Robin Hood country?

Sunday, 29 August 2010 21:04

The Nottingham Canal does what it "says on the tin"

It goes into Nottingham! Whilst the unnavigable River Trent skirts the city, the canal goes right into the heart, below the castle. The canal was designed by William Jessop, who eventually only supervised the building, due to illness, leaving a local man James Green actually to do the work. Just over 14 miles long, it ran to Langley Mill, where it joined the Cromford Canal, just above that canal's junction with the Erewash.

Above Meadow Lane Lock

Bought by the Great Northern Rail company, it became less profitable and the company closed it to commercial traffic in 1928, fully abandoning the canal in 1937.

There are some moorings above Meadow Lane Bridge as the canal accompanies London Road, but we wouldn't choose to moor there as it is not all that attractive!

The canal was neglected and eventually Nottingham Council bought the bit that was within the city boundary. The upstream section from Lenton was culverted and also used to divert the River Leen. Little now remains of this, although the section from Wollaton to Langley Mill is part of a nature reserve and in water.

Two branches, one near the castle and one known as the Poplar Arm, were also constructed. The canal now takes a 90 degree turn just around the station area. Known as Poplar Arms Corner it marks the entrance to the afore mentioned Poplar Arm. This branch is in-filled and built upon.

We continued left under London Road Bridge and into an area of re-development between the canal and Nottingham Station.

Older buildings close in; betwen Carrington Street Bridge and Castle Lock there are the restored wharf and buildings that once bustled with cargo boats. There are visitor moorings here, but we had been warned that it can be noisy with all the bars around.

The Fellows, Morton and Clayton warehouse is now a pub - for some reason named "F.M.C" !

FMC warehouse

Nearby, on the same side and by Wilford Street Bridge, is the British Waterways building. Long gone are the boats and horses, and the cries of boatmen waiting their turn as in this photo - clickety click

BW building

The new Magistrates Court is very impressive, but a little out of keeping with the other buildings!

Castle Lock is above Wilford Bridge and I hung around (taking photos) whilst John went to open the lock.

Castle Lock is not very deep and so we were soon through. Above the lock there is a long stretch of moorings with rings. Hidden behind the trees is the huge complex of the Inland Revenue and a little further on Castle Retail Park, followed by Sainsburys.

Tinkers Lane footbridge

We continued on - hoping for a break in the trees and found one - just by one of the paths to Sainsburys - and so we moored up, with a couple of other narrowboats, for a couple of days.

It was time to do some more Family History research at Nottingham Archives (just by Wilford Street Bridge) and, if we had time, a look at Nottingham!

A detailed article on the history of the Nottingham Canal can be found in the Lenton Times - clickety click

Nottingham Canal, Meadow Lane Lock to Sainsburys moorings

1 hour 8 minutes, 1.71 miles, 2 Locks