Your floating hotel on the Canals and Rivers of the UK

Our guide to the waterways of the UK in detail.

The history of the Macclesfield Canal.

By 1804 the Peak Forest canal had been finished providing an exit to Manchester for the limestone of the Peak Forest district. There was an obvious need for a direct link from the Peak Forest canal to the Trent and Mersey but it was not authorised until 1826. It was completed by 1831 to run from Hall Green on the Trent & Mersey to Marple on the Peak Forest canal It would be 26 miles with the one flight of locks at Boseley.

It provided a new outlet for limestone from the Peak Forest as well as vital connections to the 'silk' towns in between. At first trade was good but then in 1846 it was taken over by the 'Great Central Railway Company' and a slow but steady decline started.

The decline was reversed by the efforts of the newly created Inland Waterways Association in the 1970's concerned to ensure the retention of the Cheshire ring of which this canal was a vital part.

Sources.

Nicholson Guides to the Waterways.

Some pictures of this canal?

Pictures of the Macclesfield canal.

General information on the canal.

Find our information about other canals on the canal index page.

If you have any questions then do ring us on 07977 229103
or email us at martinreed@reedboats.co.uk