David Oakes - Images, Derbyshire, Everyday Heritage, Everyday Life, Industrial Heritage, Peace, postaday, Shardlow, Trent and Mersey Canal, Trivia, U.K.Travel

The Inland Port of Shardlow

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The Navigation Warehouse, Shardlow, Derbyshire

Seems very strange to have a Port, and once a very busy Port, here in Derbyshire, at perhaps the furthest most point from the sea, here in middle England.  But Shardlow was built on the newly built Trent and Mersey Canal, an inspired link designed by James Brindley in 1760, and completed over the 1770’s.  An amazing feat of engineering and hard labour, by workmen who became known as known a navvies…. an abbreviation of ‘Navigators’ as canals were often referred to as ‘navigations’…. man made waterways.

The Trent and Mersey established a vital economic link between Hull on the East coast and Liverpool on the West, and making use of the Rivers Trent and Mersey, its  90+ mile route passing through the Potteries, and the expanding northern industrial regions.

Today Shardlow is quiet by comparison to its historic past, but a great place to walk and ponder on what was once a vital highway.

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 A little piece of our Industrial past….  but a vital piece of the transport jigsaw…

 The inland port of Shardlow is both the start and finishing points of a major engineering achievement…

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It was Spring again today and this canal side walk was just perfect.

Friday and the weekend is ahead…. enjoy…. and as always….

Please Remember ….

Stay Safe …. Be Kind…. Look After Each Other

26th April

(C) David Oakes 2024

26th April

(C) David Oakes 2024

7 thoughts on “The Inland Port of Shardlow”

    1. They built it by hand, filled it with water and had it up and running in less time than HS2. Eventually the canal company was bought out by a railway company to kill off the possible competition.

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    1. For us this year Spring has been a bit of a sh out… so yesterday’s sunshine was special, but it was also the first day with little or no breeze… great for reflections. :-)

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