River Douglas
Encyclopedia
The River Douglas, also known as the River Asland or Astland, is a river
that flows through Lancashire
and Greater Manchester
in the north-west
of England. It is a tributary
of the River Ribble
and has itself two tributaries, the River Tawd
and the River Yarrow
.
In 1720 an act of Parliament
was passed allowing Thomas Steers
and William Squire to make the Douglas navigable to small ships between Wigan and its mouth. Amid financial irregularities, the Douglas Navigation
was not completed until 1742, and by 1783, it had been superseded by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
.
It reverted to being a river, although the remains of several locks can still be seen between Parbold and Gathurst.
The Rufford Branch of the canal joins the river at Tarleton
.
The river rises on Winter Hill
on the West Pennine Moors
, and flows for 35 miles (56.3 km) through the town of Wigan
and onto the Ribble estuary past Tarleton, the last 10 miles (16.1 km) or so being tidal. In 1892 the Douglas was diverted in Wigan to allow the construction of Wigan Central railway station.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
that flows through Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and 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 the north-west
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...
of England. It is a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the River Ribble
River Ribble
The River Ribble is a river that runs through North Yorkshire and Lancashire, in northern England. The river's drainage basin also includes parts of Greater Manchester around Wigan.-Geography:...
and has itself two tributaries, the River Tawd
River Tawd
The River Tawd flows through Skelmersdale and Lathom in West Lancashire.The Tawd Bridge carried Ormskirk Road, the main arterial road from Wigan to Ormskirk and Southport. This is well-known to Upholland locals as the place where highwayman George Lyons held up his victims during the 18th century....
and the River Yarrow
River Yarrow (Lancashire)
The River Yarrow is in Lancashire, with its source at an area called Will Narr at Hordern Stoops, along Spitlers Edge - the Chorley/Blackburn boundary - on the West Pennine Moors. The river feeds the Yarrow Reservoir, which in turn feeds the Anglezarke and Upper and Lower Rivington Reservoirs...
.
In 1720 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...
was passed allowing 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...
and William Squire to make the Douglas navigable to small ships between Wigan and its mouth. Amid financial irregularities, the Douglas Navigation
Douglas Navigation
The Douglas Navigation was a canalised section of the River Douglas or Asland, in Lancashire, England, running from its confluence with the River Ribble to Wigan. Authorised in 1720, it opened in 1742, but its working life was short, as it was bought out by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company in...
was not completed until 1742, and by 1783, it had been superseded by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
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...
.
It reverted to being a river, although the remains of several locks can still be seen between Parbold and Gathurst.
The Rufford Branch of the canal joins the river at Tarleton
Tarleton
-Population :-Economy:As a result of soil on the former mossland, a major economic activity in Tarleton is market gardening, particularly growing salad crops....
.
The river rises on Winter Hill
Winter Hill (Lancashire)
Winter Hill is a hill on the border of the boroughs of Chorley, Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton, in North West England. It is located on Rivington Moor, Chorley and is high...
on the West Pennine Moors
West Pennine Moors
The West Pennine Moors cover an area of approximately of moorland and reservoirs in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.The West Pennine Moors are separated from the main Pennine range by the Irwell Valley. The moorland includes Withnell, Anglezarke and Rivington Moors in the extreme west,...
, and flows for 35 miles (56.3 km) through the town of Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and onto the Ribble estuary past Tarleton, the last 10 miles (16.1 km) or so being tidal. In 1892 the Douglas was diverted in Wigan to allow the construction of Wigan Central railway station.
Tributaries
- Longton Brook
- Centre Drain
- Carr Heys Watercourse
- Tarra Carr Gutter
- Hall Pool
- Dunkirk Dib
- Rakes Brook
- Carr Brook
- Strine Brook
- River YarrowRiver Yarrow (Lancashire)The River Yarrow is in Lancashire, with its source at an area called Will Narr at Hordern Stoops, along Spitlers Edge - the Chorley/Blackburn boundary - on the West Pennine Moors. The river feeds the Yarrow Reservoir, which in turn feeds the Anglezarke and Upper and Lower Rivington Reservoirs...
- tributaries of the Yarrow listed under River Yarrow
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River Tawd The River Tawd flows through Skelmersdale and Lathom in West Lancashire.The Tawd Bridge carried Ormskirk Road, the main arterial road from Wigan to Ormskirk and Southport. This is well-known to Upholland locals as the place where highwayman George Lyons held up his victims during the 18th century....
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