| |
Canals in Calderdale
In 1757 a survey was carried out by John Smeaton
with a view to constructing a system of navigable waterways in
Halifax Parish. As a result canals were built to link up with
others in the West Riding and the Calder and Hebble and Rochdale
Canals were used to convey much of the freight which had previously
been transported by the unsatisfactory roads, particularly heavy
materials.
The waterway ran via Todmorden, through Hebden
Bridge and Sowerby Bridge to Halifax, and from there it carried
on to Brighouse and ultimately to Wakefield. In 1825 a further
branch was cut which ran from Salterhebble Basin up to Bailey
Hall, close to where the Mackintosh toffee factory was later
to be built. This spur of the navigation, which proved invaluable
for transport from mills and factories in the central district
of Halifax, came to an end during World War 2 and the remainder
of the canals gradually fell into disuse. It was not until the
1980s that a move was made to restore some of the old waterways,
more with a view to promoting leisure activities than transport
as the interest in boat travel and canoeing increased.
|
