*Notes
Lock
The North Walsham and Dilham Canal, opened in 1826, was never a great success. From the size of this lock (at Ebridge Mill on the Happisburgh Road), it must have cost a king's ransom to build (by deepening and widening the River Ant) as the gradients may be among the steepest in Norfolk (North Walsham is on a hill).
It has been neglected since the early 20th century, and while it was partly drained in 1927 it's not clear whether it ever officially closed - indeed, from the Dilham (Broads) end it is still just about navigable for about a mile. The unusual width suggests it was designed with the local cargo and fishing boats, wide-bodied sailing 'Wherries', in mind. Very few of these are still seaworthy but some can still be found around East Anglia.
Around 1996, engineering and environmental studies agreed that at least 6 miles of the canal could be restored, and in 2008 a trust was formed with the sole intent of reviving the waterway, which would provide these towns with a navigable link to the Norfolk Broads. It's just possible that increased use of boats for leisure could see the canal start paying for itself, 100 years after it's demise. The North Walsham Canal Company is currently owned by Cubitt and Walker who also own the closed Mill here at Ebridge Lock.
As can be seen here, though the lock as already been cleared by volunteers with excavators, it doesn't take long for vegetation to re-establish itself. Restoring the waterway will take much time, patience and effort, and then it must continue to earn its keep if it is to remain a successful restoration project.
Lock
The North Walsham and Dilham Canal, opened in 1826, was never a great success. From the size of this lock (at Ebridge Mill on the Happisburgh Road), it must have cost a king's ransom to build (by deepening and widening the River Ant) as the gradients may be among the steepest in Norfolk (North Walsham is on a hill).
It has been neglected since the early 20th century, and while it was partly drained in 1927 it's not clear whether it ever officially closed - indeed, from the Dilham (Broads) end it is still just about navigable for about a mile. The unusual width suggests it was designed with the local cargo and fishing boats, wide-bodied sailing 'Wherries', in mind. Very few of these are still seaworthy but some can still be found around East Anglia.
Around 1996, engineering and environmental studies agreed that at least 6 miles of the canal could be restored, and in 2008 a trust was formed with the sole intent of reviving the waterway, which would provide these towns with a navigable link to the Norfolk Broads. It's just possible that increased use of boats for leisure could see the canal start paying for itself, 100 years after it's demise. The North Walsham Canal Company is currently owned by Cubitt and Walker who also own the closed Mill here at Ebridge Lock.
As can be seen here, though the lock as already been cleared by volunteers with excavators, it doesn't take long for vegetation to re-establish itself. Restoring the waterway will take much time, patience and effort, and then it must continue to earn its keep if it is to remain a successful restoration project.