time around 1668, the son of James Sorocold who had moved to the town from Lancashire...
.
History
Opening on 31 August 1715,Old Dock could accommodate up to 100 ships. Originally a tidal basin accessed directly from the river,
from 1737 access was via Canning Dock
Canning Dock
Canning Dock is a dock, on the River Mersey, England and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the southern dock system, connected to Salthouse Dock to the south and Canning Half Tide Dock to the west. The Canning Graving Docks are accessed from the dock.-History:The dock was opened in...
. The dock was built with one graving dock; a second and third graving dock where added in 1746 and the 1750s.
The dock walls were constructed from brick laid directly on to sandstone bedrock. The dock gates would have allowed as much as 10% of the water out between high tides, resulting in a water level drop of several feet. This may have been offset by water entering the dock from a stream.
Although Liverpool vessels were involved in the slave trade
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
before the dock opened, it would have served ships involved in the Africa-America trade, propelling Liverpool to world leader of this trade. The dock led to Liverpool's establishment as the leading European port and subsequent world trading port.
In the early 19th century, the dock was considered too small for the growing size of shipping using the port; the quays were too narrow; the city's sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
polluted the dock's water; and the narrow wooden drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
across its entrance channel caused traffic jams.
Sentiment saved the Old Dock for 20 years, but the Old Dock closed on 31 August 1826
and was filled in. Liverpool’s fourth Custom House, designed by John Foster
John Foster (architect)
John Foster, Junior was an English architect.-Biography:Foster studied under Jeffry Wyatt in London and in 1809 travelled in the eastern Mediterranean. During 1810-11 he accompanied C. R. Cockerell and the German archaeologists Haller and Linckh in their excavation of the temples at Aegina and...
, was built on the site between 1828 and 1837, and was demolished after severe bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
damage during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Redevelopment
In 1999, an office block on the site, Steers House, was demolished, and the resulting waste ground was used as an NCPNational Car Parks
National Car Parks is the United Kingdom’s largest private car park operator, with over 200,000 spaces across more than 700 locations in towns and cities, railway stations and at airports....
car park until 2004, when the site was incorporated into the Paradise Project
The Paradise Project
Liverpool ONE is a shopping, residential and leisure complex in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom.The project, previously known as The Paradise Project, involved the redevelopment of 42 acres of underutilised land in Liverpool city centre...
. A water feature has been built on the site of Old Dock to commemorate its history. A portion of the dock wall is exposed in the basement of the new development, and can be viewed from the pavement above through a viewing window in the ground. Tours of the Old Dock are currently operated by National Museums Liverpool on a weekly basis.
Media
The excavation of the dock featured in a Time TeamTime Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
special, broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
on Monday 21 April 2008.
Old Dock Sill
The level of the sillSill
Sill may refer to:* Sill , a subhorizontal sheet intrusion of molten or solidified magma* Sill plate, a construction element*Window sill, a more specific construction element than above...
of its entrance is used in and around Liverpool as a height datum called Old Dock Sill or ODS.