disused earliest post roman canals england opened years start industrial revolution brought golden age canals britain parts route traced ground lock survives intact lincolnshire authorised reign elizabeth construction start powers granted ratified ran miles market locks river section james plans construction survive locks documented visiting water engineer contributed wealth allowing transported town plans link westwards northwards south foot drain southwards came closed soon arrival midland railway area attempted sell closure ownership disputed unable course structures traced landscape include warehouses terminus regulated water levels crossed level history earlier improvements case allow navigation authorised act parliament act granted reign explained prospered result river stated mills built resulted longer diverted water powers granted restore river old channel new clear exactly meant evidence work carried terms act powers revived given permission build new artificial cut run eastern edge near mill market rejoin river corporation estimated cost carry work act enabled charge tolls use set initially lock charged work completed decision ratified grant james corporation expected work completed unable find suitable contractor carry work failed reach agreement terms potential contractors happened called took job built cut locks included high lock low lock river james cost return expenditure given lease tolls years paid rent cut longest canal locks country opened construction preceded canal age years making england earliest post roman canals known contemporary documents describing design methods construction canal opening report alterations river noted men involved work presumably sufficient labour locally tasks probably local recruit workers newspapers carry advertisements work excavated ditch lined blue clay watertight excavations sewer work rubbish tip revealed layers blue clay clay pits near supported pottery industry precise location unknown canal enabled goods reach wash miles away way lower miles course river locks james encountered market course consisted artificial cut locks reached eastern edge rejoined river reach town wharf length cut miles length canal usually quoted miles include improved river sections ends canal crossed river level bypass channel main river channel enabled river levels controlled barges cross operation trade recorded prosperous trade depended carried boat death son law owner toll rights receiving year derived carriage sea coal trade amounted year tried tax sea coal parliament approved reversed succeed failed time stated tax decreased coal carried coal canal carried agricultural produce timber slate stone boats canal small feet long feet wide capable carrying seven fourteen tons normally worked trains vessels known records time canal constructed lock documented water engineer notes drawings visited journey london york lock chamber feet long feet wide gates hung stone piers banks earth gates conventional gates similar modern ones included sort include balance beams instead chain rope attached mid stream edge gate bank opening gates possible obvious shut measurements match surviving structures exception lock appears feet long visible evidence shortened point obvious reason built shorter expansion navigation planned discussions link eventually canal onwards idea canal miles west revived plans mile link connection near market northwards south foot drain boston reached bill rival scheme link included connection south foot drain parliament met success idea raised action taken decline arrival railways river trade declined midland railway reached opened line passing carriage coal canal stopped railways brought cheaper coal locks quickly deteriorated problems april traffic ceased tried sell line auction failed ownership disputed closure canal largely disappeared parts maps ground foundations river locks visible river currently plans waterways link include new link dog currently plans restore navigation dog near built tidal route upper limit navigation situated town bridge carries road river buildings associated canal sides river including large warehouse bridge parts date grade listed barges followed river past ruins established cut began north mill start cut canal flowed initially east turned north east cross right angles entered remains regulated river levels crossing seen flow canal active construction reservoir upstream earthworks canal continue park route canal north river public follows reaches adjacent bridge arches dates seventeenth century canal bridge filled protect structure locks open countryside section canal reached village lock located north parts date 12th 15th centuries later additions remains bridge piers uncovered archaeological excavations carried water pipeline running west installed details bridge survived levels suggest probably bridge canal passed close water mill dating reach horse railway line crossed tail lock demise canal line widened lock thought buried beneath embankment canal looped northern edge reach west lock visible remains lock indicating stone piers ends support gates turf sides crossed king street enclosure map dating shows road crossed canal ford allow pedestrians cross canal getting wet west market canal close northern bank northern river channel locks open countryside western edge town cut rejoined river final locks built lock james low lock south east village points interest
Stamford Canal