We passed Richard waving out of the window of Pendle Warter next to Elton Moss Bridge, number 160.
Elton Moss Bridge, sometime known locally as Stabbers Bridge, was the scene of the murder of a policeman in February 1873. PC James Green was out of uniform but on duty, keeping an eye on a local miscreant when he was stabbed to death and dumped in the canal here. The prime suspect was a local farmhand who denied the charge, although bloodstains were found on some of his tools. He claimed that it was pig’s blood, and 19th century forensics couldn’t disprove this. He was acquitted by the jury at his trial, walking away free.
James Green was the first Cheshire police officer to be killed on duty.
Half a mile down the canal we came to out first lock of the day, Crows Nest or Booth Lane Top Lock. A boat was just ready to leave, so that was handy for us both.
Below the lock the canal passes under Stud Green Bridge, named for a nearby hamlet but which carries Dragon’s Lane.
Legend has it that the inhabitants of Moston were plagued by a dragon, one of the red variety out of Wales. This one didn’t breathe fire however, instead it used it’s extremely bad breath to render it’s victims unconscious, dragging them off to a marsh to be consumed at leisure. This went on for a while, until the local Lord of the Manor came along on a tour of his holdings. Sir Thomas Venables was a relative of the king, William I (the conqueror) and a skilled archer. He stalked the beast, putting an arrow through it’s eye and then “with other weapons manfullie slew him”.
The valiant chap then rescued the dragon’s latest victim, a young boy, from the swamp and returned him to his home.
The family crest depicted a dragon with a baby in it’s jaws.The two locks alongside Booth Lane were both set against us, but at least I could leave the gates open on the bottom lock for a boat heading up.
Wimpey’s large development on the other side of the road is moving on apace. Phase 1 is mostly finished and they’re well on with Phase 2.
It’s called Albion Lock, which puzzled me until I realised that development is on the site of the former Albion Chemical Works.
Rumps Lock was the last to deal with before we moored, just above Kings Lock.
We got tied up just before the rain came, and then enjoyed fish and chips from the chippy across the road.
We hadn’t intended to stay more than one night, although the moorings are handy for the chippy, a local shop and the pub they’re also noisy with traffic close alongside. So this morning we dropped down Kings Lock, paused while a boat came down Wardle Lock, then turned sharp left onto the Middlewich Branch and went up Wardle Lock.
Duck! No, swans…
Kings Lock
Between the Trent and Mersey and the top of the lock, the navigation is known as the Wardle Canal, the shortest on the network at only 154 feet long.
It was built by the Trent and Mersey Canal Company in 1829 to connect to the Shropshire Union-built Middlewich Branch so the former could keep control of the junction. The T&M charged exorbitant tolls for boats using the short canal and lock to get to the newer, faster route south using the Shropshire Union.
Up Wardle Lock and we had another half mile or so before pulling in on the new moorings where the major breach occurred in March 2018.
The new edge incorporates a short run of mooring rings.
It was only a bit damp as we came down and up the locks, but this afternoon the predicted rain has moved in. It’s supposed to continue through tomorrow, so we’ll be staying put.
Locks 6, miles 5¼
1 comment:
Fascinating post Geoff
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