3rd March 2011
The Chesterfield Canal has been in print for a long time. We thought that you might be interested in this map of the route surveyed by John Varley, under instruction from James Brindley, in 1769.
The map is by Royce and was first published in the Gentleman’s Magazine in about 1771.
This was a proposed route, though it seems pretty close to the actual one.Two differences are the very short Norwood Tunnel going west of Hard Lane and an extra loop just north of Ranby – in the end there was a rock cutting here. Despite this, the proposed length is given as 44 miles and 6 furlongs, over a mile shorter than the supposed mileage with the mileposts in place.
The first public meeting was held on 24th August 1769 at the Red Lion in Worksop. The Parliamentary bill for the construction of the canal did not receive royal assent until 28th March 1771. Work started in October 1771 and the entire canal was officially opened on 4th June 1777.
To see our other historical maps, click here.
