33971
The Beeston Canal, in Beeston, Nottinghamshire.
Although the River Trent had been used for navigation for centuries it was not until the late 18th century that improvements were made.
The Trent Navigation Company was formed by an Act of 1783 with the responsibility of maintaining and improving the river from Shardlow in Derbyshire to Gainsborough (Lincolnshire). William Jessop was appointed as permanent engineer.
An Act of 1794 authorised the construction of the Beeston Canal (also known as the Beeston Cut), a cut 2¼ miles (3.2 km) in length, which ran from the Nottingham Canal at Lenton to the River Trent at Beeston. It opened in 1796 and allowed boats to travel through the town and thereby avoid hazardous conditions on the River Trent between Beeston Lock and West Bridgford.
With increased prosperity, the canals became the transport of choice in its day and people soon arrived to capitalise on its obvious benefits. But with the advent of the railway, the canal system went into decline, until the Inland Waterways Association championed the use of canals as leisure facilities in the 1960s. This led to a clean up and canal side improvements that feature today.
33971
The Beeston Canal, in Beeston, Nottinghamshire.
Although the River Trent had been used for navigation for centuries it was not until the late 18th century that improvements were made.
The Trent Navigation Company was formed by an Act of 1783 with the responsibility of maintaining and improving the river from Shardlow in Derbyshire to Gainsborough (Lincolnshire). William Jessop was appointed as permanent engineer.
An Act of 1794 authorised the construction of the Beeston Canal (also known as the Beeston Cut), a cut 2¼ miles (3.2 km) in length, which ran from the Nottingham Canal at Lenton to the River Trent at Beeston. It opened in 1796 and allowed boats to travel through the town and thereby avoid hazardous conditions on the River Trent between Beeston Lock and West Bridgford.
With increased prosperity, the canals became the transport of choice in its day and people soon arrived to capitalise on its obvious benefits. But with the advent of the railway, the canal system went into decline, until the Inland Waterways Association championed the use of canals as leisure facilities in the 1960s. This led to a clean up and canal side improvements that feature today.