The Bridgewater Canal begins at Worsley

Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:52

We left our companion boats at Castlefield Basin this morning. Another boat moved off too, but went right, up the Deansgate Locks. (Hope they made it - apparently Lock 88 cill has been damaged and BW have closed it today sometime). We went left onto the water point and filled up.

We seemed to get to the junction with the Leigh Branch fairly quickly and then we were on new territory again.

We came across the Manchester Ship Canal again, literally! Barton Swing Aqueduct is another "sight" of the waterways. We just missed it swinging according to the boat we passed just as we came around the corner.

Greater Manchester continued to keep company with the Bridgewater as we passed through the suburb of Salford. The houses and bit of industry were broken up by Broadoak Park on the off-side.

Worsley is the site of the underground mines that caused the Duke of Bridgewater to build the Bridgewater Canal in the first place. We stopped here to walk around the "tour" of the Village. The canal frontage is very pretty.

The Packet House and Boat Steps

The House is Grade II listed and the steps date from 1760. Passenger services began in 1769 and by 1781 there was a daily service between Manchester, Runcorn and Worlsley. You bought your ticket at the Packet House and boarded the Packet Boat at the steps. The boats were built for speed. Drawn by three horses, a postillion, armed with spurs and a whip and blowing his horn as a warning, the helmsman meant business! In 1843 for 3d (1p for anyone born after decimalisation) you could ride first class at speeds up to 6mph! It must have been some sight.

The Nailmaker's Shop was previously a home

The oldest building in Worsley, predating the canal, It became the Nailmaker's shop when the canal was built, then used as a reading room and later housed the Lantern Gallery.

The Court House is a Grade II and built in 1849

We walked up to St. Mark's Church, alongside the very noisy road and the M60 bridge. The village has lost its tranquillity and some of its historic buildings, to the progress of the motor car. As we walked up, scarcely able to talk above the noise, I decided that the car can be a curse at times!

The Church was closed but had some interesting appendages!

Walking back down the noisy hill again we crossed the bridge over The Delph. This was a disappointment, as it is the entrance to 46 - 50 miles of underground tunnels, which served the coal mines of the Duke of Bridgewater. Why was it a disappointment? Because it was almost derelict and overgrown. Given the history and pedigree of the Bridgewater Canal, we were surprised that this was not a main feature and well maintained. Much less important sites have been restored as part of our heritage.

The Delph

Walking on to The Green there is the only memorial to the "Canal Duke"

It was once the base of the Worsley Yard Chimney and carries a very apt Latin inscription.

The last verse of which summed up our feelings about Worsley nicely.

"Alas! that I who gazed o'er field and town
Should to these base proportions dwindle down
But all's not over, still enough remains
To testify past glories, duties, pain"

The dry dock at Worsley is probably the oldest example of a working dry dock associated with a canal, dating from 1761. There were three docks, now two, with C19th sheds.

Dry Dock at Boatyard

Returning to Epiphany, moored opposite the Boathouse, it was time to move on before mooring for the night. The boathouse was built to house a "Royal Barge" built for Queen Victoria's visit  in 1851.

The Boat House

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