History of the Hatherton Canal

The canal was opened in 1841 as a branch of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal from Calf Heath to Churchbridge, near Cannock. The construction of a flight of locks at Churchbridge in 1860 - reputed to be the best-designed locks in Britain - created a through-route to the Birmingham Canal Navigations. The canal carried goods for 100 years, before being abandoned in the 1950s due to mining subsidence.

A major restoration scheme has seen towpaths restored and a short tunnel built under the new M6 Toll motorway. A second tunnel, under the original M6, and several locks will need to be rebuilt before boats can pass along the Hatherton Canal once again.