Ulverston Canal
Encyclopedia
The Ulverston Canal is a canal
in the town of Ulverston
, Cumbria
, England
. It is claimed to be the deepest, widest and straightest canal in the UK. It is entirely straight and on a single level. It is an isolated canal and does not connect to the main canal network.
An Act of Parliament
for the canal received Royal Assent
on May 8, 1793. The Act was entitled An Act for making and maintaining a Cut or Canal from a Place called Hammerside Hill, in the parish of Ulverstone, in the county palatine of Lancaster, to a Place called Weint End, near the town of Ulverstone aforesaid. The act empowered "The Company of Proprietors of the Ulverstone Canal Navigation" to raise amongst themselves, for the purposes of the Act, the sum of £4,000 in shares of £50 each, with an additional £3,000 if required.
The contract for the construction of the main canal was given to Pinkerton and Murray, while construction of the entrance lock was awarded to John Lancaster and James Duckworth. Work began on 23 August 1793, when the chairman cut the first sod, and was expected to be completed by September 1794. However, Pinkerton and Murray were also working on the northern end of the Lancaster Canal
, and it seems they over-stretched themselves, for they abandoned the contract in August 1795, when they could no longer pay the wages. H. Baird took on the task of completion, and the work was finished in October 1796.
The canal was opened in 1796, and provided the town of Ulverston with a port. The channel was 15 feet (4.6 m) deep and 66 feet (20.1 m) wide, but ship sizes were restricted by the lock, which could accommodate vessels of 100 by, drawing between 12.5 feet (3.8 m) and 7.5 feet (2.3 m), depending on the state of the tide. Delays in construction meant that the final cost was over £9,200, and the opening coincided with a slump in the ore trade. It was not until June 1797 that William Burnthwaite was appointed as clerk, and a project to build a warehouse and toll office began, funded by a further call on the shareholders. Wharves for the transfer of slate and coal were constructed at the same time.
, Furness was cut off by the mountainous Lake District
on its only landward side; the region was accessed only by crossing the sands of Morecambe Bay, which was often dangerous. A passenger ferry to Liverpool
thus commenced from Ulverston canal in 1835, which was later complemented by a service from Barrow-in-Furness
to Fleetwood
. A junction was formed with the Lancaster Canal
. Coal, culm and cinders from the Lancaster Canal to the Ulverston Canal were not liable to sea duty. The canal serviced the movement of goods to locations as far as Glasgow
and Cardiff
.
Other industries developed as this new infrastructure came under increased usage. Timber-related industries such as charcoal burning and hoop-making were common; ship building, gas and chemical works, rail engineering works, and paper manufacturing activities also provided employment.
in 1846 seriously damaged the profitability of the canal, which was eventually bought by the railway company. The rise of Barrow-in-Furness
as a deep-water port also saw a decline in trade. After 1878, no ships were built in Ulverston. It was used commercially until the First World War and was officially abandoned at the end of the Second World War. It has since been maintained by Ulverston town council, who run a walkway on its eastern side. Its western side is still industrialized, being the location of a large GlaxoSmithKline
factory (built on the site of the former iron works and paper mills). Glaxo bought the canal from the town council in 1974, and used it as an emergency water reserve. In 2009, GlaxoSmithKline reviewed their operations at Ulverston and concluded that ownership of the canal was no longer necessary. Ownership has since been transferred to Ulverston Canal Company, a company set up to manage the asset. Ulverston Canal Company is a subsidiary of NPL Estates Ltd, a company which specialises in land management. A Trust has also been set up by GlaxoSmithKline, to ensure that funds are available for its management, maintenance and preservation.
.
The canal began at Hammerside Hill at Morecambe Bay and terminated at a basin and wharfs at Ulverston. At its head there is a 112 feet (34.1 m) long sea lock, the only lock on the canal. A public swing bridge
was built over the canal at Hammerside.
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:...
in the town of Ulverston
Ulverston
Ulverston is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria in north-west England. Historically part of Lancashire, the town is located in the Furness area, close to the Lake District, and just north of Morecambe Bay....
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, 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...
. It is claimed to be the deepest, widest and straightest canal in the UK. It is entirely straight and on a single level. It is an isolated canal and does not connect to the main canal network.
History
Despite its location being more than 1 miles (1.6 km) from the shore of Morecambe Bay, the town of Ulverston (often spelt "Ulverstone" at the time) was declared to be a port in 1774. Ships of up to 150 tonnes could reach the shore at high water, and 70 vessels were registered there. Trade in slate and ore was growing, so with canal mania gripping the country, a local solicitor called William Burnthwaite organised a meeting in July 1791 to consider ideas for a canal to improve access to the town. He estimated the cost at £2,000, which had been raised by May 1792, but by this time, the engineer John Rennie had produced proper plans for a ship canal, estimated to cost £3,084, including the construction of a sea lock. By October 1792, around £3,800 had been raised, and the proposers decided to proceed.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...
for the canal received Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
on May 8, 1793. The Act was entitled An Act for making and maintaining a Cut or Canal from a Place called Hammerside Hill, in the parish of Ulverstone, in the county palatine of Lancaster, to a Place called Weint End, near the town of Ulverstone aforesaid. The act empowered "The Company of Proprietors of the Ulverstone Canal Navigation" to raise amongst themselves, for the purposes of the Act, the sum of £4,000 in shares of £50 each, with an additional £3,000 if required.
The contract for the construction of the main canal was given to Pinkerton and Murray, while construction of the entrance lock was awarded to John Lancaster and James Duckworth. Work began on 23 August 1793, when the chairman cut the first sod, and was expected to be completed by September 1794. However, Pinkerton and Murray were also working on the northern end of the Lancaster Canal
Lancaster Canal
The Lancaster Canal is a canal in the north of England, originally planned to run from Westhoughton in Lancashire to Kendal in south Cumbria...
, and it seems they over-stretched themselves, for they abandoned the contract in August 1795, when they could no longer pay the wages. H. Baird took on the task of completion, and the work was finished in October 1796.
The canal was opened in 1796, and provided the town of Ulverston with a port. The channel was 15 feet (4.6 m) deep and 66 feet (20.1 m) wide, but ship sizes were restricted by the lock, which could accommodate vessels of 100 by, drawing between 12.5 feet (3.8 m) and 7.5 feet (2.3 m), depending on the state of the tide. Delays in construction meant that the final cost was over £9,200, and the opening coincided with a slump in the ore trade. It was not until June 1797 that William Burnthwaite was appointed as clerk, and a project to build a warehouse and toll office began, funded by a further call on the shareholders. Wharves for the transfer of slate and coal were constructed at the same time.
Operation
In the days before the construction of the Furness RailwayFurness Railway
The Furness Railway was a railway company operating in the Furness area of Lancashire in North West England.-History:The company was established on May 23, 1844 when the Furness Railway Act was passed by Parliament...
, Furness was cut off by the mountainous Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
on its only landward side; the region was accessed only by crossing the sands of Morecambe Bay, which was often dangerous. A passenger ferry to 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...
thus commenced from Ulverston canal in 1835, which was later complemented by a service from Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
to Fleetwood
Fleetwood
Fleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
. A junction was formed with the Lancaster Canal
Lancaster Canal
The Lancaster Canal is a canal in the north of England, originally planned to run from Westhoughton in Lancashire to Kendal in south Cumbria...
. Coal, culm and cinders from the Lancaster Canal to the Ulverston Canal were not liable to sea duty. The canal serviced the movement of goods to locations as far as Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
Decline
The opening of the Furness RailwayFurness Railway
The Furness Railway was a railway company operating in the Furness area of Lancashire in North West England.-History:The company was established on May 23, 1844 when the Furness Railway Act was passed by Parliament...
in 1846 seriously damaged the profitability of the canal, which was eventually bought by the railway company. The rise of Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
as a deep-water port also saw a decline in trade. After 1878, no ships were built in Ulverston. It was used commercially until the First World War and was officially abandoned at the end of the Second World War. It has since been maintained by Ulverston town council, who run a walkway on its eastern side. Its western side is still industrialized, being the location of a large GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
factory (built on the site of the former iron works and paper mills). Glaxo bought the canal from the town council in 1974, and used it as an emergency water reserve. In 2009, GlaxoSmithKline reviewed their operations at Ulverston and concluded that ownership of the canal was no longer necessary. Ownership has since been transferred to Ulverston Canal Company, a company set up to manage the asset. Ulverston Canal Company is a subsidiary of NPL Estates Ltd, a company which specialises in land management. A Trust has also been set up by GlaxoSmithKline, to ensure that funds are available for its management, maintenance and preservation.
Route
In addition to the industry on its western side, there is a sheep and cattle auction by the canal, and other buildings, some of which have been renovated and some of which are dilapidated. At the end of the canal is a pub, and part of the Cumbria Coastal WayCumbria Coastal Way
The Cumbria Coastal Way is a long distance footpath allowing users to travel from Cumbria's southern border to just north of the English - Scottish border. It follows some interesting scenery such as the red sandstone cliffs of St...
.
The canal began at Hammerside Hill at Morecambe Bay and terminated at a basin and wharfs at Ulverston. At its head there is a 112 feet (34.1 m) long sea lock, the only lock on the canal. A public swing bridge
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
was built over the canal at Hammerside.
Points of interest
See also
- Canals of Great Britain
- 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...