Description:
Ran 4 miles, with 6 locks, from the River Ancholme (4 miles
south of Brigg) towards, but not reaching, Caistor.
THIS
canal commences on the New River
Ancholme Navigation, near Creampoke, in Kelsey Carrs, and proceeds in
an easterly
direction by the village of South Kelsey to
its termination at
Moortown, three miles and a half west of the town of Caistor. It is
four miles in length, with Six locks, and it was made under the
authority of an act of parliament entitled, 'An act for
making and
maintaining a
navigable Canal, from the River Ancholme, in the parish of South
Kelsey, in the county of Lincoln, into the parish of Caistor, in the
said county,' by which the subscribers are incorporated by
the name
of "The Company of Proprietors of the Caistor Canal Navigation," with
power to raise £15,000, in one hundred and fifty shares of
£100 each,
with further authority for raising an additional sum of
£10,000, if
necessary.
History: On
the 3rd July 1792 it was decided to ask
William Jessop to carry out a
survey and prepare a plan and on 3
October 1792 his
report was considered at a meeting of the Ancholme Navigation
Commissioners who were concerned about the effect the proposed
navigation would have on drainage. The
canal was authorised
by an Act of Parliament - 33 George III, Cap. 114,
Royal Assent 3rd June, 1793 and in 1795
Robert Dickenson was
the engineer engaged to build the canal.
The
canal was opened about 1800 and was used by James Green Dixon
(1812-73) who farmed at Thornton Le Moor after his
father’s death, and acquired a farm of his own at Rothwell. Not
content with these interests, he also traded as a corn, coal and seed
merchant, using the Caistor Canal. The canal was not used after
1855 and was officially abandoned in 1936. The locks
have been replaced by weirs to maintain the water levels. See
photos of 3 of the weirs and the remains of the
locks as at May 2007.
Willow Lock
| Wheat,
Rye, Shelling, Beans, Peas, Vetches, Lentils, Apples, Pears, Onions and Potatoes | 1½d per Quarter per Mile. |
| Barley, Malt, and Oats | 1d ditto. ditto. |
| Wool, Dried Pelts or Spetches | 1½d per Pack, per Mile. |
| Coal, Slack, Cinders, Culm, and Charcoal | 4d per Ton, per Mile. |
| Lime | 3d ditto. ditto. |
| Bricks and Tiles | 2d ditto. ditto. |
| Stone-flag, Paving-stone and Slate | 3d ditto. ditto. |
| Cast Metal Goods, Bar and other Iron | 6d ditto. ditto. |
| Timber (English or Foreign) and Deals | 4d ditto. ditto. |
| Groceries,
Linen and Woollen Yarn, Cotton, Flax, Hemp, Manufactured Goods, and all Wares and Merchandize | 8d ditto. ditto. |
Fractions to be taken as for a Mile, and as for a Quarter of a Ton.
Timber and Stone for the use of his Majesty; Gravel and Sand for the repair of Roads; Dung, Marl, and Soil for the purpose of Manuring Lands belonging to Owners of adjoining Lands; though these last-mentioned Articles are not permitted to pass a Lock free, unless the Water shall flow over the Waste Weir. Vessels under Twenty Tons, not to pass without leave, or without paying for that Tonnage.
By this canal, and the Ancholme Navigation, the surplus agricultural produce of the north of Lincolnshire is exported; and coal, agricultural lime, and general merchandize, is the return to Caistor and its neighbourhood.
There was some attempt made, in 1801, to make a
canal from
this, along the foot of the Wolds, to near Market Rasen, but as no act
was obtained for the purpose, it seems now to be abandoned.
Canal Engineer of great repute.
Assistant to John Smeaton, worked with James Creassy, assisted by
William, Senior Crosley, assisted by Thomas Dadford junior, was
assisted by John Duncombe and was assisted by Samuel Hartley.