History

1759-1761 - The process begins

The Duke's Bill, received Royal Assent on 23rd March 1759, proposed two separate cuts from Worsley keeping north of the River Irwell, one via Patricroft to Salford and the other in the direction of Warrington to link with the River Mersey at Hollins Ferry. The route towards Patricroft made good progress but the cut to Hollins Ferry ran into difficulties with peat deposits, but second thoughts on routing seem evident anyway.

At the time James Brindley, who had established a reputation for mine and other workings involving water, was surveying the route of a proposed Canal from the Trent to the Mersey on behalf of Earl Gower (brother-in law of the Canal Duke) and pottery interests. Suffice to say that he was drawn into consultation at Worsley with the Duke and Gilbert and a complete change of plan emerged which abandoned the Hollins Ferry line and the route which had reached Patricroft was altered to cross the Irwell by a Stone Aqueduct, thence skirting Trafford Park to Streford and Manchester.

A model from a cheese...

Worsley Old Hall, a fine timbered house was the scene of prolonged meetings between the Duke and his advisers preparatory to an amending the Bill being presented to Parliament which was passed in March 1760 to give effect to the change of route. Brindley was equal to his questioners in Parliamentary Committee in demonstrating his ideas for Barton Aqueduct by making a model from a cheese.

The canal opens

This renowned engineering feat, ridiculed by many, crowned the success of the Opening of the Canal on 17th July, 1761.

At the end of 1761 the Canal was through to Stretford and to Castlefield Wharf, Manchester by 1765.

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