The birmingham canal navigations wyrley and essington canal is a narrow canal and is part of the birmingham canal navigations it runs for 16 miles and 3 furlongs from horseley fields junction where it joins the birmingham canal navigations main line to ogley junction where it joins the birmingham canal navigations anglesey branch and the birmingham canal navigations lichfield canal. The history the wyrley essington canal was built in the 1790s following an act authorising a canal from wolverhampton to the collieries at wyrley bank and essington.
The wyrley and essington canal originally ran from wolverhampton to huddlesford junction near lichfield.
Wyrley and essington canal map. The wyrley and essington canal known locally as the curly wyrley is a canal in the english midlands as built it ran from wolverhampton to huddlesford junction near lichfield with a number of branches. The wyrley and essington canal runs from the birmingham mainline canal in wolverhampton through wednesfield willenhall and bloxwich where it meets the walsall canal at birchills junction before continuing its journey to brownhills via pelsall at pelsall the canal meets with the cannock extension canal and the daw end branch at brownhills the canal continues a short way to ogley junction. The wyrley and essington canal known locally as the curly wyrley is a canal in the english midlands as built it ran from wolverhampton to huddlesford junction near lichfield with a number of branches.
Some parts are currently derelict pending planned restoration to huddlesford the navigable mainline now terminates at ogley junction near brownhills. This had become disused by 1829 but was reinstated and extended to great wyrley later. 1792 the wyrley essington canal received its act of parliament with personal backing from prime minister william pitt.
In 1799 a 1 mile canal was built from the end of the wyrley bank branch towards great wyrley. The route has many twists and turns and resulted in the canal being known locally as the curly wyrley. The route was planned to run from wolverhampton from a junction on the birmingham canal to a point just south of great wyrley.
An act of parliament passed on 30 april 1792 permitted the building of the original main line from wyrley bank to wolverhampton. Opened in 1797 the canal once provided a vital link for the coal fields in the area. Often referred to as the curly wyrley the wyrley and essington canal flows through suburbs countryside and mining heritage.
The line to wyrley bank and essington was completed by july 1798. The wyrley essington canal was constructed entirely on the level making for easy lock free boating away from the crowds in the central birmingham canal navigations. In 1799 the birmingham canal company opened its branch from the birmingham canal to walsall.
It s 16 miles long with no locks to portage. However it now terminates at ogley junction near brownhills the canal is a contour canal which is all built on same level. Some parts are currently derelict pending planned restoration to huddlesford the navigable mainline now terminates at ogley junction near brownhills.
The wyrley and essington canal is nicknamed the curly wyrley at it was built entirely on the level following the contoyrs of the land. The wyrley essington canal history. This has the advantage of allowing over sixteen miles of lock free navigation.
The total length was to be about 12 miles with 5 locks.
Wyrley Essington Canal
