Chesterfield Canal History
For centuries the traders of Chesterfield, east Derbyshire
and south Yorkshire had carried their goods (coal, lead and stone) by road
to Bawtry so it could be transferred onto the River Idle where boats could
continue the journey to Hull and elsewhere.
The cross-country journey was always difficult and the River
Idle was often unnavigable due to either drought or flood.
In the late 1760's the success of the
Bridgewater Canal in Manchester and the beginnings of the Trent and Mersey Canal gave the men
on the eastern side of the Peak District the inspiration to attempt a
similar venture of their own. They promoted a waterway which was expected to
carry coal, lead, earthenware, timber, millstones, limestone, roof tiles and
gravel for new roads.
The route would also serve the ironworks at Staveley near Chesterfield. In return the canal
would bring in goods which were often quite rare in the area, these included wool, rice, oils, wines, sugar,
tobacco and fresh groceries.
1768
James Brindley, the only canal surveyor in the country at the time, was asked to draw up a route for a canal
from Chesterfield to Bawtry on the River Idle. However, Mr. Brindley was a very busy man, the first wave of
"canal mania" was gathering pace and he was already hard at work on the Trent & Mersey Canal and the
Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal (among others). Hence, he sent his assistant, John Varley, to make the
initial survey. After seeing Varley's report Brindley estimated a cost of £100,000.
1769
Once the idea of a canal was made public, the traders in the neighbouring towns of Worksop and Retford were
keen to see the waterway pass close to them. A new line was surveyed from Chesterfield to Gainsborough on the
River Trent. The new line would miss out Bawtry and the River Idle but would include Worksop and Retford. It
was to have broad locks and wide tunnels capable of taking Trent barges.There would have to be two long
tunnels, one at Castle Hill between Gainsborough and Retford and one on the summit level near Norwood.Brindley
estimated the cost at £105,000.
A few months later Brindley came back to the committee with a new plan which would save both
time and money. For just £95,000 he could build a narrow canal with a different route from the River Trent to
Retford.
The new route would begin on the River Trent at West
Stockwith (a few miles downstream of Gainsborough), it would use far less locks and would bypass Castle Hill
tunnel. Brindley, of course, is famous for his meandering waterways which followed the contours of the land and
avoided locks, aqueducts and dreaded tunnels at all cost. This was not totally Brindley's fault, he was the
first man to attempt to build completely artificial waterways. Tunnels and aqueducts were still regarded as
almost magical and techniques in building these structures were very primitive. His revised route was to be 46
miles long with 65 narrow locks, many of them in staircase flights. Although the tunnel at Castle Hill had been
avoided, the revised route still needed a short tunnel between Retford and West Stockwith and Norwood Tunnel on
the summit level was still necessary.
1771
The canal's Bill went to Parliament and despite strong opposition from John Lister who owned the rights to the
River Idle, the Act was passed on March 29th. James Brindley was appointed Chief Engineer on a salary of £300
per year though, because he was even more overworked by this time, the new company also took on John Varley as
Resident Engineer on a salary of £100 a year.
Work began in early autumn with 300 men at either end of what was to become Norwood Tunnel -
by far the biggest engineering work on the route. Work also began on a reservoir nearby at Pebley. Brindley
planned to build the canal section by section so that it could be opened up periodically while work continued.
As well as allowing revenue to be earned before the canal was fully complete, this also allowed materials to be
easily carried to and from the construction sites.
The Chesterfield Canal had never been part of Brindley's original idea of a "Grand Cross" of
waterways linking the countries 4 main rivers but now that he was involved with the Chesterfield Canal he saw
it as the first part of a cross country network linking the lower River Trent to his own Trent & Mersey
Canal (or "Grand Trunk" as he called it). He planned to build a second canal from Chesterfield to Swarkestone,
south of Derby, where it would join the Trent & Mersey Canal.
1772
In September, James Brindley fell ill and died while surveying a route for the Caldon Canal. Many of his
schemes - including the Chesterfield Canal - were still in mid-construction and his further plans - such as the
Chesterfield to Swarkestone canal - never saw the light of day. At first John Varley continued in charge of
work though the committee soon appointed another of Brindley's assistants (also his brother-in-law), Hugh
Henshall, as Chief Engineer.
1773
Because Henshall was less well known than Brindley (though not necessarily less qualified) he received £50 less
per year and was made to agree to spend no less than 56 days per year on-site.On one of these days Henshall
inspected the work at Norwood Tunnel and was horrified to find the work was well below standard. This was made
worse because the contractors of the work were John Varley's father and brothers. More inspections uncovered
further bad workmanship and malpractice by the Varley family. It would appear that John Varley was not held
responsible for any of the faults and Henshall was soon able to put them right.
1775
When the canal had first been surveyed, the traders of Retford had expected the route to be broad, allowing
their town to be served by Trent barges. They had been frustrated when the company decided to save money and
create a narrow waterway. Retford Corporation, along with a number of the canal shareholders in Retford,
volunteered to fund the building of a broad canal from West Stockwith to their town. The canal company agreed
to this and work began in May.Meanwhile, during the same month, the 2 mile long Norwood Tunnel was completed
and opened after just 4 years.
1776
In April the route was open from the new basin at West Stockwith to Killamarsh on the west side of Norwood
Tunnel, 6 months later it was extended to Norbriggs further along the Rother Valley.However, at West Stockwith
the company were facing a problem and the canal was not yet connected to the River Trent. Work had been delayed
because of difficulties in acquiring the land on which the junction into the river, including a tidal lock,
would be situated.
1777
The junction and tidal lock were the last part of the canal to be completed and on July 4th the whole route was
officially opened. As usual, celebrations were "joyous" and went on for some time. However, the joy soon
subsided once the canal was up and running. The company found trade was actually lower now than it had been
while construction was still going on. This was mainly due to a nation-wide recession caused by the American
War of Independence.
Worse still, just 3 months after the canal had opened, the first of many problems was
encountered at Norwood Tunnel. Coal was being dug out of the ground above the tunnel and this made the pressure
on the tunnel's walls much lighter than it had been - a big shift in pressure will cause a tunnel's walls to
sag or collapse. Digging up the ground also let water into the earth. Below the level of the tunnel more coal
was being dug and mining subsidence soon began to cause big problems - problems which were never solved.
1778
With construction work complete, Varley and Henshall moved on and the company appointed Richard Dixon as the
new resident engineer. Whether he had any previous experience is not reported though he was known to the
company as he was already their bookkeeper!His first job was to build an arm from the main line at Worksop to a
stone quarry belonging to a Mr. Gainsforth, this became known as the Lady Lee Branch. He also had to sort out
an inadequate water supply on the Norwood Tunnel summit level. Two new reservoirs were to be built but in the
mean time the company imposed penalties on boats running light or empty through the long lock flights. Not
surprisingly, this was a very unpopular move.
1789
For first 10 years the company struggled to find cash. Paying off its loans had been very difficult and the
company had found it near impossible to raise money from calls on shareholders.Eventually trade grew enough to
pay out the first dividend, this was just 1% though it grew slowly over the following years.
The boats which used the Chesterfield Canal became known as "Cuckoos" and they were quite
different from the narrow boats found elsewhere on the waterways network. They were never gaily painted - no
roses and castles - and they were always horse-drawn even after steam and combustion engines were widely used
everywhere else.
1790
Woodhall and Killamarsh reservoirs were completed and the company were able to drop the penalties on lightly
laden boats which had been enforced for nearly 12 years.
1795
Tramways had been built which linked the canal to numerous works and mines. These did a lot to increase over
all trade and by now the dividend had risen to 6%. In the following decades income continued to grow and the
prosperity of the towns along the route grew with it.
1824
The Chesterfield Canal, although doing fairly well, never quite reached the level of success that other similar
canals did. One possible reason for this was thought to be because the canal was not a through-route, having
just one junction into the "outside world".
This led the company into thoughts of extending the line to Sheffield. In fact, the
Chesterfield Canal was included in a scheme promoted as the Grand Commercial Canal which was to link with such
waterways as the Cromford, Peak Forest and Sheffield canals. Sadly, the scheme never got off the ground and the
Chesterfield Canal remained a "single destination" route. Other schemes were mooted which could have extended
the canal to Barlow and Calver though these also never saw the light of day.
1844
Railway competition arrived when the Sheffield & Lincoln Junction Railway Company announced the
construction of a line from Sheffield to Gainsborough. To counter this the canal company formed the ambitiously
sounding "Manchester & Lincoln Union Railway Company", presumably with the intention of converting the
canal into a railway but with little chance of it ever reaching either Manchester or Lincoln.
1846
In August the M&LUR company gained authorisation to construct a railway from Staveley Ironworks to Worksop
along the route of the canal. The Act also allowed the new railway company to amalgamate (take over) the
Chesterfield Canal. The company became known as the Manchester & Lincoln Union Railway & Chesterfield
& Gainsborough Canal Company... or M&LUR&C&GCC (for short)!!!
Later the company were authorised to amalgamate with the Sheffield & Lincoln Junction
Railway which had by this time changed its name to the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway.
However, the Act was only authorised on condition that the canal was kept properly maintained and open for
business. This must have come as a shock to the new company as they had been neglecting the canal for quite
some time, probably expecting to close it down as soon as all negotiations had been settled. Maintenance had
been none existent for months and navigation had become very difficult.
1848
The new owners now had the task of not only keeping the canal open but restoring it to a good navigable
condition. However, the company made such a good job of the task that trade began to exceed the pre-take-over
period. In fact, the canal was running so well that in some cases the company preferred to use it rather than
its own railway to carry local goods. This eventually led to the railway company running a canal carrying
business!
1852
Such was the success of the Chesterfield Canal under its railway ownership that yet another scheme was promoted
to link it to another waterway. This scheme went under the name of the Sheffield & Chesterfield Junction
Canal but, again, nothing was actually started.Later the company built a railway line instead.
During the following decades the company often toyed with the idea of closing the upper
reaches of the canal and turning it into a railway but eventually a railway from Sheffield to Gainsborough was
built alongside the waterway. Portions of the canal had to be altered during the building of the railway, some
books claim this included Norwood Tunnel which is often said to have been extended by 250 yards. I am told by a
very reliable source that this is not the case and that the tunnel entrance seen today is the original. The
Chesterfield Canal Trust say the length of the tunnel is 2,893 yards though many differing lengths have been
stated over the years. Whatever its length, it is one of the oldest and longest canal tunnels in Britain.
During this period £21,000 was spent on Norwood Tunnel because of subsidence and threats of
a collapse. However, this cost was well out of proportion compared to the amount of use the canal was
experiencing. Trade was declining every year and the new railway increased this decline even more rapidly.
1892
The railway company (and thus the canal) had become part of Great Central Railway and this brought an end to
the railway's canal carrying business. By this time all trade on the canal was greatly diminished, especially
at the western end of the route where subsidence and problems with Norwood Tunnel continued to make navigation
very difficult.
1904
The state of Norwood Tunnel was so bad that headroom had become as low as 4'10''. By this time very few boat
crews made the journey and those who did must have been rather brave.
1907
Norwood Tunnel had to be closed after a collapse directly under the road from Harthill to Kiveton Park. This
cut the canal off from the town which gave it its name though it had already been many years since boats had
regularly travelled to the heart of Chesterfield. The whole canal west of the colliery basin at Shireoaks was
unofficially abandoned as there was no point in taking a boat up through 30 locks only to arrive at a dead
end.
1923
Central Railway were taken over by the London & North Eastern Railway who, surprisingly, kept the remaining
part of the canal in good order. They even enlarged the entrance lock at West Stockwith and made repairs to the
junction.
1940
WW2 caused the downfall of many commercial waterways but the Chesterfield Canal was one of a handful that
actually benefited during this period. The route was used to carry munitions and the declining coal trade was
revived for a while. However, as soon as the war ended this trade also ended and income became less than the
pre-war period. After the war the canal was nationalised along with virtually all the other waterways in
Britain.
1955
Regular trade came to a complete halt when the last load of bricks was carried from the brick works at
Walkeringham near the eastern end of the canal. Further upstream, colliery boats had continued to work between
Shireoaks basin and the colliery's loading wharf in Worksop though this had also stopped by now. This meant
that the lock flights west of Worksop were no longer used and the head of navigation was shortened to Worksop
town centre.
1959
The River Trent was beginning to be used by quite a lot of pleasure craft and some of these vessels were making
the journey up the Chesterfield Canal to Retford and Worksop. A number of rallies were held on the canal by the
Inland Waterways Protection Society in the hope of bringing good publicity to the waterway.
1960
In May a public meeting was held in Chesterfield to discuss the future of the waterway. It was agreed that the
eastern section from West Stockwith to Worksop should be retained for pleasure boat use. The sections from
Worksop to Kiveton and Spinkhill to Chesterfield should also be retained for water supply purposes but, much to
the preservation societies dismay, it was agreed that the central stretch from Kiveton to Spinkhill should be
filled in and sold off.
1961
Following the government's infamous Bowes Committee Report of the late 1950's the Chesterfield Canal was
classified in group 3 (fit only for closing down). An application was immediately put forward by the
preservation society to keep the eastern end open for pleasure craft but this was flatly refused.
1962
The very last commercial use of the canal was a load of warp, a type of silt used for polishing metal in the
cutlery trade. It was dredged from the mouth of the River Idle and delivered to Walkeringham. This load, like
all other commercial traffic on the canal before it, was horse-drawn.
In the following years the canal remained open and pleasure boating increased considerably.
The Retford & Worksop Boat Club opened along the eastern section of the route and because it was constantly
in use, the canal remained navigable.
1968
The Transport Act which doomed many waterways in Britain was actually very kind to the Chesterfield Canal. The
efforts of the boat club and the Inland Waterways Association convinced the government that the eastern end
should be kept open and it was officially classified as a "Cruiseway" - suitable for pleasure craft. The line
to the west of Worksop was not given a life line however and it was left to decline. Some portions were later
filled in and built on though much of the route was left untouched because it provided water for industry and
for the navigable stretches of the canal.
1976
The newly formed Chesterfield Canal Society began a long hard battle to gain permission to start restoration on
the western section. This campaign was not an easy one though eventually - after many years - all the local
councils backed the society and permission was granted to begin restoration work.
1985
Although the society had gained permission to begin restoration, this did not mean the canal was safe from
being filled in. Many sections of the canal were on private or commercial land and in some cases the owners
were intending to wipe it out if possible. Even government controlled bodies were threatening the existence of
the route, the Transport Ministry were planning a bypass road from Staveley to Brimington which would block the
canal and British Coal were planning an open cast mining site on the former canal bed at Brimington.
Negotiations with the road builders would go on for many years but the mining threat was
taken away rather easier than may have been expected. The canal society wrote to the Coal Board objecting to
the open cast scheme and, amazingly, the Coal Board changed their plans. They said they would complete the open
cast scheme around the canal and then redevelop the waterway as part of a leisure facility. However, this plan
did not include rebuilding the former Dixon's Lock (No.4) which was sited on the section to be redeveloped.
1986
After hearing that the redevelopment of the canal through the Coal Board area at Brimington was to include a
weir in place of Dixon's Lock the canal society decided to step in and ask permission to build a new Dixon's
Lock themselves. Once again British Coal surprised the society by offering to fund the cost of all building
materials needed for the lock.
1989
The canal society released detailed plans for the new Dixon's Lock (No.4) though they were still unable to gain
access to the site as the Coal Board were still using the adjacent land for open cast mining.
1990
Dixon's Lock should have been the first to open on the abandoned section of the canal but the delays meant it
would not even be started for another 2 to 3 years. In the meantime Derby County Council had fully restored
lock No.1 (Tapton Lock) at Lockoford Lane. This was officially reopened in April along with the ½ mile stretch
of canal above it into Chesterfield.
1993
Open cast mining at Brimington was finally completed and the canal restorers were finally granted access to the
site of Dixon's Lock. The original structure was completely demolished with much of its masonry being salvaged
for use in constructing the new lock. The new lock was to be built about 200 yards further downstream in an
attempt to find a solid foundation away from the open cast site.
The Coal Board had restored the whole section of canal across the former mining site but
this gave the lock builders the added problem of free flowing water constantly coming down the newly restored
cut. The soft ground around the new lock site proved too difficult for the society volunteers to cope with so
they decided to use the money granted to them by the Coal Board to pay for professional contractors.
However, it was reported in the canal press that the contractors had generously dropped most
of their charges and at the same time it was reported that Chesterfield Borough Council had offered to apply
for European Regional Development Funding on behalf of the society. John Lower, Editor of the Chesterfield
Canal Trust Magazine "Cuckoo", tells me 'I don't remember Chesterfield BC getting the funding. I was sure I did
it but perhaps my memory is playing tricks'. I guess John should know as he was the man who designed the lock
and supervised its construction!
1994
After the heavy contracting work was completed at the new Dixon's Lock, society members (along with the
Waterways Recovery Group and other local volunteers) spent the whole year and much of the following year
completing the lock.
Meanwhile nearby, the threat of the Staveley/Brimington bypass road had not gone away. The
new road was planned to cross the derelict waterway at a very low level, blocking any hope of fully re-opening
the whole route. Clearly this could not be allowed to happen as many thousands of pounds had already been spent
on restoration work by local authorities and businesses as well as the canal society itself. Eventually the
plans for the bypass were changed and restoration could continue. The road was still to use portions of the
original canal bed but a new canal would be built alongside. (However, work on the road has still not started
as I write this in 2002).
In the Autumn lock No.3 (Bluebank) at Brimington was completely restored by the canal
trust
1995
In March the canal press reported that the Chesterfield Canal Society had put a plan together which would link
the waterway to the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigations. To do this the River Rother would have to be
made navigable though this could coincide with the society's plan to use the River Rother in order to bypass
sections of the original route at Killamarsh which had been blocked by new housing estates. At the end of March
the canal society held a seminar at which they announced a £4.5 million restoration plan for the 2 mile
derelict section within Nottinghamshire, from the head of navigation at Morse Lock in Worksop to the county
boundary near Shireoaks. The scheme would include the rebuilding of 3 culverted bridges and restoration of 8
locks - as well as restoration of the canal itself. A lot of the funding was to come from the British Coal
Board in order to regenerate disused colliery land at Shireoaks. The former colliery basin area was to be
redeveloped for housing and a park area while the basin itself would be enlarged to allow space for
moorings.
The work was to be carried out by Nottinghamshire Council. It was also reported that plans
were being looked at to restore the next 3½ miles from Shireoaks to the eastern portal of Norwood Tunnel. This
section, which came under the jurisdiction of Rotherham Council, included 22 locks which were already listed as
having special historic interest. In June, Rotherham Council gave the scheme their approval and work began. The
restoration of this section was to be performed by British Waterways.It was made clear at the seminar that all
6 local councils (who's districts the canal past through) supported the full restoration of the canal.
Later in the year a short section near Renishaw on the west side of Norwood Tunnel was
re-watered for the first time though long stretches on either side were still completely derelict. A "Canal
Day" was held in the village to increase awareness of the restoration work. By now the section in Chesterfield
was well established and (theoretically) navigable for about one mile.
Two of the first three locks were already restored and on November 5th the long saga of
Dixon's Lock (No.4) came to an end, 10 years after the society originally asked for access to the site. If all
the other locks on the canal took as long as this it would take nearly 500 years to restore the whole route!!
Rather more quickly, the next lock (No.5 - Hollingwood), was restored and reopened thanks to Derby County
Council and Chesterfield Borough Council. They also began to restore the footpaths and surrounding area along
the canal at Staveley and Brimington.
1996
Early in the year it was reported that the problem of weed in the navigable stretches of the Chesterfield Canal
(which had dogged the canal since its original opening) had finally been solved. Since the early days of the
canal's existence it had suffered from an above average amount of weed, the original company spent a lot of
money continually cutting the weed from the canal bed and it was probably one of the main reasons why motor
boats were never used on the route during its commercial life.
In more recent times pleasure craft had often found it very difficult to get through the
weed but BW's new weed cutter now appeared to provide the answer. It was capable of removing 15 tonnes of weed
a day but this brought the problem of what to do with the piles of weed. One solution was provided by a BW
carpenter who found his chickens loved the stuff! Farmland also made use of the weed when it was discovered
that it was a very good fertiliser.
Also at the beginning of the year it was reported that the society had decided to become a
Company Limited. Chesterfield and Derbyshire councils donated over £1,600 to the canal society to help them pay
for the legal fees needed to enable the transformation. On June 7th a ceremony was held in Worksop to celebrate
the reopening of Morse Lock. For the first time since 1955 boats could now travel right through Worksop -
though not very far because the next 2 locks, a few hundred yards upstream, were still being restored.
During summer it was reported that a solution to the cost of restoring Norwood Tunnel had
been found. Grant money for the redevelopment of the now closed Kiveton Colliery could be used because the
canal past through the colliery area. It was expected that the tunnel would be partly opened out and a new
basin would be created along its line. The remainder, including the stretch under the M1, would then be
restored.
1997 - 2001
The Chesterfield Canal is probably the fastest moving
restoration project currently being tackled. Its estimated full reopening was set (some time ago) at 2010 but
this will surely be brought forward by a number of years thanks to the amazing support from local councils and
(in particular) the Coal Board. The society have managed to find funding for millions of pounds worth of work
without making much of a fuss about it. Within the near future the flight of locks from Worksop to the
redeveloped basin at Shireoaks will extend the route for pleasure craft with the added attraction of a "proper"
destination at the top of the extension.
Back to Top
Chesterfield Canal Route
Being a Brindley canal, the route of the Chesterfield Canal meanders wildly along most of
its course, especially at its eastern end. The canal from West Stockwith to Worksop is open to boats, the locks
are wide beam as far as Retford. Beyond Worksop the canal is currently under restoration but is open to walkers
almost uninterrupted all the way to Chesterfield.
West Stockwith
It begins at West Stockwith on the River Trent in Nottinghamshire, about 3 miles north
(downstream) of Gainsborough. At the entrance of the canal there is a large tidal lock with a basin just above
it. There is a boat yard, boat club, pub and lots of moored pleasure craft at the basin.
The village of West Stockwith is quite attractive and the canal basin and lock are a major
part of the scene. It is possible to walk right around the basin, across the lock and along the flood bank to
the entrance of the River Idle which was once a very busy navigation but is now closed to boats and has a large
flood gate at its entrance.
Misterton
Just one mile west of West Stockwith is the pleasant village of Misterton. The railway line
to Doncaster crosses the canal on the eastern edge of the village with the 2 Misterton locks coming immediately
after the railway bridge. The locks on the Chesterfield Canal are numbered from the Chesterfield end with
Misterton Low Lock being number 64. There is a pub beside the lock and the A161 crosses the canal between the
two locks. Past Misterton the canal bends south, through farmland, towards Walkeringham where the last
commercial loads were delivered in the 1960's.
Gringley On The Hill
Further south, on the top of a high hill, is the village of Gringley On The Hill, not
surprisingly the canal bends south west to avoid the incline but the village is well worth visiting. Just north
of the village the canal does climb slightly, through Shaw Lock (No.62) and Gringley Top Lock (No.61). These
can be reached via Ing Road and Carr Road respectively.
Past Gringley the canal runs along the bottom of a ridge of hills. This stretch has been
described as "thoroughly delightful". The waterway is overhung by trees and there is said to be a lot of
wildlife about.
Drakeholes Tunnel (Everton)
Within 1¼ miles the canal comes to a sharp left turn taking it south eastwards under the
A631. The canal is now in a fairly deep cutting but is said to have had its seclusion "ruined" by a new road
bridge, I disagree! Immediately after the road the canal disappears into Drakeholes Tunnel which is just 154
yards long and emerges immediately before another sharp left turn. On the turn is a winding hole, some
moorings, a slipway and some picnic tables - all provided by Retford & Worksop Boat Club who were, in
effect, the original Chesterfield Canal society. There is also a "handsome" pub, the Griff Inn, near the
tunnel. The tunnel has no towpath but it is easy to walk around it! The pub, the moorings and a small amount of
roadside parking are at the junction of Eel Pool Road with Gainsborough Road (B6045), just south west of the
junction onto the A631.
Wiseton
The canal is now heading east, firmly turning its back on its eventual destination. Still in
a cutting it arrives at Old Man Bridge which has the features of a bearded man on its parapet. The bridge
signals the arrival at Wiseton which is an estate village belonging to the local manor. In fact, the route was
obviously forced to avoid the estate as it curves around the village on a long looping bend. Wiseton has been
described as a "superbly elegant estate village". It is set in a well landscaped park which was once the manor
gardens. The manor itself still stands but is hidden away behind high walls. In the centre of the village is a
huge stable block - well worth a photograph or two.
Clayworth
Clayworth is the next village on the canal, about 1½ miles south east of Wiseton. The canal
manoeuvres around the south west of the village, eventually turning left and then a very sharp right under
Clayworth Bridge (B1403) which has a former pub beside it, now home to the Retford & Worksop boat club.
Houses and a post office back onto the canal here (on the offside) and a grassy gap between these buildings is
now a picnic area. This is accessed from Wheatley Road which runs parallel to the canal on the east side.
Hayton
After Clayworth the canal continues south easterly for about ¾ of a mile and then curves
south towards Retford, as it does so it leaves behind the many cuttings and the wooded countryside through
which it has travelled and now passes through open farmland. The B1403 passes over again in the village of
Hayton where I enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Boat Inn alongside the main bridge. There are actually 5 bridges
in quick succession as the canal travels through this pleasant farming village and into Clarborough.
Clarborough
After passing St. Peter's Church the canal reaches Clarborough Top Bridge which carries
Smeath Lane. The Gate Inn stands close to the canal and, in fact, its car park used to be Clarborough Wharf.
South of the village the waterway swings south west to run right alongside the railway from Gainsborough to
Retford. Nine miles have passed since leaving Gringley Top Lock but the canal now climbs up through the
brilliantly named Whitsunday Pie Lock (No.60), the last broad lock on the route.
The lock is said to have got its name because a local woman baked a huge pie one Whit Sunday
for the navvies who had just completed the lock. However, some recently discovered maps spoil this good old
story by showing a Whitsunday Pie field. The maps were drawn centuries before the canal existed!
Back to Top
East Retford
The railway swings away as quickly as it had arrived but the A620 (Welham Road) swings in to
replace it. The road soon crosses the waterway on Hop Pole Bridge, marking the canal's entry into Retford. The
canal heads south westerly into the central area of this industrial town. However, the route (somewhat
miraculously) manages to stay incredibly pleasant throughout its journey through the town. It has been said
that this is due to luck rather than by design as it just happens to pass alongside grazing land, water
meadows, the town common and a tree lined cemetery! However, all this makes for great scenery for boaters and
walkers as they pass through the town centre.
In the centre of town is a basin on a stretch which caused an infamous incident in 1978 when
a BW maintenance man discovered a loose chain on the canal bed which he then attempted to remove. After much
effort the chain came loose and the maintenance man found that it was attached to a large circular disk. As he
inspected the disk someone suddenly noticed that the canal was fast losing water - the maintenance man had
found the canal's plug hole! These were sometimes installed on canals to allow water to be drained away quickly
in times of emergency but the emergency for this BW man was to put the plug back before the whole canal ran
dry!
Near the basin is Town Lock (No.59), the first narrow lock on the Chesterfield Canal. A
large canal warehouse stands alongside - now used as a snooker hall! Three small aqueducts are crossed along
the next ½ mile, one of which crosses the infant River Idle. The canal along this stretch is very popular with
locals and, together with the River Idle and a park, it makes a pretty scene. The main shopping areas (and an
ASDA) are close to the north side of the canal.
After a right curve the route is crossed by an old iron footbridge and then West Retford
Lock (No.58) is reached on a sharp left bend. The lock is in a very pretty location overhung by large trees
with old houses alongside. I have to admit to being a little shocked by Retford. It must be one of Britain's
most unlikely beauty spots! The town itself is fairly "ordinary" but the canal is lovely. Pretty gardens run
along the bank on the offside, there are loads of swans and ducks, the water is crystal clear and is absolutely
teaming with huge fish. Fishermen sat on the bank in their usual trance-like state with their rods dangling in
the water - not catching a thing. It made me wonder why they didn't just stick a hand in the water - they
couldn't fail to make a catch! I highly recommend a visit to the canal in Retford.
West Retford
The A620 (Babworth Road) passes over the canal shortly after West Stockwith Lock (the second
narrow lock on the canal) and then the route passes right through the middle of the large West Retford
cemetery. Having curved through the centre of Retford, the canal leaves the town heading north west. The main
London to Edinburgh railway line crosses the canal on the far side of the cemetery as the waterway heads on
into open farmland.
Forest Locks
Within 2 miles, the first of the 4 Forest Locks (No.57) is reached. These locks are spread
out over a 1½ mile stretch with the first 2 being fairly remote. The canal turns from north west to south west
after the second lock and the third lock (Charlie's, No.55) has dozens of chickens in its garden. A few yards
after the third lock the canal turns sharply to the left just after passing under a very straight minor road.
This was originally built by the Romans and, in fact, is no ordinary minor road. It is called Old London Road
and was once the Great North Road from London to Scotland. In the mid 1700's the people of Retford wanted the
road diverted through their town to increase trade. Some 170 years later they were begging for the road to be
diverted out of their town!! The A1 now runs to the south west of this area but its original route can easily
be detected on a road map, heading south between Bawtry and Elkesley.
Barnby Wharf used to be close to the road bridge, its remaining buildings are now houses
with pretty back gardens overlooking the canal. A few yards further on, around a sharp right bend, is the
fourth and last Forest Lock (No.54). The "forest", by the way, was Sherwood Forest though it no longer reaches
this far north.
Ranby
For the next mile the canal wanders generally south west until it meets the A1. The canal
does not pass under the busy road here however, instead it turns sharply south and runs alongside the
southbound carriageway for just over a mile. Near the end of this mile the canal reaches the pretty village of
Ranby (just off the A620 close to the A1 junction). There is a lovely canalside pub called The Chequers. This
has a beer garden on the banks of the canal but it situated on the off side so walkers must alight at bridge 51
(Old Blythe Road).
Within Ranby the canal twists round on a huge right-hand bend, turning almost 360 degrees
and then it passes under the A1 to head south west towards Worksop.
Osberton Hall
The next few miles can best be described as "zigzag" as the route runs roughly parallel to
the B6079. This stretch has also been described as the most attractive on the whole (navigable) canal. After 1½
miles the route climbs through Osberton Lock (No.53) with Osberton Hall and Park nearby. Just to the north is
Scofton, the hall's estate village. The canal passes right alongside the hall's stable block and the whole area
is said to be as well kept now as it was when the canal was first built.
Manton
Just over a mile further south west the canal is crossed by the low, brick arched Manton
railway viaduct. The former Manton Colliery has now been landscaped giving a somewhat better view than it did
in years gone by. Within another mile Kilton Lock (No.52) is reached and then the canal takes a sharp swing to
the right to cross over the small River Ryton which has run parallel on the north side since Ranby. The
aqueduct is not in the best of health (1996), it has no parapet other than a high wire fence to ensure people
don't fall over the side! On the land beyond the non-towpath side of the canal is some waste land on which a
derelict pumping station stands. Shortly after the aqueduct, the canal turns abruptly left to continue its
westerly course into Worksop.
Back to Top
Worksop
The outskirts of town are marked by the busy B6041 which swings across the canal on a fairly
new bridge. The original hump backed Brace Bridge still stands, now on a quiet side road, just a few yards
further on. The old bridge crosses the tail of Bracebridge Lock (No.51) which is less than a mile from the
centre of Worksop.
On its way into town the canal passes a large old mill and then, as it approaches the
central area, it runs along the right-hand side of a terraced street. On the near side of the road there is
just an iron railing between the street and the canal. On the other side of the canal (north) there is also no
bank because the waterway is bordered by a high brick wall which is now the outer edge of a supermarket. As if
all this wasn't enough to make a boat crew feel closed in, the canal then passes underneath a building which
forms a short tunnel across the waterway. This building was originally Pickfords Warehouse and, in fact, for
many decades after Pickfords had gone it was still known as Pickfords Depository.
Pickfords are one of Britain's oldest companies and they still carry goods (usually
household furniture) all over the country. Long before lorries came along they ran fleets of canal boats. In
more recent years BW used the old warehouse and the adjacent yard, named Cuckoo Wharf after the "Cuckoos"
(narrow boats) which used the canal. Since the early 1990's a number of different owners have taken the
building on, each one seeming to be jinxed as they all soon close down again! When I was here in 1996 the
warehouse had just been converted into a night-club and restaurant. The best view of the warehouse, as it
straddles the canal, is gained from Worksop town bridge on Watson Street (B6040) situated just a few yards
further on.
On the far side of Watson Street bridge (almost beneath it) is Town Lock (No.50), the last
navigable lock (pre-restoration) on the Chesterfield Canal. However, there is no access to the canal from the
main town bridge and there is no towpath under it. This is because the bridge has been blocked off (to walkers)
- presumably to keep the Cuckoo Wharf party-goers away from the lock! Walkers are forced away from the canal at
Cuckoo Wharf, to regain the towpath they must cross Watson Road and walk around the side of shops to a
supermarket. The towpath can be rejoined at the far side of the car park and it is possible to walk east a few
yards along the south bank to Town Lock and to the blocked off town bridge.
At this point the canal continues to be hemmed in for a very short while until the canal
bends north west alongside the supermarket car park. There are moorings here and there is usually a narrowboat
cafe right alongside the car park. Despite my descriptions of blocked bridges, being hemmed in, supermarkets
and car parks, this is actually a nice area - full of life and by no means unattractive.
The supermarket now stands on the site of Worksop Town Wharf which used to be lined with
large warehouses. Close by on the opposite bank (north) the Shireoaks Colliery also used to have a wharf. Also
on the north side there are numerous large houses as the canal curves out of town. Within a few yards there is
a pretty winding hole with a caravan site beside it. This is one of very few winding holes situated on the
towpath side of a canal and I suspect it was not originally a winding hole. This was the final turning point
for boats when I was last here in 1997. The head of navigation has since moved further west...
A few hundred yards further west the land is open on both sides - or at least it was in 1997
- though it looked like an awfully inviting place for would-be builders so it may not stay "open" for ever. On
the north side is the site of a former quarry which has long since been flooded and turned into Sandhill Lake
which is popular for fishing and water sports. Past here the canal reaches Morse Lock (No.49), the official
head of navigation since about 1955. However, above the lock a whole new era is being born...
Just above Morse Lock the Chesterfield Canal passes the former entrance to the Lady Lee
Branch. This led to quarries about ½ a mile to the south west but the only thing left of the branch today is a
lonely accommodation bridge looking like it was put there by mistake. This stands in the previously mentioned
"open" land to the south of the canal.
Immediately after the former branch the main line is crossed by the A60 (Sandy Lane) which
is a good starting point for a walk along the canal in either direction. Stret Lock (No.48) is immediately
beyond Sandy Lane and Deep Lock (No.47) is a further hundred yards or so to the west, these were being restored
and were close to completion when I was here in 1997. The busy A57 runs parallel to the south of the canal here
while a minor road (Shireoaks Road) runs even closer, parallel to the north bank for about ½ a mile until the
village of Rhodesia is reached.
Rhodesia
At Rhodesia is Haggonfield Lock (No.46) which is probably restored by now as work began in
1995! Adjustments to a low bridge over the tail of this lock were due to be carried out by the council during
1996, a second low bridge near by was to be removed. Above the lock the A57 crosses the route but thankfully
this is well above the necessary navigable height.
A railway bridge which follows within a few hundred yards is also clear of the canal.
Doefield Dun Lock (No.45) is on the stretch heading out of Rhodesia, Shireoaks Road continues to cling to the
north bank while the small River Ryton is once again close by to the south. All of this section was completely
overgrown before the restorers arrived on the seen in the mid-1990's. The locks were all still in place though
many had suffered damage from the vegetation growing around them.
Beneath the weeds there has always been water in the cut - though often reduced to just a
trickle. The water was used by local industry and also to supply the navigable stretches further east. It is
because of this ready-made water supply that the unnavigable stretches were never filled in. Most of the pounds
around here require relatively little repair, dredging is all that is needed to open up the waterway once the
locks are complete.
Shireoaks
The next bridge takes Shireoaks Road across the canal. This is Shireoaks Low Bridge though
its name is deceptive as there is plenty of headroom for navigation. Immediately after the bridge are the 3
Shireoaks Locks (numbers 42 to 44), work started on these in 1995 and was still going on when I visited in
1997. The bottom lock's over-spill runs through the garden of the adjacent house. In fact, the whole garden has
been landscaped with small waterfalls and a fountain, a surprising and very pretty sight. Directly above the
short flight of locks, on the northern side, is the brand new Shireoaks Basin (now a marina) which was
redeveloped with money from the Coal Board - in working days this was Shireoaks Colliery wharf. This (early
2002) is the effective head of navigation. Although boats can proceed further west to Cinderhill through
Boundary Lock there is nowhere to turn a boat longer than about 26 feet.
A few hundred yards past the marina is Shireoaks Bridge at Shireoaks Common which had been
flattened and culverted but has since had a new box culvert installed. The stretch beyond the bridge is also
now restored as it runs alongside a lane and then a lorry park.
Moving out of Shireoaks, heading towards the hill to the west, the canal's next feature is a
brand new lock (No.41a) which has been added to the canal to counter years of subsidence. Close by is an
aqueduct over the River Ryton. This crossing point forms the county border between Nottinghamshire and South
Yorkshire. Immediately after the aqueduct is the start of one of the earliest and steepest lock flights ever to
have been built. In fact, what follows is probably the oldest continuous "long" lock flight in Britain. There
are 22 locks in about 3 miles and these are split into two flights, Turnerwood (7 locks) and Thorpe (15 locks),
though in affect they are one long lock flight with one short pound between the two at Turnerwood.
NOTE: The towpath from the bottom of Turnerwood Locks to the top
of Thorpe Locks is currently closed. Notices on the canal bank state this is to continue until November 2002
while these locks undergo full restoration.
Back to Top
Turnerwood
The 7 Turnerwood Locks (numbered 35 to 41) provide a relatively gentle climb up to the
pretty hamlet of Turnerwood. These locks have been under restoration for nearly 5 years and I witnessed the
early stages of the work in 1997 - the bridge over the bottom lock had just been completed, the bottom lock in
the flight is also now complete (2002). The length of time this is taking (and the closure of the towpath) is
not due to any particular problems with the canal but mainly due to access problems for the construction teams.
There is only one road on the 3 mile climb and even that is a cul-de-sac (I think "dead-end" would be a bad
description for the pretty Turnerwood)!
At the top of the Turnerwood Flight is the hamlet of Turnerwood which, even in the darkest
days of the canal's dereliction, always kept its waterfront clean and pretty. As an example, in the book "Lost
Canals" (published in 1971) Ronald Russell describes this stretch of the canal as mostly inaccessible and
completely derelict except for the "oasis" of Turnerwood where the water was clear, the rows of terraced
cottages had been restored and everything in the village was very well kept. All this is still true today
though the continuous canal restoration work must be a bit hard to take for this peaceful little place.
In front of the cottages which line the canal on the towpath side is a wide basin which
separates the Turnerwood Flight from the Thorpe Flight. The basin is the "oasis" mentioned by Ronald Russell,
it is made to look more like a pretty village pond than a derelict canal. I spoke to one of the residents of
Turnerwood and he told me he and his neighbours have no worries about their peace and quiet being spoilt by
boats and tourists. He said the hamlet is already so popular that it is often jam packed with visitors every
weekend. What they do not like however, are people who park the cars in the tiny village or on the tight bend
in the lane approaching the village. Please park further down the lane. In fact, with all the restoration work
taking place it may be best to stay away all together until the canal is re-opened. The only road into
Turnerwood is called Little Lane, it is accessed from the south side of the canal at Netherthorpe. Little Lane
ends at the canal.
Thorpe Locks
The first locks above the Turnerwood are in a staircase of two and these were being restored
when I was here in 1997. There was workmen, diggers and muck everywhere! These and the next lock up are now
complete. There are 15 locks in the Thorpe Flight (numbered 20 to 34) and these come thick and fast as the
canal continues westwards up towards its summit.
The flight consists of five single locks, two 2-rise staircases and two 3-rise staircases
but of course at the moment restoration work is in progress and access is limited (if not completely off
limits)!. All the chambers are propped and are of stone construction.Various massive stonework has been
removed, presumably to permit chamber restoration. The water management problems must have been (and may well
be again) quite considerable! There appear to have been complex run off weirs on the offside of the canal.
The further up the flight you go - the more remote the canal becomes as it passes through a
wooded area surrounded by the English countryside. When it is fully restored and reopened to walkers and boats
it will be one of the best situated lock flights in the country and Turnerwood will be a much photographed and
popular place to visit. But not everyone is happy with this - one of the new locks in the Thorpe Flight has
twice had its balance beams destroyed and this is thought to be the work of someone who does not want the canal
to be restored.
Nearing the summit there is an accommodation bridge in good condition followed by the final
3 locks which are in a staircase. The top lock is 1½ miles away from Turnerwood and it marks the start of a 4½
mile summit level, nearly 2 miles of which are within Norwood Tunnel. Above the top lock the canal turns south
but immediately curves back around to continue north westerly. The Sheffield to Worksop railway is now very
close on the northern side but road access is non-existent until Kiveton Park is reached (about 2 miles above
the top lock). Both the canal and the towpath are in good condition all the way to Norwood Tunnel.
Kiveton Park
At Kiveton Park the canal is crossed by Packman Lane. This is the nearest parking place to
Norwood Tunnel and there is a railway station right alongside the canal. The towpath from here to the tunnel
mouth (a distance of about 600 yards) had just been rebuilt when I was here in 1997. Stone walling was still
being built and the canal itself had only just been "restored". Of course there are no boats and no way for any
boats to get here (yet).
As the waterway continues west it passes a water feeder which keeps the whole of the eastern
side of the canal in water. Although the feeder enters the canal on the north bank it actually comes from
Harthill Reservoir which is about 1½ miles to the south. The outfall of the feeder has been made into a
cascading waterfall and a winding hole has been created at its point of entry. When all the locks to the east
are restored, this will be the head of navigation until Norwood Tunnel is restored.
Norwood Tunnel
The eastern portal of the tunnel is soon reached though the cutting is a lot more open than
some tunnel approaches on other canals. Initial investigations have shown the tunnel to be in good condition
for the first few hundred yards but further inside, below the point where Hard Lane crosses the tunnel, is the
site of a roof collapse (see my Roots section for details).
In 1997 I stood on the parapet above the tunnel while my wife took mug shots. The actual
entrance to the tunnel was bricked up and the tunnel has been plugged with concrete to prevent people from
venturing inside, unfortunately this currently includes the restorers! However, help may be at hand because the
local Unitary Development Plan wants to dig out coal from just beneath the tunnel by means of open cast mining,
this could greatly help the restorers as it would open out the tunnel. However, it could also greatly hinder
them because they will have to wait for the coal to be removed before they can gain access. A similar situation
further west took 10 years to resolve. If the plan goes ahead it will mean the current tunnel will be removed
and replaced by a newly landscaped, open channel. At the present mid-point of the tunnel a marina could be
built and then either another open section or part of the original tunnel will carry the route to Norwood
Locks. However, none of this will happen if the mining scheme is cancelled. The restorers will then face the
problem of restoring the whole tunnel. But there is clearly plenty of optimism because mooring bollards have
already been placed along the canal beside the tunnel mouth.
It is interesting (?) to note that the Chesterfield Canal is the only British waterway to
pass through Rhodesia and then tunnel under Wales! These, of course, are not countries but local villages. The
new marina would be situated close to Wales. Whatever happens concerning the open cast mining, the canal
society know that some of the tunnel will have to be restored as it provides a ready-made route under the M1
motorway.
Although it is possible to walk across the top of Norwood Tunnel it is not an easy (or
pretty) walk at present. The rough path passes through a mining area which is often boggy and unclear. Having
said this, it is a right of way and was, of course, the route that canal horses took while their boats passed
through the tunnel. Unlike them, you will have to negotiate the M1 Motorway! Don't worry, an underpass has been
provided. As I haven't tried this path, I am unsure where (or how easily) you will find the canal at the far
end.
Back to Top
Norwood Locks
My description of the Chesterfield Canal continues to follow the canal westwards. However,
if you are to visit the western end of Norwood Tunnel (and the Norwood Locks), you will probably do the
following section in reverse order. See the end of this section for instructions on where to park and how to
gain access to the canal.
The western portal of Norwood Tunnel is bricked up though it has an access grille set into
it. The view through the grille reveals a pile of spoil on the other side which goes right up to the roof.
The steep climb down from the summit to the Rother Valley begins within a few yards of the
western portal. There are 13 locks in the Norwood Flight, all of them crammed into a ½ mile stretch of waterway
which heads south west between the M1 and the A618. The top 4 locks are in a staircase (numbered 16 to 19 from
the Chesterfield end of the canal). These lead from the tunnel mouth to a basin where boats used to wait before
passing through the tunnel. The locks were very overgrown when I was here in 1997 and there was no clear path
alongside them. In fact, it was so overgrown - or I was so confused(!) - that I didn't see the locks clearly or
manage to reach the tunnel mouth! Today it is much easier; there is a gate close to the house alongside the
basin. From here you can skirt around the north side of the basin, after about 100 yards the path bears left up
past the flight of 4 locks. Just before you reach a stile, you can scramble down to the right to find the
tunnel portal.
The basin below the 4-lock staircase was being used by a Fisheries company when I was here
in 1997. On that sunny summer day the basin was being put to good use by a dozen or more fishermen. The
Fisheries was based in old canal buildings alongside the basin and the area also contains a lock cottage beside
the top lock of the next staircase of 3 (numbers 15 to 13). This cottage is now a private house, its front
garden contains lock 15 (now converted into a small waterfall) and at the back is a huge side pond. Right next
door (close to lock 13) is another house, this one was originally a mill. The whole scene was surprisingly
picturesque though the biggest surprise of all came when I looked closely into the canal - it was full of gold
fish. This is just about the only place on any derelict canal where I've thought restoration would actually
spoil the scene! However, when I originally wrote this page in 1997 I said "if the canal is to be restored then
the ponds and the gold fish will have to go. Serious negotiations have been going on with the private land
owners for many years". It appears that this problem may have been solved(?) because I am told that the
Fisheries company has now gone and there are no longer any gold fish in the canal.
A lot of work is needed to restore this lock flight because some of the locks have been
filled in to within a foot of their tops or altered in other ways. For instance, (as mentioned above) lock 15
is now a waterfall while lock 14 has been built over to provide access to the converted canalside houses.
Between locks 13 and 12 is a large pond and the next 3 locks (12 to 10) (which are also in a staircase of 3)
have been completely filled in. Spotting the site of these locks is not difficult as they are situated next to
a tennis court. Only the coping stones of the top chamber are visible.
The final 3 locks on the Norwood Flight (numbers 9 to 7) are also in a staircase of 3. At
the bottom of the flight is a lock cottage which was once whitewashed and described as "attractive". I am told
it is now stone-clad and could best be described as "not very attractive"! Once upon a time this very large
house was a canalside inn but the current owners (1997) are somewhat hostile towards canal restoration. They've
recently planted hedges (I'm told they are Leylandii) along the side of the bottom lock which runs right in
front of their living room window. This would leave no room for people to work the lock if it was allowed to
remain in this state - but you also have to sympathise with the people who live in the house. I expect the
canal was dead (and as good as buried) when they moved in. How many of us would fancy a lock and canal suddenly
being built right in front of our living room window.... well, actually - I would - but I'm sure you know what
I mean!?
Below the bottom lock is a large winding hole which wasn't looking too healthy when I saw it
in 1997, though its stagnant water was a very pretty red colour! According to one guide book, an "elegant"
accommodation bridge crosses the waterway nearby. Elegant is one description, "dilapidated" is another.
The A618 crosses the route of the canal about 200 yards west of this old accommodation
bridge. When I was here in 1997 the walk along the towpath to the main road was not easy. In some parts the
path had subsided and was sloping dangerously towards the bright green canal water. I'm told that the path is
in much better condition now and my previous instructions to avoid it can be ignored.
As mentioned above, if you visit Norwood you are most likely to see it in reverse order
compared to my description above. This is because the easiest access is from the A618 (Rotherham Road) which is
at the bottom of the Norwood Flight. Close to the former canal bridge is The Angel pub which has a car park
("patrons only") and just uphill from the pub on the right hand side is a bridleway sign, at the entrance to
which there is off-road parking. If you start at this end of the lock flight you can access the canal either
from the former Gannow Lane Bridge (on the main road) or use the lane (sign-posted as a bridleway) which begins
just north of the pub, heading east through trees towards the canal. This is now said to be a tarmac road
(although it was a rough track in 1997) and it leads past the first 3 staircases to the top of the lock flight.
I read that this road was private, I am now informed it is a public right of way - obviously this is part of
the ongoing arguments over the rights to restore the lock flight for navigation but either way you should not
encounter any problems.
Back to Top
Killamarsh
Gannow Lane Bridge (on the A618) has long since been flattened but as the canal crosses
under the road it also passes from South Yorkshire into Derbyshire. To the west of the crossing the canal is in
water with lots of reeds, and very close to the lowered bridge crossing is the remains of the Norwood Colliery
wharf. This is massively stone built with evidence of possible tippler type mechanisms. Over the next ½ mile
the canal takes on a severe loop and then disappears where it used to enter Killamarsh.
The section of canal through Killamarsh is the only part of the whole route to have been
filled in and built on. New houses stand on the former canal bed and restoration along the original route is
out of the question. A feasibility study has been made to find the best (cheapest) way of bypassing the
village. One idea is to use a former railway line which runs to the west of the original route. The River
Rother could also be made navigable to allow passage around the village. However, these plans would need
considerable lengths of brand new canal, new locks would be needed to take the waterway down into the river and
then more new locks would be needed to bring it back up to rejoin the original route. It would also be
difficult to fund because the derelict land funding which applies to most other sections of the route could not
apply here in the Rother Valley Country Park. However, if a brand new line was to be built, it would start the
ball rolling for a whole new waterway linking the Chesterfield Canal to the Sheffield & South Yorkshire
Navigations.
The missing route through Killamarsh used to begin at the north east side of the village. It
passed under the B6058, Sheffield Road, a few hundred yards west of the A618 junction. In 1971 Ronald Russell
wrote that Belk Lane Lock was clinging to life beneath the road bridge. This was the last lock on the climb
down from Norwood. In 1971 it still had a bottom gate - albeit hanging off its hinges - but now there is no
trace of the lock at all.
South of Sheffield Road the canal turned and twisted through Killamarsh, passing a church,
crossing under Nethermoor Lane and what is now Kirkcroft Avenue parallel to the north side of Kirkcroft Lane. I
found the canal's former route in the centre of the Killamarsh at Bridge Street. It arrived from the north east
but was no more than a rough grassy area (not even a path). However, I have seen an old photograph showing the
view looking east from the former Bridge Street bridge, the canal was busy and lined with houses - now all
gone.
The bridge on Bridge Street was called Mallinder's Bridge but there is absoltely no trace of
it today though to the west of Bridge Street there is a clear path where the canal used to run between Peacock
Close and a cul-de-sac still called Canal Bridge. It wound its way between houses and passed under Walford
Road. At Field Lane it turned sharply left and travelled directly south for about 2 miles towards Spinkhill.
This stretch is not original but was built in 1890 to replace a section which was wiped out when a railway was
built a little further to the west. Part of this dead-straight "new" cut has been restored and is used by a
fishery company.
Spinkhill
At the southern end of the straight cut the route becomes dry again and is filled in as it
passes under Spinkhill Bridge. The dry route curves around on a clockwise horseshoe bend on which is the site
of an old aqueduct which has also been filled in.
Renishaw
Beyond the horseshoe bend the canal straightens out as it reaches the very high bridge on
Station Road (the A616 - listed on some maps as the A6135) at Renishaw. There is a great view down the valley
and across to Chesterfield from this bridge though the view down onto the canal is not so good. This was once a
very busy area, the former railway line runs very close (and parallel) to the canal and Renishaw station used
to be right beside the waterway just south of the road bridge. Nothing whatsoever is left of the old station, a
plaque on the side of the road bridge is the only reminder of its existence. Today, the canal reappears in
water on the south side of this bridge, in fact, the length alongside the village of Renishaw has been fully
restored since 1995. This short restored section can be accessed from the A616 bridge or from Hague Bridge to
the south. Again I have seen pictures of this area in working days. There used to be a huge ironworks by the
side of the canal but all traces have now gone.
Mastin Moor
South of Renishaw the canal only survives in fits and starts. It could well be completely
wiped out if plans for open cast mining go ahead. Although this would mean the loss of the original line, the
Coal Board have agreed (as they did further west) to landscape the area when they're finished, this would
include a brand new canal cut. Sadly, it would not include the reinstatement of Norbriggs Cutting, a short
canal branch line which used to run south to the A619 near Mastin Moor.
This arm served a number of purposes including being a water feeder for the main line,
bringing much needed supplies from the nearby River Doe Lea. Its main use however was in providing a link with
the Worksop to Chesterfield Turnpike (the A619). A transhipment yard was built at the head of the branch and
there was also a tramway which ran to a local colliery leased by the canal company. South of the A619 the line
of the narrow feeder can be seen coming in from the River Doe Lea.
Just past the junction of Norbriggs Cutting the main line crosses the small River Doe Lea on
a puddle bank and aqueduct, this may also be lost if open cast mining goes ahead. Open cast mining is not the
only development being planned in this area, to the south of Renishaw.
The Staveley and Brimington bypass has been talked about for years, it will arrive on the
canal scene about 1½ miles south of Renishaw having come straight from junction 30 of the M1. It will meet the
canal at the point where the waterway turns south west towards Staveley.
This is no accident, it is coming this way because the plan is to build the road directly on
top of the disused canal bed. It took a lot of negotiating by the canal society, backed by local councils, to
get the government to agree to fund the construction of a new canal cut alongside the new road. The canal will
revert to its original line from Staveley into Chesterfield though the new bypass will never be far away.
Staveley
In Staveley the canal is currently dry and at Hall Lane bridge it is completely filled in.
However, better news is just around the next corner (literally)... The whole line of the Chesterfield Canal
from Mill Green (lane), on the west side of Staveley, into Chesterfield has now been restored, all the locks
are usable and the towpaths have been reinstated by the local council. However, boats cannot yet reach Staveley
from Chesterfield due to flattened bridges which block the waterway. (To my knowledge there is now (January
2002) just one remaining blockage - see below). Of course even when all blockages are removed, this section of
canal will still be isolated from the rest of the canal network until everything to east has also been
restored.
Back to Top
New Brimington
Heading west out of Staveley the canal soon moves into New Brimington close to the famous
Staveley Ironworks. The original site of the works was right along the northern banks of the canal though it
has now moved further away. About 200 yards before reaching Works Road the canal passes a derelict junction on
the north bank. The canal which once began at this junction used to run into the grounds of the ironworks and
before the works were built (c1890) this arm was actually the main line of the canal. The works were built on
the original line and the main line we see today was built to replace it.
Very close to the old canal entrance into the ironworks, but on the southern bank, is one of
Britain's strangest canal oddities! It is easy to miss the small grille covering an opening in the hillside but
believe it or not this was once an underground canal - known as Hollingwood Common Canal Tunnel. It lead to a
number of coal seems and was used by special boats, 21 feet long and containing 7 "tubs" which carried coal
from underground to the main line of the canal. The tubs could be hoisted by crane and emptied into more
traditional canal craft. I have no information on how these tunnel boats were "powered", were they "legged"
through the tunnel, "flushed" or maybe pulled on ropes or chains? The tunnel was just 6 feet high and 5 feet 9
inches wide with a water depth of 2 feet. Apparently it was almost 2 miles long.
Beyond the forgotten tunnel is Works Road bridge followed immediately by the first lock on
this restored section of canal. This is Hollingwood Lock (No.5) which begins the climb back up out of the
Rother Valley. Just above the lock are the remains of a railway bridge while alongside the lock is a brick
built lock cottage. Both the lock and the cottage were built in the late 19th century when the canal was
re-routed due to the building of Staveley Ironworks. The works have now been moved and where they used to stand
(on the north side of the lock) the land has been cleared of buildings but it is now overgrown and desolate. It
is something of a grim area - made worse for me when I was here in 1997 by a freezing cold rainy day - but I
found it very interesting none the less.
Dixon's Lock
West of Lock 5 the canal passes through former colliery land on which Dixon's Lock (No.4)
used to stand. This lock was removed by restorers and a completely new one was built a few hundred yards
further east. This is the lock which took 10 years to build because the restorers had to wait for the Coal
Board to complete open cast mining. However, the new lock was funded by the Coal Board who also rebuilt the
canal leading up to the lock. An unusual hump-backed tail bridge has been built at the lock - said to look
rather small in construction.
Less than ½ a mile further west is Bilby Lane but the bridge on this lane awaits restoration
and currently blocks the canal. Once Bilby Lane bridge is restored the canal will be open to boats from
Staveley, all the way into Chesterfield.
Bluebank Lock
The restored Bluebank Lock (No.3) is about ¾ of a mile west of Bilby Lane. The channel on
both sides of the lock is both wide and deep. The remains of a wooden boat approximately 35-40 feet long can be
seen at the lockside. Bluebank Lock appears to be remote from any road though the Rotherham to Chesterfield
railway swings in from the north and stays close for the rest of the journey. The towpath here is now popular
as it is part of a waymarked trail called the Bluebank Loop.
Note: It is now some 7 years since I first read about the proposed
Chesterfield bypass - and it is said to have first been talked about in 1927 - it is felt that the road will
probably never be built.
Brimington
Immediately after Bluebank Lock the canal swings south on its final run into Chesterfield.
Just north of the B6050 (Station Road, Brimington) is Wheedlon Mill Lock (No.2) which was the last to be
restored on this section. Wheeldon Mill Bridge and Station Road Bridge still needed unblocking and/or altering
to navigable dimensions when I was here in 1997 though both have now been rebuilt. Alongside Station Road
Bridge is The Mill pub with gardens on the non-towpath side. The short stretch between Wheeldon Lock and the
pub had been very recently cleaned up when I visited in 1997 and it is still a pleasant area today.
The section to the south of Station Road was the first part of the disused canal to be
reopened. This includes Tapton Lock (No.1) which is situated at Lockoford Lane just before the new A619 crosses
the route. It took a lot of pressure from the Canal Society to prevent this road from blocking the canal when
it was built. Eventually the authorities agreed to create a box bridge (known locally as Tapton Tunnel) which
allows boats to pass through the embankment beneath the busy road.
Beside Tapton Lock there is a canal visitor centre run by Derbyshire County Council. Drinks,
snacks, tourist leaflets and books are available here and trips along the canal can be taken on the narrowboat
'John Varley'.
Chesterfield
Beyond Tapton Lock the route runs alongside the small River Rother in a fairly deep valley.
The canal is quiet and pretty though up above are urban areas, industry and busy roads. Tapton Lock (No.1) is
not actually the first lock on the canal. About ½ a mile south is Tapton Mill Bridge with a flood lock just
beyond it. Tapton Mill Bridge is used to take the towpath from one side to the other. Presumably Tapton Mill
once stood near to the bridge?
I was very disappointed when I visited Tapton Mill Lock in 1997. I'd read news items and
seen photographs in guide books which show the canal restored with small boats on it. The towpath in these
photographs was well kept and the water was clear. This section was reopened in 1993 but if something is not
done soon it will need restoring again! By 2001 the towpath was becoming overgrown again, the water was green
and it didn't look like it had seen a boat since the reopening. However, John Lower, the editor of the
Chesterfield Canal Trust Magazine "Cuckoo", tells me 'the canal now has a proper ranger service in action, the
towpath and canal from Chesterfield to Staveley is being properly maintained and looks a picture'.
This area can be reached either by walking along the towpath or from Wharf Lane (off
Sheffield Road) to the north of Chesterfield town centre (on the west side of the canal). I assume Wharf Lane
once ran to the canal near Tapton Mill Lock but the new A61 (Chesterfield Relief Road) has blocked it. A
footbridge now crosses the main road giving access to the canal from Wharf Lane.
Not surprisingly, once upon a time there was a wharf at Wharf Lane though its site is now a
timber yard which can be seen from the footbridge that crosses the A61 (Chesterfield Relief Road). The original
basin here was built in 1777 though there is very little trace of anything from that time. Around 1890 a
railway was built running parallel to the west bank of the canal. This cut right through the site of the
original basin necessitating the building of a new wharf further south (see below). (By the way, the bed of the
railway is now the A61)!
From Tapton Mill Lock, through the trees to the south, you can just see Chesterfield's
famous crooked church spire in the distance. Continuing along the towpath towards the spire is becoming more
difficult as time passes. Although it is a well used path, it is becoming increasingly more overgrown and
sometimes very muddy. This was poor when I was here in 1997 and I'm told this was still the case in 2001.
Just a few yards to the south of Tapton Mill Lock is the point where the Chesterfield Canal
comes to an end and runs into the River Rother. The canal was originally planned to cross the river on the
level and continue south into Chesterfield. However, money was short and the company decided instead to use the
Rother itself - although they never had official permission to do this. The navigation continued for a few
hundred yards, past wharves and warehouses, to a point close to the town centre. I walked along this river
stretch in 1997, I think it could best be described as "nearly pretty". The river itself is not too bad but the
footpath side is lined with ugly wire or metal fences and factories. The path was a little overgrown, nettles
and bushes having to be avoided. If this area is to be reopened to navigation, a lot will have to be done to
attract holiday makers to leave their boats and walk into the town.
The footpath crosses the river just before the end of the line. The path opens out into
Holbeck Close where a number of businesses and lorry depots are now situated. This was once Chesterfield wharf,
built here in 1890 to replace the earlier basins on Wharf Road (see above). At the end of Holbeck Close is
Brimington Road (B6543) which leads to the town centre. The navigation officially ended at the Brimington Road
bridge.
All in all the Chesterfield Canal is a very interesting waterway and somewhat surprising in
places like Retford and Worksop. The currently unnavigable section up to Norwood is very pleasant but the
western side leaves a lot to be desired. I wonder just how much boaters will really want to see Renishaw,
Staveley, the Brimington bypass and Chesterfield? But things change fast, desolate areas are now being
landscaped and by the time the canal reaches Chesterfield it could be surrounded by parks and brand new
housing. Well - we can all dream, can't we!
Copyright © Peter Hardcastle, 1997- 2002 (with additional info
from Chris de Wet, 2001 and John Lower, 2002).
I must give a BIG thanks to Chris de Wet who seems to have spent most of 2001 on the
derelict parts of the Chesterfield Canal. Without his updates and additional info this (huge) page would now be
wildly out of date. Thank You.
Back to Top
| 