Macclesfield Canal

The Macclesfield Canal is a canal in east Cheshire, England, one of the six that make up the Cheshire Ring.

Route

The canal runs from Marple Junction at Marple, where it joins the Upper Peak Forest Canal, , southwards (through Bollington and Macclesfield), before arriving at Bosley.

Having descended the 12 Bosley Locks over the course of about a mile (1.6 km), the canal continues through Congleton to a junction with the Hall Green Branch of the Trent & Mersey Canal at Hall Green stop lock (the branch itself joins the main line a mile further on at Hardings Wood Junction, near Kidsgrove).

History

Proposals

The canal was initially proposed at a public meeting held on 22 September 1824 at the Macclesfield Arms in Macclesfield.

By the time the canal gained its Act of Parliament in 1826, the estimated cost of building the canal (to be funded by shareholders) was put at £295,000. The authorised share capital was £300,000, and the company had powers to borrow a further £100,000.

Construction

Construction of the canal began at Bollington on 4 December 1826, with the ceremonial cutting of the first sod,...
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