The Chesterfield Canal
The Chesterfield Canal was designed by James Brindley, building commenced in 1771 and was completed in 1777. At that time, with its double, treble and quadruple staircase locks, it was very advanced for its time.
The star feature was the Norwood Tunnel, at over one and a half miles long it was one of the longest canal tunnels in the country at its time.
Opening up Norwood Tunnel:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqlSqvWEq5k
The major trade was in coal but the most famous cargo was the stone to rebuild the Houses of Parliament after the great fire of 1834. The stone was quarried at North Anston, taken by canal to West Stockwith and then along the Trent, Humber, North Sea and the Thames into London.
‘Cuckoo Boats’ (a type of low Narrowboat used on this canal) would hire boats out to transport goods along the canal and goods arriving at West Stockwith would be transferred to ships to take them to other markets along the Trent.
In 1907 the Norwood Tunnel collapsed, the railways were taking over and the canals were going into decline. The tunnel was never repaired so Chesterfield was cut off. Luckily in 1968 the Retford & Worksop Boat club, after much campaigning, successfully lifted the threat to close the canal - although only the 26 miles from West Stockwith to Worksop was navigable.
Worksop to the Norwood Tunnel is now navigable (when there is sufficient water!). We were so lucky to be on the Chesterfield when we were, as after we left, the long spell of hot weather with no rain for ages meant that there was not enough water in the dam at the Norwood Tunnel end to feed the canal so boaters were unable to navigate to the end - there has also since been some vandalism and a wall collapsed into the canal - problem after problem!
We therefore feel incredibly privileged to have reached the end as it is the most beautiful stretch of the canal.
We absolutely loved the Chesterfield Canal- there were hardly any other boaters and it is just so tranquil - the water is crystal clear and teeming with fish, the locals and the Chesterfield Canal Trust love and care for this canal so much and we genuinely couldn’t understand why more boaters weren’t there.
It seems that the tidal River Trent puts many people off - but it really isn’t that scary - the lock keepers are fantastic and guide you expertly into the locks and as we’ve already mentioned you can join a fantastic Facebook group called Trentlink.
