Heritage Trail: Destination Wigan - Route 2
Route facts
Waterways:
Leeds & Liverpool Canal »
Starts at: Arley Hall
Ends at: Wigan Pier
Discover Wigan's industrial past and present beauty.
Running through the heart of Wigan is the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, the longest canal in the country. Upon completion in 1816, the canal connected the River Aire in Yorkshire to the Mersey Basin; some 127 miles; reached via 92 locks.
The canal was responsible for bringing prosperity to the towns of Wigan and Leigh, and promoted the key industries of coal and cotton. These traditional industries may now have gone, but evidence of them can still be found, as well as many other features of interest along the canal.
Waypoints
1. Arley Hall
Begin the Trail at Arley Hall and Woods. The hall itself is one of best surviving moated homesteads built in the 18th century. Now home to Wigan Golf Club. The surrounding Arley Woods is an attractive area of woodlands with footpaths leading from the towpath through to picturesque Worthington Lakes, three North West Water reservoirs, surrounded by woodland, part of which is a nature reserve. Following the canal south you will see on your right - up on the hill, Haigh Hall. The existence of a hall at Haigh can be traced back to the mid 12th century, when the manor was the home of the Le Norreys family. The hall was later the home to Sir William Bradshaigh and the Earl of Crawford. The park today is a favourite family day out with many rides and attractions on site. Haigh plantations are home to a wide range of wildlife, including foxes, grey squirrels, over 80 species of birds and a variety of butterflies, flowers and fungi. Networks of footpaths link the canal with the hall and the rest of the estate.
2. Haigh Hall
Turing right at Top Lock heading down hill towards Wigan Town Centre, you will see on the left an industrial area. This was the home of the Albion Iron Works (c 1870). It originally housed 18 Puddling furnaces, which made it one of the largest iron works in the North.
3. Kirkless Hall Coal & Iron Company
Situated on the right of the towpath is land once owned by the Kirkless Hall Coal and Iron Company. It mined the special Cannel Coal. Cannel Coal was mined not just at this site but also within the grounds of Haigh. Cannel is a coal so clean to touch that many statues have been carved from it and even the ladies toilet seats at Haigh Hall were once made from it. So clean - it would not dirty the Victorian dresses.
4. Wigan Flight of Locks
The Kirkless Hall Coal and Iron Company diversified in 1850 to producing iron from 280 coke ovens. The Hall you see on the site today dates from 1663.The canal drops significantly now down through the Wigan Flight of locks. This is the largest grouping of locks on the canal. The initial part of the flight comprises 7 locks. From the top one you have excellent views over Wigan Town Centre. From the bottom lock follow the towpath round to Wigan Pier.
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