Heritage Trail: Destination Wigan - Route 3
Route facts
Waterways:
Leeds & Liverpool Canal »
Starts at: Wigan Pier
Ends at: Appley Bridge
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 that allow the canal to rise to a height 487’ above sea level.
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.
For more information, please visit www.industrialpowerhouse.co.uk
Waypoints
1. Wigan Pier
Begin at Wigan Pier, an international icon and the centrepiece of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. The name comes from a canalside coal tippler, but was first promoted by George Formby and later by George Orwell in his book: The Road to Wigan Pier. It is now a popular visitor attraction featuring the Way We Were Heritage Centre, Opie's Museum of Memories, the Trencherfield Mill Engine: the world's largest working original steam engine and the Machinery Hall. A replica coal tippler sits on the towpath. The original Pier was sold for scrap iron in 1929 for £34.
2. Seven Stars Bridge
Once you pass under Seven Stars Bridge and look left you encounter an industrial estate. This was where the Pagefield Iron Works was situated. Along the towpath you will see a number of small ponds. These are a legacy of the town's rich industrial past. Again these sites are now places of special scientific interest due to the occupation of rare reed beds. Listen out for Water Rail and watch for Skylarks.
3. Douglas Bank Colliery
Opposite the ponds is the site of the Douglas Bank Colliery. Three pits connected to the canal via tram roads. Although the Colliery closed in 1921, factories up until 1981 used the internal railway system. The canal opens up again now into lovely countryside and Crook Village soon approaches. Before entering the village look left for the Crooke Canal Tunnel, an underground tunnel built in the 18th century; 600 yards long connecting the canal to the Taylor Pit Shaft and an underground wharf. The entrance is now closed and silted up.
4. Crook Village
There is a canal wharf in Crooke Village. It was here where Crooke hall once stood, the seat of the Catterrall family from 1421 - 1713 and home to Robert Holt, the main developer of this stretch of the canal: known as the Douglas Navigation. The canal now divides two pieces of woodland: Otters Croft, not open to the public, to the right and Dean Wood on the towpath side. Dean Wood is one of only a few surviving ancient woods in the North of England. The woods is a haven for wildlife and well worthy of a visit to see the majestic Oak, Beech and Sycamore trees rising out of the carpet of wild flowers such as Celanides, Blue Bells and Wild Garlic.
5. Navigation Public House
On the same side of the Canal as Dean Wood is the Navigation Pub. Opposite which is a factory once used by the Roburite Explosive Company (1887), manufacturers of dynamite and explosive cartridges. The company had factories on both sides of the canal with produce and workers transported across the canal by overhead narrow gauge railway specially constructed to not give off sparks! The company was taken over by ICI to continue explosive production in 1918. The factory completely closed in 1981.
6. Dean Wood Lock Houses
Next on the towpath is Dean Wood Lock Houses. These were canal toll collection points. Tolls were based on tonnage carried.
7. Appley Bridge
The Canal now heads towards Appley Bridge. Just before which, you will find Coppice and Green Bank Woods. These two areas of deciduous woodland cloak the side of the Douglas Valley and provide important rookeries and heronries.
8. Beacon Hill
At Appley Bridge look right for the site of the Crooke Glue and Linoleum Works. At its peak the factory employed 400 people. Looking left you will see the lovely Ashurst Beacon with Beacon Hill and Beacon Point. The latter was used by Romans to warn of approaching attackers. The view from the top is breathtaking, stretching across the Lancashire Plain to the Fylde Coast and North Wales.
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