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This canal was opened in 1800 and closed in 1954. It was named after its landowner and was built to carry limestone from quarries for use in his Lordship's ironworks. The canal ran from Newtown basin, where there were lime kilns, to the Wyrley and Essington Canal. The canal is currently stanked off from the off side of the Wyrley and Essington Canal, just to the west of Pelsall junction with the Cannock Extension Canal. The first 100 yards is filled in and provides access to a 'nasty' spoil dump. The very much overgrown bed can be just about identified, against advice not to do so, for half a mile up to a local road bridge. It had an arm 100 yards long about 300 yards from the main line and which ran northeast to Fishley colliery but we saw no evidence of it. On crossing the road by the bridge it is possible to get down into the dry bed which is less overgrown and walk along it for about a quarter of a mile. Then the bed becomes rather soft underfoot (or under 300mm) if you want to sound stupidly 'PC' and metric). The next quarter of a mile is just about traversable through the overgrown remains of the towpath. A wire fence then cuts across the canal, which requires a decision as to whether to transgress further. Practical progress appeared possible for a short distance but it was not possible to see how far. Perhaps next time. The explorers covered about a mile of its one and half mile length. If it had been earlier in the day, an attempt would probably have been made to venture further. How does it compare with the Old Stratford Cut, from the restoration point of view? Well, there are not so many of the larger diameter trees in the bed so scrub clearance should be easier. The canal had four bridges originally. There appear to have been no locks. There is one other difference which is not so obvious on the surface, so to speak: that is that the weight of volunteers and equipment and canal could well disappear down into the abandoned mine working below in a trice. On balance, the Old Stratford Cut appears to be a better prospect and it is not so far to go. |