Borders 6

The original route adapted as a nature reserve. Ray Shill 876792

Original Course of Montgomeryshire Canal, and flattened bridge
Powys Council, like Shropshire Council, flattened bridges for road improvement, although in their
case such work was done in the 1980s when restoration of the canal was gaining momentum. Bridge
120 was replaced with a modern structure at the general road level so that motorists would avoid
the inconvenience of the original hump backed structure. With the program of restoration, the new
length in navigation as far as Bridge 129 Refail Bridge. Ray Shill 876799

151

CRT Workers repairing footbridge 113, Montgomery Canal
The isolated 11½ miles of canal from Arddlin to Refail is looked after by the Canal & River Trust,
as well as sections currently under restoration. It is a workload that keeps of team of workers busy.
Ray Shill 876635

152

The Limestone Trade

Limestone was an important cargo on the borders canals. Taken from the extensive quarries above
Llanymynech and Pant, the stone was carried by boat, and burnt in kilns, often to suit the needs of
agriculture.

Kilns placed along the banks of the canal used the falling gradient to place the top of the kiln at
towpath level, so that limestone and coal could be barrowed to the top of the kiln and tipped inside.
Once inside, the limestone was burnt with coal or slack to create lime. It was a slow process, and
one that was an unhealthy occupation for the lime burners. Yet once burnt through, the kiln charge
was removed from the base for sale. Many of the kilns were of a size that fitted within the bank,
but there were larger operations where the kiln was taller and larger, such as the shaft kilns at
Llanymynech. Later, as technology improved, the Hoffman Kiln provided a more efficient mode
of burning the limestone. Limekilns locations include:

Ellesmere & Chester Canal

1 Ellesmere Canal - Froncysyllte, shaft and canal side kilns
2 Ellesmere Canal - Val Hill, east of Bridge 66
3 Ellesmere Canal - South of Bridge 60
4 Ellesmere Canal - East of Bridge 55, Little Mill Bridge
5 Ellesmere Canal - Bridge 50, Hampton Bank
6 Ellesmere Canal - Bridge 42, Tilstock Park Lift Bridge
7 Ellesmere Canal - Grindley Brook
8 Hordley Branch - Shade Oak, Wharf
9 Hordley Branch - Weston Wharf
10 Llanymynech Branch - by Bridge 75, Corbetts Bridge
11 Llanymynech Branch - near Bridge 83
12 Llanymynech Branch - Pant
13 Llanymynech Branch - Llanymynech 3 stages - early canal side, shaft kilns and Hoffman
14 Llantisilio Branch - Trevor Uchaf, at top of incline
15 Llantisilio Branch - Trevor (Wrights), at top of incline
16 Prees Branch - near Starks Lift Bridge
17 Prees Branch - Quina Brook, near Wem
18 Prees Branch - Waterloo Wharf
19 Plas Kynaston Canal - Near Trevor

Montgomeryshire Canal

20 Montgomeryshire (Eastern Branch) - Clafton Bridge, Four Crosses
21 Montgomeryshire (Eastern Branch) - Maerdy Bridge
22 Montgomeryshire (Eastern Branch) - Buttington

153

Notable Structures on the Border Canals

Ellesmere Canal (Frwdd Branch) Grade II SJ330547-SJ335550
Grade II
Branch constructed (basin-colliery) Grade II SJ625553
Grade II SJ624552
Ellesmere & Chester Canal SJ623552
Grade II SJ623551
Hurleston Locks Grade II SJ623553
Hurleston Lock 1 SJ617548
Hurleston Lock 2 Grade II SJ617526
Hurleston Lock 3 Grade II SJ614521
Hurleston Lock 4 Grade II SJ609499
Grade II* SJ608496
Hurleston Reservoir SJ607492
Bachehouse Bridge Grade II* SJ594248
Swanley No 2 Lock SJ590480
Swanley No 1 Lock Grade II SJ584476
Baddiley No 3 Lock Grade II SJ562464
Baddiley No 2 Lock Grade II SJ538462
Baddiley No 1 Lock SJ534451
Wrenbury Church Lift Bridge SJ534451
Wrenbury Lift Bridge SJ532446
Wrenbury Frith Lift Bridge
Marbury Lock SJ523434
Quoisley Lock SJ523431
Willeymoor Lock SJ523433-524431
Willeymoor Lock Stables SJ523428
Povey’s Lock & spillway SJ524327
LNWR Railway Bridge

(Chester-Whitchurch)
SU Warehouse Grindley Brook
Grindley Brook Locks 4-6
Grindley Brook Staircase (1-3)
Warehouses

154

Lift Bridge 31 Grade II SJ527416
Hassell’s No 1 Lift Bridge 33 SJ521411
Hassell’s No 2 Lift Bridge 34 Grade II SJ518410
Cambrian Railway Bridge Grade II SJ514394
Platt Lane Bridge (43) SJ510364
Roundthorne Bridge (44) Grade II SJ500357
Whixall Moss Roving Bridge (46) Grade II SJ478353
Bettisfield Wharf SJ461355
Clapping Gate Bridge (49) Grade II SJ457355
Hampton Bank Bridge (50) Grade II SJ450344
Greaves Bridge (52) Grade II SJ439338
Lyneal Wharf & Bridge (53) SJ439335
Miss Each Bridge Grade II SJ434335
Burns Wood Bridge (56) Grade II* SJ420337
Ellesmere Tunnel Grade II* SJ412340
Ellesmere Yard and Offices Grade II
Grade II SJ400342
Beech House 1 (cottage) Grade II SJ400342
Beech House 2-6 Grade II SJ400342
Offices, Stables, Dry Dock Grade II SJ400341
Blacksmiths Shop & Joiners Shop Grade II SJ391337
Stanks Bridge (60) Grade II SJ385329
Cottage at Coachmans Bridge SJ385329
Coachmans Bridge (62) Grade II SJ385322
Val Hill No 1 (64) SJ345327
Broom Bridge (67) Grade II SJ374318
Prices Bridge (68) Grade II SJ370318
Frankton Junction Grade II SJ369317
Frankton Staircase Grade II SJ368316- SJ368315
Frankton Single Locks (2) SJ368310
Lockgate Bridge (71) Grade II SJ365305
Graham Palmer Lock Grade II SJ359297
Perry Aqueduct SJ363298-SJ357279
Rednall Branch via Berrywood 155 SJ352378
Rednall Interchange Basin SJ352276
Shrewsbury & Chester Railway Bridge SJ351276
Rednall Wharf and Warehouse SJ350276
Heath House Bridge (74) SJ342270
Corbetts Bridge (75) SJ339268
Barge House SJ336264-SJ32858
Aston Locks SJ313250
Maesbury Wharf SJ313250
Crane (Iron) SJ313250
Maesbury Bridge (79) SJ293235
Crickheath Wharf SJ277223
Pant Wharf

Railway Bridge SJ272213
SJ274218
Limekilns, Llanymynech Grade II SJ259206

Wern Aqueduct

Ellesmere & Chester Canal (Ellesmere Branch)

Junction Bridge Grade II SJ400343
Warehouse SJ399345
Terminus Basin, Ellesmere SJ398345

Ellesmere & Chester Canal (Llangollen Branch)

Rowson’s Bridge (70) Grade II SJ369318
Nicholls Bridge (2) SJ365310
Mastermyn House Bridge (4) Grade II SJ355325
Pollets Bridge (6) Grade II SJ348327
Brooms Bridge (7) Grade II SJ345327
Paddock Bridge No 1 (8) Grade II SJ344328
Paddock Bridge No 2 (9) SJ339329
Cambrian Railway Bridge Grade II SJ336329
Hindford Bridge Grade II SJ335331
New Marton Bottom Lock SJ330341
New Marton Former Lock Cottage Scheduled Monument SJ328347
New Marton Top Lock Grade II SJ329347
St Martin’s Moor Warehouses Grade II* SJ313357
1.4km section at Chirk Bank SJ297370-SJ287372
Chirk Bank Bridge Grade I SJ292371
Chirk Aqueduct SJ287373
Chirk Tunnel SJ284376-SJ286373
Whitehouse Tunnel SJ286402-SJ286400
Whitehouse Bridge SJ286404
Irish Bridge SJ286407
Aqueduct SJ283408
Froncysyllte Lime Kilns SJ274413
Fron Lift Bridge & Footbridge SJ272413
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct SJ270420
Dry Dock SJ272424
Scotch Hall Bridge SJ272425
Interchange Basin SJ273425

Ellesmere & Chester Canal (Middlewich Branch)

Sutton Road Bridge (31) Grade II SJ704657
St Anne’s Road Bridge (30) Grade II SJ703656
Aqueduct (Nantwich Road) Grade II SJ697657

156

River Wheelock Aqueduct Grade II SJ695697
Cattle Bridge, Stanthorne Grade II SJ692657
Stanthorne Lock Grade II SJ692657
Grand Junction Railway Bridge SJ677645
River Weaver Aqueduct Grade II SJ664589
Minshull Wharf SJ671607
Minshull Lock SJ664585
Crewe & Chester Railway Bridge SJ636577
Cholmondeston Lock SJ633576
Barbridge Junction SJ613571

Ellesmere & Chester Canal (Prees Branch)

Roving Bridge House Grade II SJ489351
Allman’s Bridge (Lift) (1) Grade II* SJ491349
Dobson’s Bridge (3) Grade II SJ492342
Squinch Bridge (drainage channel) Grade II SJ491349
Boodles Bridge Grade II SJ497337
Edstaston Wharf SJ517322
Quina Brook terminus SJ522328

Ellesmere & Chester (Waterline)

Horsehoe Falls, Llantisilio SJ196433
Pentre-felin Wharf SJ205436
Llangollen Wharf SJ215423
Trevor Uchaf Quarry wharf SJ242424
Junction SJ271422

Ellesmere & Chester (Bala Lake)

Feeder from Lake to River Dee SH929352-SH937356

Ellesmere & Chester (Weston Branch)

Wharf, Hordley SJ381312
Wharf, Lower Hordley SJ395292
Wharf, Shade Oak SJ413276
Weston Wharf SJ420256

Ellesmere & Chester Canal (Whitchurch Branch)

Junction SJ528535

157

Present terminus SJ531415
Warehouse and original terminus SJ541415

Montgomery Canal (Eastern Canal) SJ255219-SJ254203
SJ253202-SJ254203
Feeder Grade II SJ254196
Carreghofa Locks SJ252146
Vyrnwy Aqueduct SJ260128
Burgeddin Locks SJ257125
Bank Lock SJ257122
Cabin Lock SJ256116
Crowther Lock SJ242089
Pool Quay Lock SJ227076
Buttington Wharf SJ227076
Welshpool & Llanfair Railway Bridge SJ227076
Lledan Brook Aqueduct SJ226073
Warehouse SJ215052-SJ216053
Lock and Watermill site SJ201024
Belan Locks SJ198023
Brithdir Lock SJ187006
Luggy Aqueduct SJ194991
Berriew Aqueduct
Garthmyl Bridge SO190987
SO173970
Montgomery Canal (Western Canal) SO165961
SO163954
Aqueduct (Llifior Brook) SO157945
Red House Turn Bridge (142) SO152944
Bryn Turn Bridge (144) SO133935
Brynderwyn Lock SO138930
Byles Lock SO139927-SO138930
Newhouse Lock SO132925
Aberbechan Aqueduct SO124923
Freestone Lock SO116921
Feeder SO115916
Dolfor Lock
Rock Lock SJ236128
Pumping Station SJ229125
Newtown Basin

Montgomery Canal (Guilsfield Branch)

Lower Varchoel Bridge
Tyddyn Wharf

158

Also published or distributed by Canal Book Shop - www.canalbookshop.co.uk
159

Pickering’s Canal

Entrance Bridge SJ273426
Branch Terminus SJ277424

Trent & Mersey Canal (Wardle Branch) SJ705657
SJ705656
Wardle Lock Grade II
Lock Cottage Grade II

160